Cat Bite - Will they really quarantee my cat?

Hi, my cat Kabou either bit me or gouged me with her claws last Saturday. It wasn't intentional and I won't go into the whole story now. I have a bad infection that so far is not responding to antibiotics. I am under the care of a dr. I initially thought she clawed me, but there are four definite puncture wounds on the back of my leg which makes me wonder if she might have bitten me.

My question is: If I tell my dr. today that it might be a bite, will it be reported and will Kabou be taken from me? I read in another thread on this site that if you report a bite, they quarantee the cat. I can't let that happen.

Unless you prove that your cat is update on its shots and rabies, they will have to quarentine him/her for 10 or 14 days - not sure the amount of time.

You should really let your doctor know it's a cat bite so they can treat it appropriately. Has your kitty had its rabies vaccinations? In my area, if your cat bites you and is up to date on rabies, you just have to keep it indoors for 10 days.

If it hasn't had rabies, then they quarantine it. Was it really your cat you were playing with? It wasn't a stray If you say its a stray though, they give YOU rabies shots as well which I hear are painful.

Originally Posted by sarahp

If you say its a stray though, they give YOU rabies shots as well which I hear are painful.

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I'm pretty sure you can refuse the shots, but likely have to sign a waver claiming that the doctor isn't responsible.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

I'm pretty sure you can refuse the shots, but likely have to sign a waver claiming that the doctor isn't responsible.

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I don't know it that is the case or not, but if there is any chance of rabies you would definitely want the vaccine - otherwise it could well be a death sentence if you really did have rabies.

If it was your cat, then it's unlikely it has rabies but you will probably have to prove you are up to date on vaccinations.

Originally Posted by Crt

Hi, my cat Kabou either bit me or gouged me with her claws last Saturday. It wasn't intentional and I won't go into the whole story now. I have a bad infection that so far is not responding to antibiotics. I am under the care of a dr. I initially thought she clawed me, but there are four definite puncture wounds on the back of my leg which makes me wonder if she might have bitten me.

My question is: If I tell my dr. today that it might be a bite, will it be reported and will Kabou be taken from me? I read in another thread on this site that if you report a bite, they quarantee the cat. I can't let that happen.

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One of my cats bit me (but I was at the vets office at the time and it was not intentional either...she meant to bite the vet. ) and I got a nasty infection and had to get shots. My cat was not taken from me or quarantined but she was up to date on her rabies shots. Oh and I live in Texas as well but not sure if it is different from the part you live in.

If it's your cat, and it's an indoor cat, they will NOT quarantine it. I doubt they would even if it's a cat that is and indoor/outdoor cat and spends all its time at your house.

If every cat bite caused the cat to be quarantined, the quarantine locations would be hip deep in cats.

When Billy bit me, animal control came and made me quarantine him inside for 10 days, then go get a vet visit to rule out rabies, even though he was up to date on his shots.

If they make you quarantine, you can't do it in an apartment - it has to be a house or townhouse. Otherwise, it will be done as the animal shelter or your vet.

But as you can see, the practice varies from place to place. I'm in Texas too, College Station/Bryan to be exact. In any case, the quarantine is only temporary, and then everything will be fine again. So don't be afraid to say that its a cat bite - its important to get it treated properly because cat bites can be very bad.

Be honest with your doctor, it is the only way the treatment can be accurate and cat bites can be very nasty. I doubt they will take your pet cat at all. There was a cat breeder I knew that got bit and had blood poisoning and the doctor didn't even think about putting that cat under quarantine. Just treated the bite appropriately and moved on with his day with his other patients.

Originally Posted by Yosemite

I don't know it that is the case or not, but if there is any chance of rabies you would definitely want the vaccine - otherwise it could well be a death sentence if you really did have rabies.

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If my cat Sho, who isn't up to date on vaccinations, bit me I would reject the shots. Unless someone in the house, ie a human, gave him rabies, there's absolutely no way he could have it. Of course if it were a stray outside that I didn't know that would change things some. However I have been bitten by a cat that had not been vaccinated before, he was quarantine for 10 days but I knew the cat and that he certainly did not have rabies - just a surly personality.


(Sho isn't up to date because of the reaction to his last vaccinations)

I suppose that every state is different. When my parent's cat, Samson, bit me, he was 19 years old, had CRF, and definitely wasn't up to date on his vaccinations. I went to the Urgent Care immediately after the bite and was put on oral antibiotics. The next day, I had to go to the ER, because I had terrible cellulitis and green purulent drainage. I was admitted for IV antibiotics. They only asked me if I knew the cat that bit me, or if it was a stray. I said it was my parents cat, and that was the end of the questions. They never even asked me if he was current on vaccinations. I missed two weeks of work and had a huge hospital bill. My parents wanted to try to claim it on their homeowners insurance, but to do that, their insurance company told them that they would have to show proof that the animal was put down. Yeah, right!

