Think being bitten your new kitten is no big deal? Think again!
A recent study by the Mayo Clinic has shown that cat bites lead to serious infections and hospitalization more often than people realize. The study looked at around 200 cat-bite patients between 2009 and 2011. Researchers found that one-third of patients bitten on the hand ended up in hospital. Of those patients that did end up hospitalized, two-thirds needed surgery to resolve the infection from the bite.
The reason for this high infection rate isn't that cats' mouths are dirtier than dogs' mouths. It's that cats' teeth are sharper and can penetrate more deeply, basically injecting bacteria from the cat's mouth into the victim's tissue. Bites to the hand are particularly prone to infection.
Ultimately, all cat bites should be taken seriously. A bite from a family pet (who eats a good diet and is relatively healthy) can be just as dangerous as a bite from an unknown stray. See a doctor right away if the cat breaks the skin.
Just like with dog bites, an experienced lawyer could help you to recover some or all of your medical costs if you are bitten by a cat. It is especially important to talk to a lawyer when the pet that bites you belongs to a family member or friend; your lawyer can often work directly with the pet owner's insurance company to get your costs covered, which could help avoid awkwardness and bad feelings.
