A man is urging cat owners to be cautious after a cat bite led to him undergoing six surgeries in less than ten days.

Dan Perry, a life coach and entrepreneur, took to TikTok to recount his frightening ordeal, as he continues on his path to full recovery. “I’m heading in for my sixth operation today,” he said in a video posted Thursday, October 16.

Explaining the incident, Dan shared, “People have been asking how it happened. A cat snuck into our home overnight. My wife attempted to chase it out, but it dashed upstairs after colliding with a glass door. It got disoriented, so I picked it up to carry it outside, and that’s when it bit me.”

Although Dan is accustomed to minor nips from his own pet cat, this stray feline delivered a full bite. “This type of bite punctures through multiple layers of flesh, pushing bacteria deep inside. When the tooth is withdrawn, it pulls bacteria back in,” he clarified.

The result was a severe and deep infection. “The critical takeaway is that cat bites might not seem severe, appearing only as small puncture wounds,” Dan noted.

He also added, “I received antibiotics within hours and immediately sought emergency medical care, knowing the risk of bacterial infection. Yet, that wasn’t sufficient, and the infection has persisted.”

Others recounted their feline bite horror stories, with one TikTok user revealing: “My pet cat scratched me years ago and I ended up two days in hospital with blood poisoning! Intravenous, 10 tablets! Scary.”

A second individual recalled: “I was bitten by a cat, hospital for two nights… IV antibiotics, my arm was a mess, the veins were changing colour, luckily the antibiotics sorted it otherwise they said I could’ve lost my arm!”.

Meanwhile, a third person explained: “I got bitten by a feral cat 12 years ago and spent 10 days in hospital on an antibiotics drip and three operations. Still can’t bend my finger at the first joint.”

Regarding cat bites, VCA Animal Hospitals states: “An infected cat bite wound will be red, swollen, and painful. Depending on the location and depth of the wound, the bacteria can spread in the surrounding tissues, causing a condition called cellulitis. Bacteria can also distribute through the blood to other areas of the body, causing a condition called septicemia (often called blood poisoning).”

Consequently, individuals may experience fever and flu-like symptoms and, in rare cases, may perish if appropriate medical care is not obtained.

Youngsters, the elderly, those who are unwell, and immunocompromised persons are especially at risk of developing serious infections following a cat bite.

VCA advises: “Immediately wash the wound under running water for at least 5 minutes. Avoid scrubbing the wound vigorously, or using strong disinfectants or other chemicals, since this may harm tissue and delay wound healing. You may clean the wound with a mild soap solution or a mild salt solution (mix 1 teaspoon table salt in 2 cups of water). Control bleeding by applying direct pressure to the wound using an absorbent dressing or bandage.

“You should see a physician as soon as possible. Most cat bite wounds are small punctures that drive pathogenic bacteria deep into the skin. Left untreated, a serious infection can develop within 24 to 48 hours.”