You need to tell the doctor that you were bitten by a cat, so that they can start the appropriate IV antibiotics. If you let it go too long (for me, over night was obviously too long) you will end up in the hospital on antibiotics, or even need surgery (incision and drainage) to get it cleaned up enough to heal. You might have to quarantine your cat in your own home, but I doubt that they'd take her away from you to quarantine her. Good luck!!!

P.S. None of my cats get rabies shots because both Cleo & Maggie are CRF, and Cleo had a terrible reaction to her first rabies shot. I suppose I should keep Lola up to date, but I'm very leery of rabies shots and sarcoma risks.

I got bit by a stray years ago and had nasty infection that was pasturella(sp) i had to have it drained and take erythryomycin. I did not get Rabies shots.

Originally Posted by mrblanche

If it's your cat, and it's an indoor cat, they will NOT quarantine it. I doubt they would even if it's a cat that is and indoor/outdoor cat and spends all its time at your house.

If every cat bite caused the cat to be quarantined, the quarantine locations would be hip deep in cats.

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If it bites and breaks the skin and causes infection, then in most areas, the doctor has to report it to animal control. In my area, the animal must then be quarantined, and that is just 10 days in your home (apartments are fine here). They generally come by during that 10 days and do a spot check to make sure the cat IS being quarantined.

If it can't be kept in the house, it is kept either at Animal Control, or at a vets office. It's not often that this needs to be done though, and every area has different rules.

Thanks everyone for your great responses. Yes, Kabou is my cat and she is indoor only, so indoors for 10 days with me is not a problem. She had her initial rabbies shots but I opted not to give them every year because she has a bad reaction to all vaccinations. Her other shots are up to date. You have eased my mind a lot and I can't thank you enough for your advice. Thank you, thank you!

Originally Posted by Crt

Thanks everyone for your great responses. Yes, Kabou is my cat and she is indoor only, so indoors for 10 days with me is not a problem. She had her initial rabbies shots but I opted not to give them every year because she has a bad reaction to all vaccinations. Her other shots are up to date. You have eased my mind a lot and I can't thank you enough for your advice. Thank you, thank you!

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You should be fine then Do tell your doctor the cause - cat bites can be VERY serious.

My dog bit a boy that was trying to push his way into my house once (and the ONLY time in his 7 years). My Teenage daughter was home and a boy she went to school with was passing by and noticed where we lived. The boy came to the door and when Kaitlynn answered he tried to push the door open. Chewbacca bit him in the arm requiring the boy to go to the emergency room.

Animal Control called me the next day and I had to provide proof of rabies vaccination. They also told me that the bite was more of a scratch, it appeared like the boys arm got in the way of Chewbacca's bark (the scratch was from his bottom teeth and not his top)... none-the-less, even though Chewy is a very large dog, he was not quarantined or taken from me. We never heard another thing regarding that from the city, although the next day the mother showed up on my doorstep (my guess was: eyeing up the sue-worthiness of my home - lol)

But when I told her that her son tried to push his way into my house she changed her tune real fast.

When I was bit several years ago Tommie had been a stray and thus no shots. He was quarantined at the vets office for 10 day then he got the required shot and I brought him home.
I went to my doc within hours and my wrist swelled up and was on antibiotics for 2 weeks.
Since I am allergic to penecillin the doc had to find one that would work (it did).
I did not need a course of rabies shots.

IMHO, Tell your doctor your cat bit you but tell him/her that she is up to date on her shots. If she is indoor all the time you know she doesn't have rabies. It's more important to have the correct medical care for the bite. When I was bit by a cat at our shelter I ended up with blood poisoning. I just told the Dr. it was my cat and that he was up todate (which he is). They gave me IV antibiotics and did not ask for any proof of being up to date. I should add that I knew the cat that bit me was U.T.D. also.

My Sister got attacked by one of our Cats years ago and she bit her too. My Manx saved my Sister and attacked Whiskers to get her off. She was indoor only and did not have a Rabies Shot. this was over 20 years ago. She clawed my Sister in about 30 Places. Amazing she still likes Cats after that. She was almost 5 when it happened.

I can't be sure, but if it's your family doctor, your cat and you tell him your cat is up-to-date on vaccinations, I doubt anything will happen. When we got our cat Simba, the first day we had him we tried to catch him to isolate him to one room and he bit all three of us. John and I were fine, but Jen got blood poisoning and had to go to our doctor for antibiotics. Nothing was reported and no quarantine of the cat happened. I think (and it's only my guess), that unless you are bitten by a strange cat or dog, there isn't usually a problem, at least in our area.