You’ve likely heard of “cat scratch fever” before, but unless you’ve had exposure to it you may not know what it really is or how it’s caused, let alone how to treat it.
Maybe you’ve only heard the song of the same name, but this is a real disease and can be bad news for you and your pets.
This infection is a fairly common one, and if you have cats in or around your homestead, it’s important to be aware of catch scratch disease. In this article, we’ll take a look at what causes it, and how to treat it if it manifests.
What is Cat Scratch Fever, Exactly?
Cat scratch fever—also known as “cat scratch disease”—or bartonellosis—is an infectious disease caused by various Bartonella bacteria. In this particular instance, we’re mostly referring to Bartonella henselae.
While this bacteria can be transferred from felines to humans by biting insects such as fleas, it’s more commonly transmitted via a cat scratch from claws that have come in contact with contaminated stool, hence its moniker. It can also be transferred by cat saliva.
This disease is more prevalent in hotter, humid climates, and is particularly common throughout the southeastern USA, Mexico, and parts of South America.
In the United States, the illness tends to peak in late summer or early autumn, though there may be a spike in January or February after several months of incubation.
Symptoms in Cats to Look Out For
Cats infected with cat scratch fever may be asymptomatic for years, which can be frustrating and potentially harmful to anyone they come into contact with.
Since they don’t show any outward symptoms, they’re essential little “Typhoid Mary” vectors running around and infecting those they come into contact with.
For example, if you let your housecats out and they run into feral cats infected with the disease, but they don’t show any outward symptoms, they’ll likely be allowed to cuddle up with various family members—including those who may be immunocompromised.
If your cat does fall ill with cat scratch fever, they may show several of the following symptoms:
- A fever (one of the most common symptoms)
- Lethargy
- Anorexia (no interest in eating)
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Neurological malfunction (falling over, weaving strangely when walking)
- Red eyes, possibly with discharge
If your cat displays any of these symptoms, please seek veterinary care as quickly as possible. While Bartonella is rarely lethal to cats, it’s an unpleasant experience for them and can lead to additional health issues such as chronic inflammation.
Treatment for Feline Bartonellosis
Treatment for cat scratch fever in felines usually involves a solid four- to six-week course of antibiotics, with follow-up blood and stool cultures to see whether the infection has been eliminated.
There’s no single antibiotic that has been proven to treat this bacterial infection completely, and as such the illness may reoccur at some point in the future.
One problem with Bartonella bacteria is that it can develop resistance to antibiotics. If labs show that the bacteria hasn’t been eliminated, your veterinarian will likely have to prescribe an additional course with a different type of antibiotic.
If you’re absolutely unable to see a vet for various reasons, know that this illness often clears up on its own in a few days.
Keep your cat comfortable, encourage it to hydrate (even if it means dribbling bone broth into its mouth with a dropper every 30 minutes), and stay close to them so they feel safe and secure in their vulnerability.
Symptoms in Humans to Watch For
The moniker “cat scratch fever” does refer to the fact that this is how the infection is transmitted. Anything that can break the skin, whether it’s a playful swat or an angry bite, can transmit the disease.
The first symptom you’re likely to see is an infection around the site where you or a family member has been scratched or bitten by a cat you’ve come into contact with. That might later be followed by:
- Low-grade fever
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Fatigue
- Localized pain
- Cognitive impairment/confusion
- Dizziness
- Striae: linear streaks around the wound that look like stretch marks
- Pus-filled nodules around the wound
Although symptoms in humans are usually quite mild, they can be serious for those under the age of 15, as well as people who have autoimmune conditions.
In immunosuppressed people, bartonellosis can cause life-threatening skin infections such as bacillary angiomatosis [1], as well as serious liver diseases such as peliosis. [2]
Azithromycin is the most common antibiotic used to treat cat scratch fever, but if a person is allergic to it, then doxycycline is often used as an alternative.
Catch Scratch Fever Treatment for Humans
If the affected person isn’t immunosuppressed or compromised, then rest and hydration are the best course of action. Additionally, recent studies show that a number of herbal applications are remarkably effective treatments for Bartonella. These include (but are not limited to):
- Oregano oil (Origanum vulgare): used topically as well as taken internally, oregano oil has proven to be remarkably effective [3] against antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, including Bartonella.
- Black walnut (Juglans nigra) [4]
- Buffalo pea (Pediomelum cuspidatum) [5]
If the affected person is immunocompromised, however, then please ensure that they get swift medical attention in a hospital environment.
Although standard antibiotics may not eliminate bartonellosis completely, alleviating the initial symptoms swiftly may prevent more serious side complications from developing.
If you’d like to learn more about herbal remedies, particularly if you don’t have easy access to standard medical care on a regular basis, start with our article on 12 Beneficial Topical Herbal Remedies Backed by Science.
Other Species Vulnerable to Bartonella henselae
In addition to cats and humans, other homestead or pet species may be vulnerable to cat scratch disease as well.
Dogs
If you have both cats and dogs in your home or around the homestead, be aware that dogs can also be vulnerable to cat scratch fever.
Dogs may exhibit similar symptoms (or lack of) to cats affected by Bartonella, though they often display more neurological issues than cats do. In particular, they may show lameness in one or more limbs, as well as dizziness and confusion.
Prevention is the Best Course of Action
As there is no vaccine available for cat scratch fever, the best approach here is a prophylactic one.
Keep pet cats indoors so they don’t have the potential to interact with feral cats. Alternatively, you can consider building them a secure “catio” in which they can enjoy the outdoors without risk of exposure.
In addition, if you keep cats in your barn or storage buildings to keep the rodent population down, then ensure that they get regular veterinary checkups (with blood and fecal labs!) as well as flea treatments.
If you or any of your family members are immunocompromised due to autoimmune disease, cancer treatment, or other vulnerability, then limit your contact with any outdoor cats as much as possible.
References:
- Bolton JG, Galeckas KJ, Satter EK. Inoculation bartonellosis in an adult: a case report. Cutis. 2010 Jan;85(1):37-42. PMID: 20184210.
- Repaka, Aparna MD*; Fontana, Robert MD. Peliosis Hepatis Due to Bartonella Infection: an Unusual Cause of Cholestatic Hepatitis Following Renal Transplantation. American Journal of Gastroenterology 103():p S346, September 2008.
- Lu M, Dai T, Murray CK, Wu MX. Bactericidal Property of Oregano Oil Against Multidrug-Resistant Clinical Isolates. Front Microbiol. 2018 Oct 5;9:2329. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02329. Erratum in: Front Microbiol. 2021 Jul 12;12:713573. PMID: 30344513; PMCID: PMC6182053.
- , 5. Ma, Xiao1; Leone, Jacob2; Schweig, Sunjya3; Zhang, Ying4. Botanical Medicines With Activity Against Stationary Phase Bartonella henselae. Infectious Microbes & Diseases 3(3):p 158-167, September 2021. | DOI: 10.1097/IM9.0000000000000069
