What should I do if I am scratched and bleeding by a stray cat?

Jul 26, 2021 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Zhang Min

Introduction

If scratched by a stray cat and the wound is bleeding, immediate first aid should be administered to the injured area. First, assess the depth and length of the wound. Then, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 minutes. After washing, rinse the wound thoroughly with clean water. Next, disinfect the wound with iodine tincture, followed by wiping off the iodine with alcohol. Importantly, avoid further contact between the exposed wound and the cat.

In daily life, many stray cats roam neighborhoods. Occasionally, people accidentally get scratched by these wandering cats and must immediately address the injury. Until the wound fully heals, it should not come into contact with water. Diet should be light and bland—avoid spicy or irritating foods and alcohol, as these may impede wound healing. So, what should you do if you’re scratched and bleed from a stray cat? Below, we provide answers to this question.

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What to Do If Scratched and Bleeding by a Stray Cat

If you are scratched and bleed from a stray cat, promptly treat the wound. First, assess the depth and length of the wound, then thoroughly wash it with soap and water for at least 20 minutes. After washing, rinse the wound thoroughly with clean water. Next, disinfect the wound with iodine tincture, followed by wiping off the iodine with alcohol. Crucially, avoid further contact between the exposed wound and the cat. Additionally, regardless of wound depth, any bleeding necessitates immediate medical evaluation. Follow your physician’s instructions regarding tetanus and rabies vaccination. In cases of severe scratching with significant bleeding, administration of tetanus immune globulin may also be required—this helps better prevent rabies and supports overall health.

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Knowledge Extension: Symptoms of Rabies

1. Neuropsychiatric Abnormalities

After the rabies virus invades the human nervous system, it affects not only respiration but also speech. Patients may exhibit incoherent speech (logorrhea) and become extremely sensitive to even minor stimuli, potentially leading to aggressive behavior toward others. Psychosis, visual hallucinations, and auditory hallucinations may also occur.

2. Pharyngeal Muscle Spasms

Viral damage to the nervous system triggers pharyngeal muscle spasms. These spasms may extend to respiratory muscles, causing dyspnea (difficulty breathing). Due to excessive sympathetic nervous system activation, patients often experience profuse sweating and hypersalivation. Swallowing fluids or food becomes extremely difficult, resulting in dehydration and high fever.

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3. Systemic Symptoms

Rabies patients may also present with systemic symptoms such as low-grade fever, fatigue, headache, nausea, and vomiting—typically occurring early in the disease course. As the illness progresses, patients may develop high fever, hypersalivation, diaphoresis, tachycardia, and hypertension.

The above outlines appropriate management steps following a scratch and bleed from a stray cat. We hope this information proves helpful to you.

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Why can cat scratches lead to rabies?

After being scratched by a cat, one may become infected with rabies because cats can carry the rabies virus. The rabies virus can be found in a cat's blood, nervous system, and saliva. When a person is scratched, the virus can enter the body through the wound, invade the nervous system, and lead to rabies infection. Generally, the probability of contracting rabies from a cat scratch is less than 0.5%.