What should I do if I’m scratched by a cat and bleed?
Recently, pet-related topics have been very popular on social media. Among them, "how to deal with being scratched by a cat" has become the focus of many cat owners. The following is a detailed solution to this problem, compiled from popular discussions and medical advice across the Internet in the past 10 days.
1. Emergency treatment steps after being scratched by a cat

| steps | Specific operations | Things to note |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Clean the wound | Immediately rinse with running water and soap for 15 minutes | Avoid using alcohol to directly irritate the wound |
| 2. Stop bleeding | Apply pressure with clean gauze or towel to stop bleeding | If bleeding continues for more than 10 minutes, seek medical attention |
| 3. Disinfection | Use iodophor or medical alcohol for disinfection | Apply in a circular motion from the center of the wound outwards |
| 4. bandage | A band-aid can be applied to superficial wounds, and sterile gauze is required for deep wounds. | Keep the wound breathable |
2. Serious situations requiring medical treatment
| red flag | Possible risks | Recommended actions |
|---|---|---|
| The wound is deep and large | nerve/tendon injury | Emergency suturing within 12 hours |
| Increased redness, swelling, heat and pain | bacterial infection | Need antibiotic treatment |
| Fever/swollen lymph nodes | Cat scratch disease possible | Blood test required |
| Feral cats/unimmunized cats | Rabies risk | Get vaccinated within 24 hours |
3. Follow-up care to prevent infection
1.daily observation: Record the wound healing status. Normally, scabs should form in 3-5 days.
2.Frequency of dressing changes: Sterile gauze should be changed daily, and the band-aid should be changed when it comes in contact with water.
3.Taboos: Avoid scratching, touching water, and applying folk ointments
4.dietary advice: Supplement more vitamin C and protein to promote healing
4. Data statistics on hotly discussed topics across the Internet
| Discussion platform | Amount of related topics | High frequency keywords |
|---|---|---|
| 12,000 items | Rabies vaccine, tetanus | |
| little red book | 5800+notes | Scar repair, cat scratch disease |
| Zhihu | 320 answers | Immunoglobulin, ten-day observation method |
| Douyin | 150 million views | First aid demonstration, cat training |
5. Special precautions
1.Vaccine duration: The first dose of rabies vaccine needs to be given within 24 hours after exposure, and the full vaccination requires 3-4 shots.
2.Tetanus risk: If you have not received the tetanus vaccine within 5 years, you need to seek medical treatment for a revaccination
3.Cat management: Regularly trimming pet’s nails and conducting behavioral training can reduce the probability of scratches.
4.Legal rights protection: If you are injured by someone else’s pet, you should keep the medical certificate to claim compensation.
Through the above structured treatment plan, it can not only effectively deal with sudden injuries, but also scientifically prevent subsequent complications. It is recommended that families with cats keep a medical first aid kit and learn basic wound treatment skills. In case of uncertainty, be sure to consult a professional medical institution promptly.
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