Cat scratches (care for humans)?

I tried to search the site, but didn't have much luck. Might not be trying the right words....and I'm not sure which section to put this in.

Kizzy scratched me pretty good last night when I was giving him a bath. He leaped up and landed on my shoulder dragging his nails into my back.

What is the best way to clean cat scratches? I got my hubby to put peroxide on them right after, and I have some bactine spray to use after I have a shower.

Is there anything else I should do to make sure they don't get infected? They are fairly deep scratches. Thank you.

I'm going to move this to the Lounge for you.

I always just put rubbing alcohol on them and they heal up quickly. When I worked at the hospital they had little alcohol pads everywhere, so whenever I got a cut or a scratch I'd rub one of those over it right away and my cuts healed in record time. I put it on, and rub it in really well, with a paper towel or a piece of gauze.

When Nora was a tiny kitten, right after we got her, my brother and sister in law came over one evening. Nora got wound up, and I went to pet her and she freaked out and somehow her sharp little tooth sliced open the tip of my finger. I poured alcohol on it, and it hurt really bad and made me almost pass out, but it never got infected and healed in about 3 days. Usually my cuts take FOREVER to heal.

Clean it with soap and water ...

Use a antibiotic ointment and badage ..- I use meleluca balm ...

KEEP an EYE on it ... as they are very prone to get infected ...

Cleaning them with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide are okay the first time you clean it (and soap and water is plenty the first time, too) but you should never continue to clean a cut with alcohol or h.p. because they're too strong and kill the new skin your body is producing to heal itself.

Even when my friend had a c-section her doctor told her not to use alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to clean it for this exact reason- just soap and water.

Here's an article I found about cleaning wounds. I've never heard of that colloidal dressing stuff? Anyone ever used it?

I meant to just clean it the first time with alcohol. I don't recall mentioning to continue to do so. I also didn't mention anything about Hydrogen Peroxide. You shouldn't clean a wound with that period.

I just clean my wounds with alcohol when I first get them, then slap a band aid with ointment on it and call it good.

Yeah, good thing to ask. Cat scratches can get infected. Had a small one a few months ago, but was caught early and was only localized.

Doctor told me to clean it really well, as others have said, with hot water and soap, pat dry, put on antibio ointment and a loose bandage... keep an eye on it... if it gets inflamed, painful, draws up in a bump or you see pus forming, get help immediately.

I had a nasty kitten bite on one of my fingers a couple of years ago. I let it bleed out a bit to self-cleanse... and washed it several times during that process with hot water and antibacterial soap. I used antbio ointment and bandages... changing it at least once a day. And kept it dry. It hurt, but it never got infected. Now I can barely see the puncture scars.

Originally Posted by lsanders

Even when my friend had a c-section her doctor told her not to use alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to clean it for this exact reason- just soap and water.

Here's an article I found about cleaning wounds. I've never heard of that colloidal dressing stuff? Anyone ever used it?

Click to expand...

Yes... I have bandaids like that. Awhile back, I peeled my finger with a brand new peeler. If it had been a 0.5 mm wider, they would have skin grafted it... it was long enough, but not quite wide enough. Anyways, the hospital put the colloidal dressing on (I didn't know what it was called till I just read your article) and recommended these bandages for afterwards. The dressing from the hospital was clear, so I could see the goopy mess underneath it... was kinda gross. But based on how I normally heal, this took about half the normal healing time. I was impressed

I use the bandaids on deep cuts/scraps....They wouldn't do much good on a larger injury as you'd have to put multiple bandaids on and it wouldn't seal 100%.

Thanks for all the info in the responses. I did not know that about peroxide or alcohol damaging the new cells. Glad I do now tho

When I first get scratched, I run the wound under warm water for a long time and squeeze as much blood out of it. I figure it flushes out some of the bacteria that might have gotten into it. I'll bandage it (if it's not terribly long), give it a day, then use Neosporin on it. Usually one dose is enough unless it is nasty, in which case I repeat 24 hours later. I healed very slowly until I discovered Neosporin. What used to take a month to heal now takes days.

DH got cat scratch fever from a bite once. If you start to feel feverish or fatigued, regardless of how the wound looks or feels, get yourself to a doctor pronto. You'll need antibiotics.