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Comment by notfromhere | Hacker News Reader

Dogs would do the same thing

Yes, but the danger profile is very different. A dog bite will do all the damage it's going to do instantly. If it's a big dog, it can be severe, but otherwise it's generally just a minor wound you can treat the same way you'd handle a scrape or accidentally cutting yourself in the kitchen.

A cat bite puts you at risk of several very serious infections which may not develop until much later and can cause long-term consequences.

Dogs do impact damage, but cats do poison damage.

I suggest you google for "cat bites vs dog bites".

Having been hospitalised following a bite from one of our cats (caused by a dog scaring him witless) I hadn't realised how dangerous their bites are - I now know that if you get a proper deep bite from a cat get medical attention.

Cat bites are the strongest of any animal in terms of PSI because their teeth are so sharp, and they're ambush predators that kill with a single bite. I would totally go to hospital after a full-on bite from our cat.

Just in case, because of my experience, the cat bite doesn't have to be powerful/severe or deep to require medical attention. Mine was on my finger and quit bleeding after I washed it, but now I know I should've gone to urgent care pretty much right away.

I've read a ton of stories lately about folks who barely bled/hurt and ended up requiring surgery.

except the dog would have had the potential to maul and kill you

I've learned from my recent experience that dog maulings is why states take animal bites so seriously. My cat bit me, requiring medical attention (due to infection, the bite wasn't bad at all), cat may have rabies, may be an outdoor cat (mine isn't), and may bite a dog that would potentially maul someone.

The problem with cat bites is that people don't know how they can cause sepsis and kill you within a few days, despite appearing relatively minor. If their teeth penetrates ligament lining, it can totally destroy it, etc.

My doctor told me they'll clean dog bite and send you on your way, but a cat bite they may hospitalize you for days for monitoring, antibiotics, etc. expecting a wide variety of dangerous ailments.

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