Story Published:
May 25, 2004 at 3:38 PM PDT
Story Updated:
Aug 31, 2006 at 1:29 AM PDT
SEATTLE - Airdry Thomsen loves cats. You may find that amazing when you hear her story.
She tried to help a wild cat hanging around outside her home. "I just grabbed him and put him in the cat carrier... I noticed that I had a few wounds on both of my hands and I thought 'Well, that's a small price to pay for trying to make this cat's life better.' "
At first she felt OK. By 6 p.m., she had a bad headache and called her doctor for antibiotics.
By midnight her hands were bright red and the irritation was moving upward.
"I thought, 'Oh, it'll all be better by the morning,' " said Airdry.
But by 4 a.m., Airdry's husband rushed her to the hospital. "It occurred to me that I might die."
The bacteria infection from the cat bite was so severe doctors said she might lose her right hand.
It was devastating news to Airdry who is an artist. But, after six days in the hospital and surgery, doctors saved her hand.
"I really did not know that a cat bite could be a significant life threatening problem," she said.
Better To Be Safe
"Even if you think it's nothing, if it's a puncture, if it goes through the skin, and you see blood, go to the doctor," said Barbara Boyer a Veterinarian Tech at Cats Exclusive in Seattle. She's been bitten herself.
"Any bite, you're going to get hundreds of thousands of different type of bacteria transmitted into your bloodstream," said Dr. Laura Schuldt, a vet at Cats Exclusive. Doctor Schuldt says cat bites are the most serious pet-to-people disease. Dogs also have the bacteria, but their teeth aren't as sharp and are less likely to cut deeply into skin.
That bacteria can also infect people through a scratch, known as Cat Scratch Fever.
Other pets-to-people diseases include:
Ringworm. Kittens can carry it on their coats and infect people though open wounds or cuts.
Roundworm, found in cats and dogs. People who come in direct contact with pet feces can catch them.
Toxoplasmosis is especially dangerous for pregnant women because it can cause serious birth defects. It's also caught through contact with cat feces. Veterinarians say women should not clean cat boxes while pregnant.
Vets say these diseases are rare, but they are still a great danger to seniors and small children and people with weak immune systems, such as AIDS and cancer patients.
"We have a big portion of people in our society that are at risk for these, so they're not trivial," said Dr. Schuldt.
The best way to avoid problems is to keep your pet healthy, keep cats indoors, get their shots and de-worm them.
Also, wash your hands often and make sure children aren't crawling around where they could be exposed to feces.
Finally, even if you want to help, leave a scared cat alone. "Cats are almost always biting out of fear," said Dr. Schuldt.
Airdry says the wild cat she saved had cancer and died shortly after it bit her. She doesn't regret trying to help, she does wish she had known the danger and gotten to the doctor right away.
For More Information:
Centers for Disease Control Web Site On Healthy Pets -- www.cdc.gov
Cats Exclusive Web site -- www.catsexclusive.com
