During the process of raising pets, playing and interacting with them is something every friend enjoys. Through spending time with cats and dogs at home, you can understand many stories from their inner world and gain many different experiences for yourself.

Cats are relatively clingy but independent pets. Raising them does not require too much effort; they can happily play by themselves. Many friends also enjoy playing with their pet cats in their spare time, using cat teaser toys to attract their attention.

However, during play, some friends may accidentally get scratched by a cat's sharp claws, leaving wounds of varying depths. When this happens, people often worry about whether or not to get vaccinated after being scratched by a cat. Actually, before deciding on vaccination, you first need to assess whether the situation fits the criteria:

(1) Judge the necessity of vaccination based on the depth of the cat scratch wound. If it’s just a skin scrape without an obvious wound, there is basically no need to worry, and bacterial infection is unlikely. Simply wiping it with iodine is sufficient. If the wound is bleeding or visibly deep, you must promptly go to the hospital for disinfection and flushing, and get vaccinated, because deep wounds have a much higher risk of viral infection compared to minor wounds.

(2) If the cat is a pet at home and has already been vaccinated against rabies, regularly inspected, and dewormed, slight scratches generally do not require excessive concern. The chance of a domesticated cat carrying rabies is much lower because their living environment does not expose them to many bacteria or viruses. However, if you are accidentally scratched by a wild stray cat, regardless of wound depth, it is best to go to the hospital for a check-up and decide on vaccination according to the doctor’s advice and actual circumstances. Stray cats can carry many bacteria that may infect wounds.

Whether playing with your own pets or interacting with stray dogs and cats, always pay attention to your safety, because accidents can happen at any time.