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Cat Bite Symptoms
What is cat-scratch disease, and how do people get it?
Cat-scratch disease is an infection caused by bacteria carried in
cat saliva. The bacteria can be passed from a cat to a human.
The bacteria may come from ticks and fleas, but this has not been
clearly proven yet.
You can get cat-scratch disease from a cat bite or cat scratch. A
cat gets the bacteria on its paws when it licks them. Then, when
the cat scratches you, the bacteria on the cat’s paws and claws
may be passed on to you. The cat can also pass the bacteria in its
saliva with a bite or a lick. You can get the bacteria in your eyes if
you pet a cat that has the bacteria on its fur and then rub your eye
with the same hand. You are at higher risk if your cat sleeps with
you, licks you, or is allowed outdoors.
The symptoms of cat-scratch disease develop about six to eight
weeks after a cat scratch, bite, or other direct contact with a cat or
its saliva. Many people who get cat-scratch disease do not even
remember being scratched or bitten by a cat by the time symptoms
begin to appear.
Cat-scratch disease is not a severe illness in people who are
healthy, but it can be a problem in people with weak immune
systems. People with weak immune systems include those who are
receiving chemotherapy for cancer, those who have diabetes or
those who have AIDS.
What is cat-scratch disease, and how do people get it?
Cat-scratch disease is an infection caused by bacteria carried in
cat saliva. The bacteria can be passed from a cat to a human.
The bacteria may come from ticks and fleas, but this has not been
clearly proven yet.
You can get cat-scratch disease from a cat bite or cat scratch. A
cat gets the bacteria on its paws when it licks them. Then, when
the cat scratches you, the bacteria on the cat’s paws and claws
may be passed on to you. The cat can also pass the bacteria in its
saliva with a bite or a lick. You can get the bacteria in your eyes if
you pet a cat that has the bacteria on its fur and then rub your eye
with the same hand. You are at higher risk if your cat sleeps with
you, licks you, or is allowed outdoors.
The symptoms of cat-scratch disease develop about six to eight
weeks after a cat scratch, bite, or other direct contact with a cat or
its saliva. Many people who get cat-scratch disease do not even
remember being scratched or bitten by a cat by the time symptoms
begin to appear.
Cat-scratch disease is not a severe illness in people who are
healthy, but it can be a problem in people with weak immune
systems. People with weak immune systems include those who are
receiving chemotherapy for cancer, those who have diabetes or
those who have AIDS.
What are the signs of cat-scratch disease?
A sore may develop where a cat has bitten or scratched you three to ten days after the bite or
scratch, a small red bump, similar to a pimple, but usually without the white head. The sore may
take a long time to heal. An infection of the lymph nodes or lymph glands also develops, most
often in the glands that are near the scratch or bite. For example, if the infection is from a cat
scratch on your right arm, the glands in your right armpit may become quite tender and swollen.
The lymph nodes may swell to an inch or more in size. Fever and flu-like symptoms such as
fatigue, malaise and headache are often present. These symptoms can last weeks to months.
Cat-scratch disease can occur in other parts of the body. Some people get the infection on an
eyelid or underneath an eyelid. Other people get a rash over their entire body. Still other people
get an infection of the liver or spleen or an infection of the bones or the joints.
What tests are needed to diagnose cat-scratch disease?
If you remember that you were bitten or scratched by a cat, your doctor will probably be able to
diagnose the illness based on the fact that you were bitten or scratched and then experienced
painful, swollen lymph nodes. When the diagnosis is not clear to your doctor, a blood test may
help him make the diagnosis.
How is cat-scratch disease treated?
Usually, cat-scratch disease is a benign illness and clears up without treatment. However,
antibiotics may be needed when infected lymph nodes stay painful and swollen for more than two
or three months. Antibiotics may also help if you have a fever for a long time or if the infection is
in your bones, liver or another organ. Your doctor can determine if treatment with an antibiotic is
necessary. More rapid reduction in lymph node swelling has been noted with antibiotic therapy.
If treatment is deemed necessary, the antibiotic will often be continued for six or more weeks.
Treatment is usually discontinued once the lymph node has decreased in size, and all fever and
flu-like symptoms have resolved for five to ten days.
Can cat-scratch disease be prevented?
Washing your hands carefully after handling your cat is one way to prevent the infection.
Keeping your cat free of fleas may also help prevent you from becoming infected.
Cats only seem to be able to transmit this infection for a few weeks. Young cats seem to be more
susceptible to carrying the bacteria than older cats. Households with kittens have higher rates of
infection. If the kittens have fleas, the infection rate is 29 times higher than if the kittens do not
have fleas.
Should cats be treated?
