Dealing with a cat bite

[PhilSwagielka]

My cat bit my hand last night. It's not the first he's done it - he's traumatised and he's scratched and bitten me quite a few times, but he's been good lately. I don't know what triggered him, I wasn't stroking him but he was sat on my lap and then he just lunged and bit and scratched my hand. The bite is on the back of my hand, near the wrist, but my hand hurts and it feels like I've pulled a muscle. My wrist and fingers are quite painful. I don't know if he broke the skin - it looks like a slight graze - but I'm wondering if I need to get it checked.

It's not normal for your entire hand to be that sore after a minor injury on your wrist. Animal bites can be very dangerous, so if I were you, I would be getting it checked. It's better to be safe than sorry.

My cat bit my finger once by accident (I was playing with him and he missed the toy and got my finger). It went hot and red - went to the walk in two days later and it turned out my finger was fractured (!!) and highly infected. Had to go on antibiotics for two weeks. Don't underestimate those furry little beasts!

Cat bites are notorious for becoming badly (and quickly) infected. Is your hand red, hot to the touch or swollen in any way? Do you feel unwell at all?

My wrist does feel a bit hot but my hand looks normal. Here's a photo of the bite.

You need antibiotics. Cat bites are dangerous especially if the skin is broken or near a joint. Phone out of hours asap

Cat bites should always have antibiotics - their mouths are filthy

That looks pretty superficial.
You'd generally only need antibiotics for a puncture or deeper injury.

Did you give it a good clean?

It will be sore near the wrist because the skin is constantly being pulled as you move.

It should settle down in a few days. Keep it clean, and apply antiseptic. If it swells or becomes purulent, or you start to feel unwell in yourself then probs best seek medical attention, but having had a fair few bites/scratches, I'd expect that to settle in a couple of days

I’d go and get it checked. You may well
Need antibiotics-cat teeth are essentially needles full of hideous bugs!

@Veterinari

That looks pretty superficial. You'd generally only need antibiotics for a puncture or deeper injury.

Did you give it a good clean?

It will be sore near the wrist because the skin is constantly being pulled as you move.

It should settle down in a few days. Keep it clean, and apply antiseptic. If it swells or becomes purulent, or you start to feel unwell in yourself then probs best seek medical attention, but having had a fair few bites/scratches, I'd expect that to settle in a couple of days

Yeah, there wasn't loads of blood. It hurt like hell but I'm not sure how much he broke the skin - I remember some dead skin peeling off.

I didn't clean it, I didn't think about it. Hopefully I've got antiseptic somewhere.

Definitely give it a good clean. It could be starting to get infected which is why it's sore. Any Anibal scratch or bite is dirty and should always be cleaned

Update: my right hand and wrist are quite stiff and achy and heavy, and it's harder to move my right fingers than my left ones. It feels like I've pulled a muscle. On the GP surgery's advice I went to a local drop-in clinic and got a tetanus shot and a week's worth of antibiotics. Fingers crossed it'll clear up. It hurts like hell.