Cat Scratch Fever

Biting Cat

I always thought Cat Scratch Fever was a venereal disease based on the Ted Nugent song and album. I was surprised to find that it is a less salacious disease caused by cat scratches and bites.

If you have lived with cats, you have likely been lightly scratched at times. I usually wash off the scratches, apply a little antiobiotic ointment like Neosporin and they heal up just fine.

Last week, I accidentally closed the tip of Lucian’s tail in a door. He screamed, launched himself at my calf and bit down – hard. I screamed, he ran away, Wayne’s tail puffed out and chaos ensued. After checking to make sure Lucian was okay (we also found a new hiding spot for the cats), I tended to my wounds.

Initially, I thought it was just a deep scratch and washed out the wound with soap and water, applied the Neosporin and bandaged my leg. The wound bled some, but not severely. At the time, I assumed he had just clawed me. That night after checking my leg and tending to the wound, I noticed it looked much more like a bite with four symmetrical puncture wounds that exactly matched his canine teeth.

The Great Indoors

Whether or not to keep your cat indoors is a decision you should make before you adopt a cat. A cat who has always lived indoors is much more content at staying inside versus one who has tasted freedom. Most shelters will require that you keep any cat you adopt from them indoors. The reasons for this are numerous.

Safety

Cats are safer indoors. Cats who are allowed to roam outside face dangers on many fronts.

Outdoor cats will often fight to protect their territory. A bite wound often leads to an absess, which is a pus filled pocket below the skin that will require veterinary care. Exposure to other cats who may or may not be vaccinated puts them at risk for many diseases including feline AIDS, distemper, and possibly rabies.

Outdoor cats are also in danger of being hit by a car. Some cats learn the skills to navigate the roadways, but many do not and are seriously injured or killed. Outdoor cats are also in danger from predators. Coyotes have become more daring in suburban and urban locales.

Cats themselves pose a threat to local wildlife, especially songbirds. Some rare songbirds are in danger of extinction from these graceful hunters.

Getting Lost

Cat shelters are full of cats who once had a home. Some were given up by people who could no longer care for them, but many more got lost and could not find their way back home. You often see signs posted, “Lost Cat – Reward” with a photo of a beloved cat who didn’t come home one night. Keeping your cat indoors will help prevent an avoidable loss.

Life Span

On average, an outdoor cat lives to be 4 years old. The average life span of an indoor cat is 14. To me, that is answer enough. I want to have as many years as possible with my furry friends.