When Cats Behave Badly: Dealing With Cat Bites The Natural Way

Our furry, fiercely independent, feline friends aren't always as loving and cuddly as we'd like them to be, but sometimes they can be downright evil. I experienced that this past weekend, after a friend's cat bit me.

So, why do cats bite and scratch, you ask?

a. They were somehow provoked. A tad too much roughhousing by their human, perhaps? No, not even animals like getting slapped around.

b. They were frightened, or scared by something, and your body just so happened to be in the way.

c. They were just playing, and your hand looked more interesting than their catnip mouse.

d. They're ill. Don't we all get ornery when we do?

e. Their evil alter-ego decides your arm is a deserving target.

f. All of the above.

If you marked f. you get an A.

There are many reasons a cat will scratch and bite, but you won't find many people attributing it to the Jekyll and Hyde nature of one. Most cats are lovable, and wouldn't dream of harming their humans, without provocation, that is. I had a wonderful cat for 13 years that never once bit or scratched me, or any of my friends for that matter; but I trained her, from kittenhood, that I would not tolerate aggressive behaviour. I haven't had a cat in a long while, so I enjoy any time I can spend with one. The friend I was visiting has 2 beautiful cats, although she did warn me that one of them had a proclivity to bite. She was gone for the evening, and I couldn't remember which was which, so when Hugo (the evil one) started rubbing himself against my leg, I automatically assumed he was the good kitty. At one point, Hugo jumped onto the couch and, purring softly, allowed me to pet him for a few minutes, seducing me further into thinking he was enjoying it. But then he suddenly lunged at me, sunk his teeth into my forearm (drawing blood), and then scampered off, laughing all the while at my stupidity, I'm sure.

After the initial shock, my first instinct was to wash the bite with soap and hot water, then douse it with alcohol, which, as it turns out, is exactly what one should do. Thankfully, it did not get infected, but apparently anywhere from 50 to 80% of all cat bites do get infected. I was one of those statistics, about 12 years ago, after getting bitten on my hand by a frightened cat; a long story which I will not get into. In that case, I did not think to wash the wound, as I was more concerned about the condition of the cat. The following morning my hand was severely infected.

IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS FOR CAT BITES:

1. Stop the bleeding, if there is any, by applying pressure to the wound, with a clean, dry cloth. This could take several minutes. Do NOT, however, apply a tourniquet. This could cause damage.

2. Immediately wash the wound with soap and warm water, for approximately 5 minutes. The cat's saliva is the source for potential infection. Those little mouths are not as clean as we might think; just remember what they spend so much time licking, and no, not their fur. Some sources suggest soaking the wound in warm soapy water for 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Clean the wound (if not too deep) with alcohol. Although I haven't seen this in any articles regarding cat bite first-aid, it helped keep me from having to visit the doctor.

4. Cover the wound, loosely, with a sterile gauze pad.

5. Increase your intake of Vitamin C, which helps fight infection. 4,000 to 10,000 mg per day for a week, then decrease to 3,000.

SOME HOME REMEDIES: I can't vouch for any of these, but here are some natural, albeit less orthodox treatments, for slow healing cat bites. If you have been to a doctor, the wound is not infected, and you are not in need of antibiotics you might try the following:

1. Make a poultice of fresh grated carrots and place on top of wound. Then cover with a warm, moist washcloth, and leave for 20 to 30 minutes. Apparently this will draw out the toxins and help speed healing. (I'm not sure about this one, but people have used honey on wounds, and that seems to work, so who knows.)

2. Homeopathic remedy LEDUM PALUSTRE 30C. Good for puncture wounds. Eases pain and speeds up healing. (There are no potential adverse side affects using Homeopathy, so this should be pretty harmless.)

3. Make a paste using clay and any, or all, of the following anti-bacterials: goldenseal, tea tree oil or calendula and place on wound.

4. Combine castor oil and lime juice and apply to wound.

Please do your research and make sure you are not allergic to any of the herbal products, and consult a doctor immediately, if the wound looks like it is infected or you were bitten by a feral cat (in case of rabies.

SIGNS OF INFECTION:

If there is swelling, and the wound becomes hot, red, oozes, smells foul, becomes more painful, or there seems to be a red line leading outwards from the wound, get thee to a doctor immediately.

PLEASE NOTE: Do not use herbs if you are pregnant or nursing, and check to make sure various herbs are safe for you to use.

The above solutions are taken from the following sources: homeremedies.com, homeremediesfor you.com, and revolutionhealth.com. “Prescription for Natural Healing” by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC and James F. Balch, M.D. Third edition Penguin Putnam, Inc. Copyright 2000 p. 330

Relieve Bee Stings And Other Nasties The Natural Way

Thankfully, I have never been stung by a bee! With my phobia, I'd probably die from a heart attack before I ever had to figure out how to deal with it. But for those who might, some day, encounter the stinger of a wasp, bee or hornet, rest assured there are natural ways to alleviate the ensuing pain and itching.

You better hope the wasp, hornet or yellow jacket decides to leave you alone after the initial attack because their stingers, unlike the honey bee's, remain firmly intact. This means, if they are so inclined, they can continue to sting you for as long as they deem you worthy. The honeybee leaves his stinger attached to your body, so you should remove the stinger immediately. Then proceed as follows:

Wash the site with soapy water: "Do not squeeze, rub, or pick at the sting as it may cause an infection. If you have multiples stings or a severe allergic reaction visit the emergency room of the nearest hospital."

