1Immediate care
If bleeding is heavy, press first
Use clean gauze or a clean cloth and apply steady pressure. If bleeding does not slow, use emergency care.
Avoid: Repeatedly lifting the dressing while it is still bleeding.
Human safety · Do this now
Cat bite wound care
Five steps, in order. Cat bites look small on the surface and go deep underneath — start now, then decide about medical care.
Emergency first. Heavy bleeding that doesn’t slow with pressure, difficulty breathing, or signs of a severe allergic reaction — call your local emergency number before anything on this page.
Start here
Wash, cover, call
2Immediate care
Start running water
Put the bite under clean running water right away. Water now is better than waiting for a special soap.
Avoid: Waiting to begin because you are searching for the perfect product.
3Immediate care
Add soap and keep washing
Use regular soap or mild liquid hand soap. Re-lather when it rinses away and keep water moving for 15 minutes.
Avoid: Pouring alcohol, sanitizer, or harsh household cleaners into the wound.
Run this while washing
Use the 15-minute timer
During the timer, read only the next medical decision below. If someone is with you, ask them to call care while you keep washing.
Optional 15-minute wash timer
This duration comes from WHO guidance for potential rabies exposure. Follow local medical advice for your situation.
15:00
ReadyKeep the wound under clean running water while washing with soap.
4Immediate care
Cover with something clean
Pat the area dry and use clean gauze or a clean dressing when available. Keep the wound protected while you seek advice.
Avoid: Tight wrapping that restricts circulation or sealing a deep puncture shut.
5Immediate care
Call care and ask what next
Ask about wound evaluation, antibiotics, tetanus, rabies guidance, and whether the bite location needs same-day care.
Avoid: Waiting for a small puncture to look severe before asking for advice.
Get emergency care now if
- bleeding will not stop with firm pressure;
- the wound is large, deep, near the eye, or causes loss of movement or sensation;
- you have trouble breathing, faint, or develop signs of a severe reaction.
Why soap and water first
Washing reduces what the bite leaves behind
Soap and running water help remove saliva, dirt, and germs from the wound surface. Start water first, add soap as soon as you can, then keep washing before covering and calling.
Next: decide how soon to get careCare thresholds
When to get medical care
Use emergency care
- Bleeding will not stop.
- The wound is large, deep, or near the eye.
- Movement or sensation is impaired.
- You feel seriously unwell or have a severe reaction.
Contact a healthcare service
- The bite is on a hand, foot, face, joint, or other sensitive area.
- The wound is a deep puncture or crush injury.
- The area becomes red, warm, swollen, more painful, or drains fluid.
- You have a weakened immune system or another high-risk condition.
- Red streaks appear, or redness and swelling keep spreading.
- Your tetanus shot is more than five years old.
- The cat is stray, unwell, or its vaccination status is unknown.
Keep watching the wound
- The wound is minor, bleeding is controlled, and you have cleaned it thoroughly.
- No urgent-risk feature applies.
- You can access medical advice if symptoms change.
- You continue to check for increasing pain, redness, warmth, swelling, fever, or reduced movement.
Aftercare and regional rules
Tetanus, rabies, and the cat’s status
These decisions depend on where the bite happened, your vaccination history, and whether the cat can be identified and observed.
Tetanus
Animal bites can be treated as saliva-contaminated wounds. A healthcare professional can review the wound and your vaccination history.
Rabies exposure
Contact local public health or a healthcare service promptly if the cat is stray, cannot be observed, appears unwell, or the exposure occurred in a place where rabies risk differs.
Watch for changes
Increasing pain, redness, warmth, swelling, drainage, fever, or reduced movement are reasons to seek medical advice.
Questions after initial care
Frequently asked questions
Should I cover the wound?
After cleaning, a clean dressing may help protect the area. The best approach can vary with wound depth, location, and local medical guidance.
What if the bite is on my hand?
Hand bites deserve prompt medical attention because small punctures can involve joints, tendons, or deeper structures.
What if the cat is vaccinated?
Vaccination status is relevant, but it does not replace wound care or an assessment of infection, tetanus, and local public-health rules.
What if the wound looks very small?
Cat teeth can create narrow punctures. Consider depth, location, pain, swelling, your health, and the cat’s status—not surface size alone.
Educational information
This guide does not replace assessment by a licensed healthcare professional. Emergency and follow-up guidance is specific to the region shown on this page.
Primary sources
Guidance used on this page
After the wound is handled
Understand why it happened
A bite that breaks skin is a strong signal, not a betrayal. Once you’re safe, the matcher points you to the guide that fits what led up to it.
Educational content only. This page cannot assess your wound. Emergency and follow-up guidance depends on your location and circumstances — rabies and tetanus protocols vary by region.