What is the treatment for a cat bite (felis catus bite)?

From the Guidelines

Cat bites should be treated with amoxicillin-clavulanate 875/125 mg twice daily for 5-7 days, as it is the recommended empirical treatment for cat bites due to its effectiveness against P. multocida and anaerobes 1. The treatment for a cat bite (felis catus bite) involves immediate medical attention, thorough wound cleaning, and antibiotic therapy. Key considerations include:

• Cleaning the wound with soap and water for at least 5 minutes, followed by the application of an antiseptic like povidone-iodine
• Seeking medical care promptly, as most cat bites require antibiotic treatment
• Watching for signs of infection, including increasing redness, swelling, warmth, pus, red streaks, or fever
• Considering the high risk of infection due to the sharp, narrow teeth of cats, which inject bacteria deep into tissues where oxygen levels are low, creating ideal conditions for bacterial growth
• Recognizing that people with compromised immune systems, diabetes, or on immunosuppressive medications face higher risks and should seek care even more urgently
• Ensuring that tetanus vaccination is current (within 10 years) or getting a booster if needed The choice of antibiotic, amoxicillin-clavulanate, is based on its effectiveness against P. multocida and anaerobes, which are commonly found in cat bites 1. Alternative oral agents, such as doxycycline, penicillin VK plus dicloxacillin, and fluoroquinolones, may be considered, but amoxicillin-clavulanate is the recommended first-line treatment due to its broad-spectrum activity and efficacy in treating cat bite infections 1.

From the Research

Treatment Overview

• The treatment for a cat bite (felis catus bite) typically involves wound care and evaluation for tetanus and rabies postexposure immunoprophylaxis 2.
• Antimicrobial agents may be necessary, with inexpensive penicillins or cephalosporins being adequate for initial therapy 2.
• Prophylactic antibiotics should be used early, especially if the wound is deep or has a high risk of infection 3.

Antibiotic Recommendations

• Amoxicillin-clavulanate is recommended for the outpatient treatment of dog and cat bite wounds 4.
• Phenoxymethyl penicillin should be the drug of choice in treatment of infections associated with cat and dog bites 5.
• In case of slow recovery or no improvement, ciprofloxacin may be recommended 5.

Risk Factors for Infection

• Factors associated with wound infections include older age, longer time intervals until treatment, wounds inflicted by "pet" cats, attempting wound care at home, having a more severe wound, and having a deeper wound 6.
• Wound type and wound depth are the most important factors in determining the likelihood of developing wound infection 6.
• Cat bite wounds on the hand have the greatest risk of infection 4.

General Management

• Most dog and cat bite injuries are minor wounds that require only local wound care 2.
• For larger wounds, primary or delayed primary closure can be performed safely where indicated 2.
• Closed observation is needed, and deep infection should be considered if symptoms persist 3.