Calm Down, Cuddling With A Kitten Probably Won't Kill You

If there’s one thing the internet loves more than cat videos, it’s scaremongering headlines about how your cat could kill you. This phenomenon was out in full force this week, with headlines like “Cuddling your cute, fuzzy kitten could spell certain doom,” and “Cuddling a kitten could kill you, study finds.” These unnerving warnings referred to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report about the U.S. prevalence of cat-scratch disease, a bacterial infection that people can contract from cats. But the idea that simply petting your cat carries a major risk of death is a far cry from reality.  “Yes, cat-scratch [disease] can be fatal, but it is in rare circumstances,” lead researcher Christina Nelson told The Huffington Post. “When people do have atypical manifestations or complications, they can be severe or can lead to death, but that would be an exception.” Cat-scratch disease, usually transmitted to people via a cat scratch or bite, is much more likely to cause a mild infection. The rarer, severe complications can affect the brain and heart. Since most cat scratches won’t result in cat-scratch disease, the CDC recommends immediately washing any scratch or bite with hot soap and water, and seeking medical help if the site starts looking infected or a fever occurs. Nelson’s research, which looked at insurance claims from 2005 to 2013, found that an estimated 12,000 people each year were ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news