My cat bit me and it broke the skin a little

[a028]

Not so much cat health and more me health. He's a brat & wanted me to wake up when I wanted to sleep in about an hour and a half ago, so he bit my pinky finger right at the nail and made it bleed just a bit at the surface. I immediately washed it and treated it with bactine. Currently it's a bit red and a bit swollen, not painful, doesn't currently seem to be getting worse. Just wondering if I really need to go to urgent care, I'd rather not if I don't have to given the current health crisis, but I also don't want the bite to get infected. He had his rabies shot last year. What are your experiences with cat bites??

 

[kittyluv387]

If he just broke through the surface it should be fine as long as you cleaned it up.

 

[Jem]

I have (thankfully) never had a cat bite or scratch get infected, and all I've ever done is wash it and would apply a bit of polysporin IF it bled. You should be fine if you washed it well.
Did you let it bleed for a bit? That helps clean out the wound as well.

 

[a028]

I let it bleed for maybe less than a minute before cleaning it, but there wasn't much coming out. It's forming a teeny tiny scab of dried blood at the cuticle

 

[Willowy]

Cat bites do tend to get infected, so keep a close eye on it. Keep it clean and covered with a bandage and antibiotic ointment. If it starts to get red and swollen, draw around the red part with a pen, and if it expands call the doctor (they don't want you to go to Emergency unless you're having a heart attack or stroke or something); they should be able to prescribe antibiotics over the phone.

 

[posiepurrs]

I would just watch it if it were me ( I am not a doctor though). If it shows signs of infection call the doctor. If you can get some ichthomol ( sorry for the poor spelling), it is a black salve sold for it’s drawing properties. I found mine at CVS drugs. Cat show judges keep it in their tack boxes in case of a bite. You can also soak it i as hot of salt water as you can stand.