Cats require no treatment. The bacteria does not cause a sickness in cats. They merely carry
the bacteria that causes cat-scratch disease in people.
See your doctor if you notice any of the following problems:
-- A cat scratch or bite that does not heal in the usual length of time.
-- An area of redness around a cat scratch or bite that continues to get bigger for more than two
days after the injury.
-- Fever that lasts for several days after a cat scratch or bite.
-- Painful and swollen lymph nodes for more than two or three weeks.
-- Bone or joint pain, abdominal pain (without fever, vomiting or diarrhea) or an unusual degree
of tiredness for more than two or three weeks.
Contagiousness
Cat scratch disease is not contagious from person to person. The bacteria are spread by the
scratch or bite of an infected animal, most often a kitten. They can also be transmitted if the
animal’s saliva comes in contact with broken skin or an eye. Sometimes multiple cases of the
illness occur in the same family, but these likely result from contact with the same infected animal.
Having one episode of cat scratch disease usually makes people immune for the rest of their lives.
Prevention
If you’re concerned about cat scratch disease, you do not need to get rid of the family pet. The
illness is relatively rare and usually mild, and a few steps can go a long way toward limiting your
child’s chances of contracting the disease.
Teaching kids to avoid stray or unfamiliar cats can reduce their exposure to sources of the
bacteria. To lower the risk of getting the disease from a family pet or familiar cat, kids should
avoid rough play with any pets so they can avoid being scratched or bitten. Have your family
members wash their hands after handling or playing with a cat.
If your child is scratched by a pet, wash the injured area thoroughly with soap and water.
Keeping the house and your pet free of fleas will reduce the risk that your cat could become
infected with the bacteria in the first place.
If you suspect that someone in your family has caught cat scratch disease from your family pet,
you don’t need to worry that the animal will have to be put to sleep. Talk with your veterinarian
about the problem.
Incubation
It typically takes three to ten days for a blister or small bump to appear at the site of a scratch or
bite. Lymph node swelling usually begins about one to four weeks later.
Duration
The inoculation lesion where the bacteria entered the body usually takes days to heal. The
swollen lymph nodes typically disappear within 2 to 4 months, although they occasionally last
much longer.
Professional Treatment
Doctors usually diagnose cat scratch disease based on a history of exposure to a cat or kitten
and a physical examination. During the exam, a doctor will look for signs of a cat scratch or bite
and swollen lymph nodes. In some cases, doctors use laboratory tests to help make the
diagnosis, including:
1. skin tests, blood tests, and cultures to rule out other causes of swollen lymph nodes
2. a blood test that is positive for cat scratch disease
3. a microscopic examination of a removed lymph node that shows signs of cat scratch
disease
Most cases of cat scratch disease resolve without any treatment at all. Rarely, a swollen lymph
node becomes so large and painful that the doctor may recommend removing fluid from the node
with a needle and syringe. Antibiotics can be used to treat the disease. If your doctor has
prescribed antibiotics, take or give the medication on schedule for as many days as the doctor
has advised.
When to Call the Doctor
Call your doctor whenever swollen or painful lymph nodes exist in any area of the body, or if you
are ever bitten by an animal. You should call if you or your child have been bitten or scratched
by a cat, and the wound does not seem to be healing, an area of redness around the wound
keeps expanding for several days, or the wounded person develops a fever that lasts for a few
days after receiving the scratch or bite.
If you or your child has already been diagnosed with cat scratch disease, call the doctor if your
child has a high fever, has lots of pain in a lymph node, seems very sick, or develops any new
symptoms.
A sore may develop where a cat has bitten or scratched you three to ten days after the bite or
scratch, a small red bump, similar to a pimple, but usually without the white head. The sore may
take a long time to heal. An infection of the lymph nodes or lymph glands also develops, most
often in the glands that are near the scratch or bite. For example, if the infection is from a cat
scratch on your right arm, the glands in your right armpit may become quite tender and swollen.
The lymph nodes may swell to an inch or more in size. Fever and flu-like symptoms such as
fatigue, malaise and headache are often present. These symptoms can last weeks to months.
Cat-scratch disease can occur in other parts of the body. Some people get the infection on an
eyelid or underneath an eyelid. Other people get a rash over their entire body. Still other people
get an infection of the liver or spleen or an infection of the bones or the joints.
What tests are needed to diagnose cat-scratch disease?
If you remember that you were bitten or scratched by a cat, your doctor will probably be able to
diagnose the illness based on the fact that you were bitten or scratched and then experienced
painful, swollen lymph nodes. When the diagnosis is not clear to your doctor, a blood test may
help him make the diagnosis.
