Information on how a bite from your cat can contain so much bacteria that it could actually be life threatening. Beware of your cat’s bite.

They might be adorable in more ways than one but a moggy cat (a none pedigree) biting you could be a lot more dangerous than you think. Pet owners are now being warned about cat bites and signs of sepsis, after the news that a bit could lead to a fatal infection.

Experts have stated that eight out of ten cat bites will become infected, as moggy breeds actually inject bacteria into human tissue when their teeth sink into the victim, this causes blood poisoning, surprisingly the bites that don’t draw blood are actually the most deadly because this is a sign that the bite wound has actually got deeper.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), stated that a cat bite, particularly to the hand, can lead to devastating effects from infection, such as a permanent disability if the infection isn’t treated properly. The hand, especially, because all the joints and tendons are close to the surface of the skin and if bacteria from a bite, or anything else, gets into these parts of the body, the infection can be sufficiently harder to treat.

Cat bites are often treated that have turned into serious injuries, some include fingers not being able to bend their fingers, fingers being amputated and sometimes the infection can destroy bones and joints and the sepsis can spread to the whole body. This can be from something that seems so harmless like two little puncture holes from the kitties teeth. This is part of the big problem – nobody thinks anything of a tiny little hole from a cat bite.

Dogs may be more likely to bite but cats are more likely to cause an infection from their bite. This is because dogs create a big open wound, whereas cats create little narrow holes with their sharp teeth, which injects the bacteria deep into the tissue.

Most of the infections from cat bites are caused by an organism found in the mouths of cats and dogs called Pasteurella Multocida, this can cause bad effects to the body in just a day of being bitten. Most people can recover after a treatment of antibiotics, but if left too late or if a bite is severe, the infection can spread deep into the body and they can be life-threatening.

Understanding cat behaviour and being safe can be the reason you avoid a dangerous bite. Try not to touch stray cats as they could be anxious and snap at you. If your cat seems angry don’t use physical force to calm it down, just turn your back and ignore it. All cat bites should be cleaned afterwards. Of course, not all cat bites are life threatening, many are minor and don’t require medical attention but just remember to take caution.