Apply the following to the sting site:

1. A paste of baking soda and vinegar

2. Mix a little water with Meat Tenderizer that has papaya extract, and apply paste immediately to sting.

3. Place a slice of onion or potato for 20 minutes.

4. Clay or mud has also been known to help. Apply wet and allow to dry on skin.

5. Crush the stems and leaves of the Impatiens (a plant most everyone has in their garden). When it becomes watery, place on the bite.


These remedies also apply to fire-ants, and most other stinging creatures.

Hopefully you will never have to use any of these, but if you do, good luck!

People's Pharmacy
Natural Awakenings

The Sage Use Of Sage

A while back, while battling brain-fog doing a show out-of-town, I did some research and wrote a post about memory and brain food. I was desperate, considering the rehearsal period was only a week and I was unable to focus properly. But some of the information I gathered was very helpful, and I managed to get through the whole process relatively unscathed.

One commonly recommended herb for memory troubles was sage (and rosemary). So, I immediately purchased both, in bulk, and sprinkled them on my food, and added them to herbal tea. It seemed to be of great help.

I knew sage was useful for increasing memory-power, but I had no idea that it was also good for other troubles. According to Mark Blumenthal, associate professor of medicinal chemistry at the University of Texas :

"It's been used to treat digestive upsets, joint pain and snake bites. But only now is research confirming that this anti-oxidant-rich spice can help treat a long list of common health problems."

1. Memory Aid- A recent British study found that even a single dose of sage can instantly help people with memory skills (including recalling names, places etc. 11 times more accurately), and the affects can last up to 2 hours. Some European research has found it could possibly aid with age-related memory loss, if taken on a daily basis.

2. Night Sweats and Hot Flash Controller- Going through peri-menopause? Apparently sage helps cut night sweats and hot flashes by up to 50%. Women participating in a study found that they felt substantially cooler within 2 hours after taking Sage, and that they only needed to take it every other day for the effects to last. Sage contains an oil called thujone, which helps the brain maintain proper thermostat control.

3. Bacteria and Bug Killer- Apparently, the rosmarinic acid in sage, in addition to being a powerful anti-oxidant, also has antiseptic and antibiotic properties which have the capacity to kill 65 different strains of bugs, from bacteria to viruses, including the bacteria and yeast that contribute to digestive troubles. It can even kill salmonella,, E. Coli and the fungus that is responsible for causing yeast infections. Dutch researchers were able to destroy up to 70% of the staphylococcus bacteria. And all this without destroying the good bacteria in the stomach, like antibiotics do.

Ways To Use:

You can sprinkle it on food, make a tea infusion or buy a liquid supplement.

They say 1 tsp a day on your food, is good.

Or you can drink one to 3 cups of sage tea a day. I use a tea infuser, and add it to my herbal tea. I drink it twice a day. Make sure it's whole dried sage.

Or you can buy a liquid extract at the health food store. Recommended dosage is 28 drops in a glass of water, and drink 1 to 3 times a day.


as always, please research before you start taking any herbal remedy.

Arnica or Advil?

According to a Swiss research study of 204 people with osteoarthritis in the fingers, Arnica gel was just as effective at relieving the painful, inflamed and swollen joints as 5 percent Ibuprofen (the ingredient in Advil) gel!

Arnica belongs to the sunflower family, and has been used for centuries to relieve bruises, sore muscles and stiffness. It is usually used in the form of a gel or salve, but can be used in tablet form as a homeopathic remedy.

So, if you have a choice between Ibuprofen and a natural remedy, which would you choose? I know what my choice would be.

As with anything herbal, if ingested, please research before you decide to try it.

Chamomile Relieves Menstrual Cramps

For those of the female persuasion, that dreaded "time of the month" can often be very painful, even crippling, at least for those who experience severe cramping. I usually have some discomfort for the first few days, and several days prior to getting my period, but (thankfully) I left behind those tear-inducing cramps in my 20s.

For those who aren't allergic to ragweed, there's some very good news: In a fairly recent study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (January, 2005) Chamomile was found to be very beneficial in relieving menstrual cramps, among other things. Researchers at Imperial College of London discovered that volunteers who drank 5 cups a day of German chamomile tea for two weeks showed elevated levels of both glycine and hippurate in their urine. Glycine has the benefit of relieving muscle spasms and relaxing the uterus, which would account for its efficacy with regard to menstrual cramping. The higher levels of hippurate (which has anti-bacterial properties) would explain why chamomile is also great for fighting infections; however that's another post.

The wonderful thing about chamomile is that the levels of hippurate and glycine remained high for at least 2 weeks after the study participants stopped drinking the tea, which indicates that drinking chamomile tea has positive, long-term healing affects.

I drink tea with chamomile for other reasons, but I think I might up my intake next month!

I will post about the other health benefits of chamomile soon.

Caution: Please do your research before starting any herbal regimen. As mentioned, those allergic to ragweed should avoid chamomile, as should those on warfarin (blood thinning medication).