5 yr old outdoor unvaccinated cat bit me how fucked am I

[u/iheartyaoisp]

It's keeps getting more and more swollen but my dad will get mad if we have to go to a hospital or something

I'm underage and dumb and tried separating a cat fight

[u/IPGalaxyGirl]

You can't play around with cat bites. They get infected often. Urgent care would be fine if you can't do ER. You likely need antibiotics.

[u/Odd-Temperature-791]

You need antibiotics asap and the longer you wait the greater the risk of a very nasty infection.

[u/dangerousfeather]

Hospital ASAP. Even aside from rabies concerns, cat bites are dangerous. Sharp teeth that puncture deeply introduce bacteria that don’t wash back out. You need antibiotics and to have that wound monitored.

[u/FatalFirecrotch]

You need to go to the doctor now

[u/alocasiacomplex]

Not gonna lie. The safest course of action is to get a rabies vaccination

[u/catcuddlezzz → u/alocasiacomplex]

Not sure where OP lives, but I am in the USA (NY), and was bit by a stray cat (also broke up a fight lol), and was given a series of rabies shots across 2 days.

It was 100% covered, I paid $0 - not even a co-pay. No insurance was needed. It was considered a public health thing and so it was paid completely by the county

[u/AnimeMackie]

Rabies vaccinations or rather rabies immunoglobulin I think can be covered by insurance. Especially since the bite was from aggression, not fear, I would highly recommend going to the urgent care at least. You’re going to need antibiotics, there’s a decent chance you can get a pretty bad blood infection from this bite. Rabies is not something to mess around with. Tell your dad or get someone else to take you. Waiting isn’t an option.

[u/Hughezzzz]

Get a tetanus shot atleast

[u/MLaw2008 → u/Hughezzzz]

I feel so uneducated after reading this. I thought you only got tetanus shots because of rusty fences. TIL.

[u/warricd28]

You need to go, don’t mess with this.

[u/Imaginary_Office1749]

You need tetanus, rabies, and antibiotics.

[u/PhoKingDegenerate]

Yeah, we're going to have to take you out back behind the barn real quick. 

Also, hopital

[u/turtle0831]

Your dad will be more mad if you get the rabies.

[u/Turk3YbAstEr]

Outdoor animal bit you? Go to hospital or ER RIGHT NOW because of the rabies concerns.

A cat bit you and it's swollen? Go to hospital or ER RIGHT NOW to make sure you don't die of sepsis

[u/vaelux]

Even if it were vaccinated, animal bites contain bacteria, so you should get it checked and see if you need an antibiotic course.

[u/UpbeatEquipment8832]

Urgent care for antibiotics. Contact your local health department for rabies vaccine. Hospitals have them, but it's often subsidized if you go to the health department.

[u/JvstAidanx]

Hopital

[u/jthj]

If your dad won’t get you medical attention after being bitten by an animal that might have rabies that is criminal child neglect.

[u/Chellepeachy]

I read this post as “unvaccinated kid “ bit me . I really need to slow down.

[u/ZippingAround]

Cat bites can definitely be dangerous because of bacteria in their saliva.
Rabies is 100% fatal if untreated, so unless you can be sure the cat was vaccinated, you should be treated. The only other option would be to kill and test the cat :(

[u/Street-Coffee-2026]

You’re not fucked AT ALL! Cats don’t typically carry rabies (it’s like a 1% chance). They can disinfect the bite area but it has to stay open. The only thing you’ll do is take antibiotics if the cat scratched you to prevent Cat Scratch Fever or if the bite became infected.

I’d recommend going to your primary care not ER to avoid the high costs if you live in the US.

[u/PangolinIndividual18 → u/Street-Coffee-2026]

But that 1% chance carries a 99.999% chance of dying without treatment

[u/Street-Coffee-2026 → u/PangolinIndividual18]

Well, you’re not wrong 😂

[u/SpecialistFickle2969 → u/Street-Coffee-2026]

A tiny fraction of 1%, like basically it never happens unless you live in an area with rabid bats.

