Cat scratch fever...

[trinityofone]

...isn't something you can actually get, is it?

By the way, we named him Marlowe. :)

Comments

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

Yes, but you get it from cats that catch their own food. It's caused by bacteria growing in bits of old meat left under the cat's claws. Leopard scratches are said to be poisonous for this reason.

I'd still wash the scratches, and keep an eye on them.

[trinityofone.livejournal.com]

*scrambles for the Neosporin* Yikes, thanks for telling me! For a tiny kitty, he has impressive scratching skills.

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

Don't overdo the Neosporin, but it's not a bad idea if he's really scratchy -- he uses those paws in the litter box, after all, and he's too little to be *really* good at self-cleaning.

[trinityofone.livejournal.com]

Yeah...he actually kind of sucks at it. He's been really good about using the box, not so good at then managing not to step in his own poo. :(

OH BABY KITTY.

[twelve-pastels.livejournal.com]

Actually, it is, but it's easily cured by a couple of shots. Who cares?

KITTY!!! :D

[trinityofone.livejournal.com]

An excellent point! I can't stay mad. :D

[lillian13.livejournal.com]

I almost came home with another cat tonight. If I hadn't been with my friends, Little Miss Talk-Talk would be here now.

Good name!

[lazar-grrl.livejournal.com]

Actually, I think that tetanus is what you get from cats who hunt. Cat scratch fever (which can also result from cat bites, and can supposedly also be transmitted by fleas and ticks) is caused by a bacteria (bartonella henselae) that's found in cats, and is actually found more often in kittens. Symptoms include (locally) pus and swelling of the wound, and (systemically) swollen lymph nodes, headache, fatigue, and a poor appetite. Antibiotics will clear it up.

[trinityofone.livejournal.com]

Ack.

*cleans scratches with OCD-like fervor*

[inthekeyofd.livejournal.com]

You really can get it.

Marlowe, I love that name!!

[trinityofone.livejournal.com]

Thank you! We love our Kit(ty) Marlowe!

[la-tante.livejournal.com]

ooh i like marlowe very well. better than kindle which made me think immediately of amazon's reading device.....but this makes me think of both humphrey bogart (excellent) and dead men don't wear plaid (excellenter).

[stillane.livejournal.com]

Okay, so, *puts on semi-vet hat*

Echoing the above to say that yes, it is a real thing, and yes, you can get it. Both teeth and claws carry the bacteria; the disease it actually primarily the result of them having such sharp, needle-like pointy bits that the bacteria gets in you, and then the wound heals over with it down in there. And yes, it's especially prevalent in kittens.

Rather than - or in addition to - the Neosporin route, I might suggest a little disinfection with something liquid, say alcohol or an iodine derivative. That way, you're whacking the bacteria down in the site before you seal it off with salve.

Um, and as a future idea, a lot of cats are surprisingly okay with having their nails trimmed. Especially since he's so young, you might have a better shot by introducing him to the concept early. It won't do anything for the biting factor, but it will improve your claw-influenced quality of life hugely. (I say this as a girl with a cat prone to doing that joyful kneading thing when feeling affectionate.) Just make sure you don't snip back to where the blood vessels are, and you can keep them pretty blunt.

/multiple cents

Lastly: Whee! Kitty!

[lilyfarfalla.livejournal.com]

Awww, Marlowe is a great name! Definitely try to trim the nails--it totally changes the power dynamic during "playtime" as well.

[ebrooklynw.livejournal.com]

I MISS YOU GUYS LIKE WOAH!!!!!!

*HUGS*

[fairestcat]

It totally is. My sister once spent four days in the hospital because of it. Her (normally incredibly sweet) cat freaked out because he thought she was restraining him when she was really going to let him go and chomped down hard on her wrist.

If you've been bitten or scratched and the area is still red and swollen hours later and particularly if the redness seems to be expanding out from the injury site, get yourself to a doctor immediately

Yay for Kitty Marlowe. ;)

[darcydodo]

Oh good, I'm so glad you got to name him Marlowe!!! How did you end up getting akukorax to agree to it?

[kudra2324.livejournal.com]

you can get it, but you only get it if the cat is infected. (and it's pretty unlikely that you would even then - it tends to only affect young people/people with poor immune systems/etc.) the virus is actually called bartonella, and a lot of cats carry it; it's not a terrible idea to have marlowe tested for it sometime at the vet, because over time it's not great for a cat to have, but just his scratching you isn't going to do anything unless he actually has the virus.

this post brought to you by someone whose cat has bartonella all the fucking time.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

It is! My nephew had this when he was little. It was very awful.

[shrewreader.livejournal.com]

Marlowe!! What a great name!!!

[bmouse.livejournal.com]

"Marlowe", how nice! Best of luck with the scratches... I've never gotten infections but my mom did, once. Also, sushi? ::poke:: XD