Whether they mean to or not, it’s inevitable if you play with a cat, they just might scratch you at one point in time. It can happen when a cat is getting too aggressive and excited while playing with you, or it could happen when the feline is getting annoyed and just wants you to stop being annoying. Regardless, you definitely want to care for your wound as soon as possible when a cat scratches you.
Here are some tips on home remedies to care for cat scratches:
– Make this your #1 rule: always clean it out as soon as possible. The very first thing you should ever do with a scratch is to clean it. Just plain soap and water work just fine.
– Honey. It is a natural antiseptic and is used by wound-care centers all over the world, often for wounds far worse than just a cat scratch.
– Over-the-counter remedies. OTC remedies, such as antibiotic ointments, shouldn’t be overlooked in your search for the perfect home remedy. Depending on the severity, it may be the first line of treatment.
– Vitamins. Vitamins A, D, and E are the ones you want to turn to for treating a scratch. Vitamin A produces an inflammatory response; Vitamin D helps promote healing of the wound; and Vitamin E is a known antioxidant and helps soothes the wound.
– Baking soda. This is typically used to ease the sting of mosquito bites, but also works similarly by taking the sting out of cat scratches.
Photo by David Paul Morris/Getty Images