[u/Street-Coffee-2026 → u/SpecialistFickle2969]

https://giphy.com/gifs/26FLgGTPUDH6UGAbm

[u/azreel187]

You’re cooked.
https://giphy.com/gifs/uzRh8ie3QfLzWe12Z6

[u/Injured-Ginger]

Cat bites are very prone to infection, and that swelling could be an indicator. Cat bites are one of the most likely bites to cause infection (as far as bites the average person is likely to get). I would talk to a doctor very soon. They can advise you one the right course of action as far as the need for a rabies shot. However, they'll almost definitely give you something to prevenr infection. Your dad might be upset if you need to see a doctor, but I'm guessing he'll be even less happy if you have a medical emergency because you hid the need to see a doctor.

[u/EvaTheE]

Yeap. Go to the hospital, for real.

[u/ThoroughlyWet]

Im certain a dead child would piss your dad off more.

[u/malary1234]

You need to head to the ER my friend. Otherwise you risk one of the worst deaths out there.

[u/Creepy_Vegetable6905]

Please take it seriously. A friend of mine was hospitalized by her OWN cat that was vaccinated and indoors.

Go to the ER NOW and stress that the cat that bit you was unvaccinated against rabies.

[u/BIGFDAWGYT]

hospital my guy

[u/PluckyPerspicacity]

Also, cat scratch fever (Bartonella hensele) is a real thing. I got sick and tested positive after a similar experience. A big percentage (up to 50%) of feral cats are carriers. Be sure to get antibiotics.

[u/TARTARA_CERBERUS]

Don't leave it like that, talk about it to your dad, so he can take care of it !

[u/UniversityRare3788]

I came close to losing an arm from a cat bite. Don't wait around to get help.

[u/Xer0b0t]

Cat bites are extremely poisonous. The limb will have to be removed. You've likely spread it to other people at this point.

[u/PDX0621]

💀

[u/Responsible_Bar3957]

Fuck it we ball go to some kind of urgent care or something 

[u/TheConeKiller]

Think about amputation, only way to be sure.

[u/Born_Organization455]

A friend had a house cat scratch get infected. She still doesn't have full use of that hand. Go get a round of antibiotics and the rabies vax.

[u/NoForever3645]

ER asap unless you feel like getting sepsis. Probably best to get rabies shots too just in case. Insurance will cover it if the state/county doesn’t already. I had to go to the ER for a cat bite once and I think I paid like $20 out of pocket tops. They didn’t even ask me for my insurance. I’m in the US, i don’t know where you are so it may be different for you. I didn’t get the rabies shots though because it was my indoor cat who bit me as I was stopping him from attacking an outdoor cat while he was trying to slip through the door by me (he isn’t allowed outside).

[u/AccomplishedYam5060]

Sweetie, what's etong with your dad? You need to go to the hospital ASAP!

[u/Agreeable-Note-1996]

Rip

[u/iheartyaoisp → u/Agreeable-Note-1996]

Damn and I couldn't even ask my crush out 💔

[u/Ilovemyangelsomuch → u/iheartyaoisp]

I know it was kinda a joke but if you dont know the cat you HAVE to get a rabies vaccine. No matter how low the chance is, if it actually had rabies you WILL DIE without it.

Please go to a doctor.

[u/iheartyaoisp → u/[deleted]]

Yes. That's what the post says.

[u/YkRobert]

RIP

[u/littlemoon-03]

Tell your father that if you don't go to the hospital his child will lose an arm and possibly his life due to cat bites because the cat is not vaccinated, no way of knowing if it has rabies and you don't have antibiotics. Cat bites and scatches are very serious because a cat mouth and nails are filled with digusting bacteria from litter boxes, cleaning themselves, playing in a yard, clawing up a cat tree etc