If a child has been bitten by a stray cat, there are vital measures that you have to do. Aside from basic first aid which includes bleeding control, cleansing of the wound using water and soap, applying an antibiotic ointment and bandaging the bite site, it is important to call the local animal control, health department and a doctor to assess if the child is at risk for the following:
- Tetanus if it has been more than 5 years since the last tetanus shot of the child and the cat bite is deep or contaminated.
- Bacterial infection since many cats have the Pasteurella multocida bacteria in their mouth which is known to cause wound infections in children.
- Rabies can be carried by cats and dogs but cases are still lower than the incidence of rabies caused by wild animals.
Antibiotics for cat bites
It is important to note that cat bites are at risk for infection, especially with the P. multocida bacteria. With this in mind, it is recommended for the child to be treated with an antibiotic after being bitten by a cat.
In case the child is allergic to penicillin, he/she will be treated with a combination of clindamycin with either Bactrim or an extended spectrum cephalosporin.
Rabies and cat bites
The risk of acquiring rabies from a cat is relatively low since most cases of rabies are caused by wild animals such as skunks, raccoons, foxes and bats. On the other hand, a small percentage of rabies occurs in domestic animals including dogs and cats.
Even though not common, rabies is almost always fatal. Healthcare professionals recommend sticking on the side of caution if you believe that a child has been exposed to rabies.
It simply means having the animal confined and placed under observation for 10 days or if you believe that the animal might have rabies but could not locate it, the child should be given human rabies immune globulin and start the initial shot in a sequence of five shots as soon as possible. The doctor can help determine if the child requires rabies shots after being bitten by a stray cat.
Cat scratch fever
A child with cat scratch fever develops a brown-red bump after 7-12 days after being scratched, licked or bitten by a cat. A few weeks later, the child will develop a steadily growing lymph node in the same area.
Important considerations to bear in mind
- If the child was bitten by a neighbor’s cat, you have to check to ensure if it has updated rabies shots.
- A child who sustained a cat bite might require a tetanus shot.
- Children typically develop the symptoms of rabies 1-3 months after they were exposed to the bite of an infected animal. Just remember though that the incubation period can range from a few days to several years later.
- The best way to prevent rabies is to instruct children not to play, touch or feed wild animals.