II. Epidemiology
- Accounts for 5-10% of Animal Bites in U.S.
- High infection rate (50%)
- Most common in adult women, and typically involves extremities
III. Pathophysiology
- Long slender fangs penetrate easily to deeper structures
- Risk of significant deep space infection, while the surface appears relatively benign
-
Wound types
- Puncture Wounds (57-86%)
- Superficial abrasions (9-25%)
- Lacerations (5-17%)
IV. Causes: Secondary infection
-
Pasteurella (53-80% of infections)
- Rapidly developing (<24 hours)
- Intense inflammation
- Possible bone, joint, or tendon involvement
V. Complications
VI. Management
- See Animal Bite for irrigation and general management
- Antibiotic coverage
- See Infected Animal Bite
- Similar antibiotics as for Dog Bite Infection
- All Cat Bites should receive antibiotics
- Amoxicillin-clavulanate (Augmentin) or second-generation Cephalosporin
- DO NOT close punctures or Lacerations over 1-2 cm
- Impossible to properly cleaned
- Cosmetically important wounds < 1-2 cm
- Delayed primary closure
VII. References
- Cowling and House (2017) Crit Dec Emerg Med 31(5): 15-20
- Presutti (1997) Postgrad Med 101(4): 243-54 [PubMed]
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| Concepts | Injury or Poisoning (T037) |
| ICD10 | W55.01 |
| SnomedCT | 157937004, 217701002 |
| Spanish | mordedura de gato (evento), Mordedura de gato, mordedura de gato (hallazgo), mordedura de gato |
| Dutch | kattenbeet |
| French | Morsure de chat |
| German | Katzenbiss |
| Italian | Morso di gatto |
| Portuguese | Mordedura de gato |
| Japanese | ネコ咬傷, ﾈｺｺｳｼｮｳ |
| English | cat bite (diagnosis), cat bite, injury caused by cat bite, Bitten by cat, bite cat, bites cat, bites cats, Cat Bites, Cat bites, Cat bite (disorder), Cat bite, Bite of cats, Cat bite (finding), Cat bite (event) |
| Czech | Kousnutí kočkou |
| Hungarian | Macskaharapás |
