# Cat Scratch Remedies



## saitenyo

I used to be pretty allergic to cats. Thankfully it ended up being one of those allergies that improved with exposure, allowing me to eventually adopt my two wonderful kitties. Now it almost never bothers me, and the occasional sneezy day is easily treated with a mild antihistamine.

Except for one thing: the dreaded cat scratch.

I do my best to keep their nails clipped (although even trimmed nails can scratch a little), and they're great about not scratching me on purpose, but of course the inevitable accidents happen during play, so I get accidentally scratched pretty often.

And boy is it miserable! If I don't wash the scratches off immediately they swell up and itch like crazy. Even with washing they can be pretty irritated and itchy for a while. After washing off some of Athena's work this morning, I thought, "I wonder if there's something more effective I can do?"

Anyone else have this problem? How do you treat cat scratches to minimize that annoying itching? I'm sure something like Benadryl cream might help, but I hate using medications a lot unless I absolutely must (I know, I'm paranoid, it's a silly phobia). 

It's of course not a huge deal. I love my cats enough that I'm willing to put up with a little discomfort now and then, just figured maybe someone here might have some good home-remedies for itchy cat scratches!


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## MowMow

I react badly to cat scratches as well. They always swell, turn VERY red and itch like crazy. 

I wash them SUPER well with hot water and soap as soon as it happens. Once it's dry I dab on some neosporin. That usually stops the itch for me and prevents it from getting infected (which it always does without the neosporan).


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## saitenyo

Thanks, I'll have to consider Neosporin! It may still fall into my weird irrational medication-phobia though, I need to see what's in it.

I keep trying to think of...foods or something that might soothe itching. I feel better about using simple home remedies like that when I can. I just react badly to some medications so I've extended this paranoia to most of them when it's not absolutely necessary that I take them.

It just occurred to me that cucumber can act as an anti-inflammatory, I wonder if they'd help? Or maybe not since it's an allergic reaction, just an inflammation? I suppose it couldn't hurt to try!


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## MowMow

Well if you want to soothe an itch you could try oatmeal... or chammomile...


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## squeekers

Cortisone Cream is what I use if it gets really itchy


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## jusjim

You could try salt or baking soda(bi-carbonate). I'm not to allergic to cats, but when I got Zenobi (otb) she bit and scratched, drawing blood. I rubbed in a bit of table salt. It stings, but then that goes away. The baking soda might stop the itching. Rubbing salt in the wound is what authorties did after giving a person the lash and drawing blood. A salt solution is often used in hospitals to bathe a wound. The baking soda, of course, is an old remedy to relieve insect stings. 

Soap contains many things that might make an irritation worse.


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## Susan

If you're looking for a natural remedy, then after washing the scratch with an antibacterial soap, try putting a bit of honey on the area. Honey contains hydrogen peroxide produced from an enzyme that bees add to nectar. Honey also has various other properties that prohibit bacteria growth, increase moisture retention and promote healing.


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