Miami Township resident Lee Hite received not one, but two surprises recently, when he tried to help a stray cat.
First, he was bitten, but second - he was hospitalized as a result.
The cat was recovering at Hite's home as part of a local catch and release/neuter and spay program. "My wife had done a wonderful job," he said. The recovering cat was caged and had food and water. "And husband comes along, and thinking I'll do a little act of kindness, I opened the cage to get the cat an extra towel." Presented with freedom, the cat leapt out of the cage. Though Hite was familiar with catching cats, "it turned around and nailed me like a banshee."
But when Hite went to his doctor expecting antibiotics, they put a hand surgeon on standby. His doctors told him that it was very common to have a hospital stay of three to four days with a cat bite.
Miami Township Fire Chief Jim Whitworth said Hite and he are now "kindred spirits" of the cat bite variety. Whitworth experienced a similar situation 15 years ago, when he tried to bring a neighborhood cat in on a cold night. After cleaning and dressing the wounds, Whitworth thought he'd "done all the right things." But when he woke up the next morning, his hand was swollen, with a red streak running up to his wrist. "By 3 p.m., I was in surgery."
Neither men, although experienced in first aid, realized the heavy risks associated with cat bites. Dr. John J. McDonough, associate professor of surgery at the University of Cincinnati and surgeon at the Hand Surgery Center of Cincinnati, estimates his group sees between 75 to 100 animal bites a year. Most cases require surgical care, he said, "almost always due to an infection."
"Cat are more dangerous," he said. "They have sharper teeth that penetrate like needles, and can go into the tendon or joint easily." Once through the skin, the teeth can easily deposit bacteria.
"We've found ... that cat bites can be pretty infectious," said Kim Naegel, director of Clermont County Humane Society. "There are a lot of cats out there, sometimes in cat colonies." With little socialization, she said, the cats can easily become feral. Naegal said Clermont County has a large population of stray cats.
The Clermont County General Health District has recorded an average of 74 cat bites per year for the past 10 years, with a high of 106 bites in 1996 and a low of 36 in 2005. To date, there have been three reported in 2007.
"The secret to the whole thing is the puncture wound," said Hite. "It's small, clean ... heals up within 24 hours ... It's so deceiving, you look at it and go, 'it's nothing.'"
McDonough backs up Hite's observations, saying most complications result from the bitten not seeking immediate medical attention: "It's a widespread problem and a burden on the health care system."
All officials recommend caution when dealing with stray animals, and outright avoidance of menacing or feral animals. "If bitten at all, by your pet, your neighbor's pet, you cannot take it for granted," said Whitworth.
Now out of recovery, Hite's concern is getting his new knowledge to the public.
"It was 100 percent my fault. But I never would have put myself at risk had I known the risks. My ignorance got me in trouble," Hite said.
Reference:communitypress
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