Why are cat scratches sooooo bad

Question

My cat is gorgeous. He's really loving and sweet....until he gets too excited and takes you by surprise by grabbing your arm in a lock and scratching you to pieces!

My question is, even though the scratches aren't deep why do they always look SO bad for SO long?!?!?! And is there anything that I can do to calm them down and stop them from scarring.

Reason for asking this question is that I'm getting married in 5 weeks time and he's just done it this morning and I'm gutted that they're not going to be healed in time and look a sight.

Help!

Answer 1

lol! i deal with this too ! I have a new kitten very extremely hyper!!

They hurt and scratch so bad, because they give off this stuff in their nails and stuff kind of like if you've ever been allergic to a baby cat they give off this one like body thing and makes allergies go crazy.

Get him.... maybe a scratching post to grind them down, or possibly de-clawed i dont believe in that if they are sometimes an outside cat though.

hope it helps!

Answer 2

Don't declaw him - you're correct to think that he'll suffer immensely if he goes outdoors, quite apart from risking injury if he tries to climb up something and finds that he can't grip!  For anyone who likes declawing, cut your nails down to the quick, file the end of your fingers and then try gardening all day with no gloves.

The scratches should heal in time for the wedding (congratulations by the way!), particularly if you use something called Liquid Plaster - that locks in the moisture and helps it heal more quickly.  Wash the wound thoroughly first though, as it will also lock in bacteria if there's any still in there.  

Always wash cuts and scratches with plenty of water and some soap as soon as possible after the injury - that gets rid of the dirt promptly and allows the healing to start.  Cats' feet are only slightly more hygenic than the soles of your shoes.

Unless you have particularly sensitive skin, the scratches shouldn't scar over.  You might also have an allergy to something in the soil - if they really look horrid from a tiny scratch, check with a doctor or pharmacist.  There's also a very rare condition called cat scratch fever, where people have severe reactions to the scratch and become quite seriously ill.  That doesn't sound like you though.

As for the cat, you might want to encourage him to play Kill at certain times or in certain places, rather than just sneaking up on you.  My cats know that they can play Kill at bedtime but only when I have two thick socks over my hand and arm.  Then they are allowed to be as aggressive as they like.  Outside that time, they get growled at if they try to attack me.

Answer 3

cut his nails! its easy just do it while theyre sleeping. trust me i had the same problem but afterwards u dont feel a thing. if you desperately need it now use scissors to cut the nails. =]

Answer 4

The reason cat scratches are so bad is because cats bury their poo.  If you wash your arms right after playing with the cat they will not be as bad and will heal faster.  Since you already have the injury, might have to use antiseptics to speed up the healing.

Answer 5

Leather gauntlets come to mind if you want prevention.

Or

I think if you rub in antiseptic cream you may heal faster.

They do put germs into the scratches you know.

Or

Have his claws clipped, as a last resort.

You don`t say how old he is. If he`s very young he may grow out of this.

Probably not in 5 weeks though.

Answer 6

Don't declaw - there is an easier option.

Have you heard of Softclaws?? They are small plastic caps that glue onto the cat/kittens claws and as they grow they just fall off (after about 4 months) and you can replace them.

We use them all the time and buy them from a supplier on ebay. They come in loads of different colours and are really easy to put on.

We've got two kittens, a leather sofa and they are by far the best invention I've ever seen.  They cost about £6 on ebay, which when you consider the advantages isn't much.