Scratched by a Cat? 7 Things to Do & the Serum Price

Who doesn't like cats? And even if you’re not a cat lover, at some point in your life a cat must have snuck into your apartment building with or without its babies and camped in front of your apartment. Whether you love them or not there is no escaping them and there is no escaping getting scratched once or twice.

Following that train of thought you or someone you know must have been scratched at some point on your hands or legs or even your face. In those situations what should you do? Keep reading to find out what you should and shouldn’t do if you are scratched by a cat.

Why do cats scratch people? 

Cats are around us everywhere; in our apartments, buildings, on the street and unfortunately there are many reasons why cats would scratch humans.

• First: Cats love to play. A lot! And they tend to use their claws when playing so they might end up accidentally scratching their owners while playing. These scratches may be anything from very light to severe depending on how deep they are.
• Second: Cats have a temper. Approach an angry cat at your own peril!
• Third: If you have more than one cat and they get into a fight, do not interfere. It is called a cat fight for a reason. Humans shall stay away. Or risk getting scratched within an inch of their lives. You have been warned.
• Fourth: If cats are in their mating season, stay away. No need for further explanation, right?

What do to if you are scratched by a cat?

If the cat that scratched you is a domestic cat and its vaccinations are up to date then no worries, just wash the scratch with running water.

But if the cat that scratched you is a street cat or if it’s your cat but not vaccinated or missed a few doses of its vaccinations then you need to follow a few more steps

7 things you should do if you are scratched by a cat:

1- The first thing you need to do is to determine how deep the scratch is. If it is just a small scratch then wash it with soap and water, but if it is a deep scratch and bleeding a lot then you should go to the nearest hospital.

2- Whether the wound is big or small, it is very important that you go to any government hospital within 24 hours to take the proper serum just in case.

3- In the event you don’t take the serum within 24 hours, you will not be allowed to take it unless a surgeon determines that you need it.

4- If you go to a private hospital and you’re over the 24-hour limit make sure to take the prescription with you when you go to take the serum at the government hospital. Otherwise, you will have to be reexamined to determine if you need the serum or not.

5- If you are exposed to another scratch within a month of your vaccination, you will not need to be vaccinated again, but if more than a month passes you will need another dose.

6- This serum can be taken if you are exposed to any scratch or bite from a dog, cat, or rat.

7- If the cat scratch causes swelling or inflammation you should get examined by a surgeon, who will give you medications that reduce swelling, such as Alphintern and an antibiotic.

Steps to take the serum

what you should do if you are scratched by a cat

• Within 24 hours of being scratched, go to any government hospital near you and ask where to get the serum.
• You need to get the serum request/ticket which is for free. You will be given two sheets of paper, one for the doctor and one for you to submit when you take the serum.
• If the wound is deep, you will first be examined by a surgeon and pay 5 EGP for the examination, and if you need to change the bandages you will pay 25 EGP per visit.
• The vaccination is in the form of injections taken in the arm and it has 5 doses taken at different intervals.

Light scratch vs a deep wound

If it is a simple scratch just wash it with soap and water and leave it exposed. But if the wound is deep and you need to go out to work or run errands then then you should put some "Betadine" or an antibiotic on it, as prescribed by the surgeon, and it is preferable to cover the wound. The doctor will tell you till when you should keep the wound covered and when to remove the bandages.

You do not need any health insurance to take the vaccination because they give it to you in the emergency room, and if you are not Egyptian you just need to present your passport.

What is the serum composed of?

The serum is composed of a tetanus shot to protect the body from any contamination that may have entered it and 5 rabies injections, and these are taken at specific intervals. These shots are to prevent any convulsions or viral infections that may occur in the body on the long run.

The serum ticket specifies the dates of the 5 doses

How to avoid getting scratched

• If you are raising cats, it is important that you keep them clean and don’t forget to cut their nails because they accumulate microbes underneath them that can cause infection or inflammation.
• If it is not your cat or a street cat then just leave them alone and avoid being scratched in the first place, especially if it’s a mama cat!
• We’re not saying don’t raise cats or not to be compassionate and try to take care of stray ones, of course not. What we are saying is to be careful especially with street cats. Better safe than sorry.

Just like we talked about cats, we didn’t forget about dogs: Why raise a dog? 5 things your dog will give you for free