There are many cats living all over the state of California, which means there are also many cat owners. However, not every cat has a home.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to determine if a stray cat is friendly. This is hard to tell even with a friend or family member’s cat. Sometimes, petting an unknown cat results in a bite attack. This can be more serious than you think.
About cat bites
First, cat bites are more likely to become infected than dog bites. Dog teeth tear and shred. Cat teeth puncture. Due to their length and sharpness, they bite deep into the flesh of an unsuspecting human. This injects bacteria far below the surface of the skin. A large majority of cat bites become infected. Infection often sets in within hours, too. Severe infection is also possible. This includes sepsis and gangrene.
Risk of infection
Infection is the biggest risk of cat bite injuries. But the location of a bite causes problems as well. If a cat bites you on the face or neck, the quick rate of infection causes big problems. For example, some cats bite their victims on or around the eye area. In some of those cases, the victims have lost their vision. If infection affects joints near a bite wound, the victim may suffer from arthritis.
Importance of treatment
Animal attacks and bites may require quick treatment, even if the bite came from a cat. It is important to work fast in the aftermath of any bite, particularly if you do not understand the health history of the animal that bit you.