Your cat could be the most gentle, loving cat on the planet and there will still be that one time where you suffer from an accidental cat scratch during play or in the middle of the night when she takes off running like a banshee and uses you as a launching pad. A cat scratch, though it is a mild wound, is annoying. Mostly, cat scratches hurt, sometimes they sting and itch, and sometimes they just bleed. And if not properly taken care of, like any wound they can become infected and cause even more problems for you. At-home cat scratch treatment can take the sting out of a cat scratch and help promote healing with minimal scar formation.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Wounds, even superficial ones like cat scratches, can be more complex than they seem. If you’re concerned about your cat scratch or it shows signs of infection (such as swelling, a ring of redness around the site, foul odor and discharge), please speak to your doctor or another qualified health care professional. While at-home cat scratch treatment is great for tiny cuts and as a first line of defense against pain and infection, there’s a certain point where you should call in the pros. Know that point and heed your body’s signals.
1. Clean the Cat Scratch Out
The very first step in any sort of cat scratch treatment is to clean out the cat scratch in question. Soap and water work just fine. Place the emphasis on contact time rather than how vigorously you scrub — try singing a round of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” to give the soap and water the right amount of time to kill off the germs. If you’re super paranoid or the wound is deeper than just a superficial scratch, you can swab the wound with rubbing alcohol or another antiseptic like witch hazel.
2. Honey Is Good for Cat Scratch Treatment
Honey is used by wound care centers all over the world as a solution for wounds far more serious than cat scratches, but even your most shallow cat scratch can benefit from slathering on some of this gooey gold. It’s a natural antibiotic, an antiseptic in its own right and has mild anti-fungal properties and anti-inflammatory properties. It’ll also keep the wound just moist enough to prevent scarring as it heals while still drawing water out of the wound to keep it dry enough to heal cleanly — that’s one of the ways it inhibits bacterial growth, by dehydrating bacteria. Beware, though: Not all honey is created equal. When it comes to cat scratch treatment, you’ll want to use real honey, not the sugar and corn syrup variety that’s sold cheaply.
3. Vitamins A, D and E Can Ease the Pain of a Cat Scratch
Vitamins A, D and E are also excellent in terms of cat scratch treatment. Topical vitamin A produces an inflammatory response, which is critical in getting wounds to heal. Vitamin D acts similarly and helps promote healing of the wound, while vitamin E is a known antioxidant and soothes the wound, allowing it extra time to heal. You can crack open a gel caplet of each vitamin or buy them pre-prepared as ointments. Oral administration of the vitamins is also helpful in wound healing but may be overkill for a simple cat scratch. Since vitamins have an effect on the body regardless of whether applied topically or taken orally, it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor before using this home remedy.
4. Reduce the Itch of a Cat Scratch with Baking Soda
When it comes to cat scratch treatment, one of the big things to consider is the itching. Some cat scratches have an itch that just makes you want to go out of your mind. Instead of hurting or stinging, the itch is a result of your body’s defenses, a mixture of histamine and other inflammatory substances trying to jump start the wound-healing process. An old home remedy to help with the cat scratch itch is baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate. Typically used to remove the sting from mosquito bites, this stuff can also take the sting out of a mild cat scratch.
5. Try Over-the-Counter Cat Scratch Treatment, Too
Over-the-counter remedies, such as triple antibiotic ointment or vitamin A&D ointment, are also good for cat scratch treatment. Depending on the severity, they may be the first line of cat scratch treatment. If the cat scratch is from an unknown cat or one who spends his time outdoors, I would reach for the triple antibiotic ointment first after cleansing the wound and bypass the home remedies altogether — if you don’t know where a cat has been or what his claws have been into lately, triple antibiotic ointment offers a small bit of protection against possible infection as the wound heals.
Tell us: Do you have any tried-and-true home remedies for cat scratch treatment? We’d love to hear about your cat scratch treatment ideas, too.
Thumbnail: Photography ©EkaterinaZakharova | Thinkstock.
This piece was originally published in 2014.
About the author
Owned by three cats and two dogs, she never met an animal she didn’t like. A Jill-of-All-Trades, she splits her workday as a writer, humane society advocate and on-call vet tech. What little free time she has goes into pinup modeling, advocating for self-acceptance, knitting and trying to maintain her haunted house (really!).
12 thoughts on “5 Ideas for At-Home Cat Scratch Treatment”
The mild soap and warm water did well with my wound, and I think there's a less chance of obvious scarring since no blood have dried up within the wound. Thank you
In response to the ER doctor who says “no” to honey. The article was not clear enough on its use. (it does stress not ordinary honey…) However Manuka Honey is totally 100% different! and has been used for years – but mostly for deeper harder to heal wounds, specifically ” Bed Sores” and similar wounds. Having been on a Hospice care team I learned Manuka had great healing powers when nothing else worked! I would not recommend it for a scratch wound however.
Manuka has its place – but not on your basic cat scratches. Do the clean the wound & topical antibiotics routine for best results – and keep it from getting infected.
I find that a mild solution of warm water and salt works just as well as anything and is non toxic also.
With all due respect, as an ER doctor with 42 years experience, honey is NOT to be used on any wounds, cat or human, under ANY circumstances. It does not aid in healing, and can make the wound more prone to infection. Any significant such wound in a human is best treated with local supportive care (clean, bandage) and usually with an oral antibiotic such as Augmentin,
That’s for a cat bite, not a cat scratch.
I will have to argue with that. My husband is diabetic and has been treated at Wound Care Centers and they have used Medi-Honey on his wounds which did heal! And without antibiotics. Not to be rude but not everything is treated in an ER.
I don’t mind scratch scars, they show I love cats…kind of a red badge of courage…
You should never put alcohol or any other topical on a wound to clean it. It can kill off the good cells and delay healing. Mild soap and water is the best method.
Should you not drink alcohol after a deep dental cleaning?
Thank you for telling us that. I didn’t know. Got bit by a dog I know earlier and washed it as soon as I could but would have liked to use antibiotic ointment as well, its being a dog.
Having none I used the omnipresent hand sanitizer that every desk or counter seems to have. Now I see that wasn’t the best idea. Could the anti-B ointment be one of the topicals to avoid also?
Too late! I used an alcohol swab immediately. My cat got me good across my upper chest where everybody can see it in a tee shirt. I’m just worried about not scarring. Is it true then, that keeping it moist and bandaged is the best way?
My cat scratched me on my upper chest and it looks red and sore and itchy and dr recommended antibiotic cream which I am using. Said I should take an antibiotic if it doesn't appear to heal but the antibiotic is a very strong one which I would prefer not to take unless I have to.