How is cat-scratch disease treated?
Usually, cat-scratch disease is a benign illness and clears up without treatment. However,
antibiotics may be needed when infected lymph nodes stay painful and swollen for more than two
or three months. Antibiotics may also help if you have a fever for a long time or if the infection is
in your bones, liver or another organ. Your doctor can determine if treatment with an antibiotic is
necessary. More rapid reduction in lymph node swelling has been noted with antibiotic therapy.
If treatment is deemed necessary, the antibiotic will often be continued for six or more weeks.
Treatment is usually discontinued once the lymph node has decreased in size, and all fever and
flu-like symptoms have resolved for five to ten days.
Can cat-scratch disease be prevented?
Washing your hands carefully after handling your cat is one way to prevent the infection.
Keeping your cat free of fleas may also help prevent you from becoming infected.
Cats only seem to be able to transmit this infection for a few weeks. Young cats seem to be more
susceptible to carrying the bacteria than older cats. Households with kittens have higher rates of
infection. If the kittens have fleas, the infection rate is 29 times higher than if the kittens do not
have fleas.
Should cats be treated?
Cats require no treatment. The bacteria does not cause a sickness in cats. They merely carry
the bacteria that causes cat-scratch disease in people.
See your doctor if you notice any of the following problems:
-- A cat scratch or bite that does not heal in the usual length of time.
-- An area of redness around a cat scratch or bite that continues to get bigger for more than two
days after the injury.
-- Fever that lasts for several days after a cat scratch or bite.
-- Painful and swollen lymph nodes for more than two or three weeks.
-- Bone or joint pain, abdominal pain (without fever, vomiting or diarrhea) or an unusual degree
of tiredness for more than two or three weeks.
Contagiousness
Cat scratch disease is not contagious from person to person. The bacteria are spread by the
scratch or bite of an infected animal, most often a kitten. They can also be transmitted if the
animal’s saliva comes in contact with broken skin or an eye. Sometimes multiple cases of the
illness occur in the same family, but these likely result from contact with the same infected animal.
Having one episode of cat scratch disease usually makes people immune for the rest of their lives.
Prevention
If you’re concerned about cat scratch disease, you do not need to get rid of the family pet. The
illness is relatively rare and usually mild, and a few steps can go a long way toward limiting your
child’s chances of contracting the disease.
Teaching kids to avoid stray or unfamiliar cats can reduce their exposure to sources of the
bacteria. To lower the risk of getting the disease from a family pet or familiar cat, kids should
avoid rough play with any pets so they can avoid being scratched or bitten. Have your family
members wash their hands after handling or playing with a cat.
If your child is scratched by a pet, wash the injured area thoroughly with soap and water.
Keeping the house and your pet free of fleas will reduce the risk that your cat could become
infected with the bacteria in the first place.
If you suspect that someone in your family has caught cat scratch disease from your family pet,
you don’t need to worry that the animal will have to be put to sleep. Talk with your veterinarian
about the problem.
Incubation
It typically takes three to ten days for a blister or small bump to appear at the site of a scratch or
bite. Lymph node swelling usually begins about one to four weeks later.
Duration
The inoculation lesion where the bacteria entered the body usually takes days to heal. The
swollen lymph nodes typically disappear within 2 to 4 months, although they occasionally last
much longer.
Professional Treatment
Doctors usually diagnose cat scratch disease based on a history of exposure to a cat or kitten
and a physical examination. During the exam, a doctor will look for signs of a cat scratch or bite
and swollen lymph nodes. In some cases, doctors use laboratory tests to help make the
diagnosis, including:
1. skin tests, blood tests, and cultures to rule out other causes of swollen lymph nodes
2. a blood test that is positive for cat scratch disease
3. a microscopic examination of a removed lymph node that shows signs of cat scratch
disease
Most cases of cat scratch disease resolve without any treatment at all. Rarely, a swollen lymph
node becomes so large and painful that the doctor may recommend removing fluid from the node
with a needle and syringe. Antibiotics can be used to treat the disease. If your doctor has
prescribed antibiotics, take or give the medication on schedule for as many days as the doctor
has advised.
When to Call the Doctor
Call your doctor whenever swollen or painful lymph nodes exist in any area of the body, or if you
are ever bitten by an animal. You should call if you or your child have been bitten or scratched
by a cat, and the wound does not seem to be healing, an area of redness around the wound
keeps expanding for several days, or the wounded person develops a fever that lasts for a few
days after receiving the scratch or bite.
If you or your child has already been diagnosed with cat scratch disease, call the doctor if your
child has a high fever, has lots of pain in a lymph node, seems very sick, or develops any new
symptoms.
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