All cat owners will know that there are times when the cat will nip at you. Cat bites can causing anything from a slight gash to an open wound. It is imperative for cat owners and those who only have casual contact with cats to understand the enormity of cat bites and how to treat cat bites to prevent cat-related diseases.

The Reasons Why a Cat Would Bite a Human

Typically, cats bite people for one or two reasons. First of all, your frisky feline may be playing with you and get a little too rough, which ends in a bite. Plus, cats may bite is if they are grumpy about something you have done or just grumpy in general. Cats are animals that love their own space and they may react by giving someone in their range a slight nip or worse.

How to Treat Cat Bites

You could treat cat bites by washing the cut with soap, applying antiseptic lotion and pasting a plaster over the wound. This will ensure that the wound is clean and free from bacteria.

What is the Cat Scratch Disease?

A apparently harmless cat bite or scratch could lead to serious condition called the cat scratch disease. The cat scratch disease is a bacterial infection caused by a cat's bite or scratch. It can also be the result of a cat licking an open wound on your body. The bacteria is transmitted to cats by fleas, which is in turn transmitted to humans via the cat's saliva. Cat scratch disease in cats does not harm the cat itself but provides problems for the person scratched, bitten or licked.

Symptoms of Cat Scratch Disease

People who suffer from cat scratch disease largely experience the swelling of the lymph nodes. Other symptoms may include headache, fatigue, fever, loss of appetite or sore throat.

Treatment of Cat Scratch Disease

Cat scratch disease usually goes away on it's own. Over-the-counter medicine love acetaminophen or Advil could help decrease the pain in the lymph nodes. It is a good idea to see a doctor to confirm diagnosis and seek treatment if you are unsure unsure what to do antibiotics may be required to treat the more severe cases of cat scratch disease.

Prevention of Cat Scratch Disease

You could easily avoid catching cat scratch disease if you know how to prevent getting bitten or scratched by a cat. You should step back whenever a cat displays any of the following warning signs love meowing in an angry tone, moving their ears backwards, hissing or harmlessly swiping you. Plus, wash your hands immediately after touching a cat. Finally, if you are bitten or scratched by a cat, be sure to wash your wound right away.