Rationale:

• Most cat bites are the result of provoked cats.
• Kittens adopted out of litter do not learn to avoid rough play and thus need to be trained on how to interact with their owners.
• Certain occupations, including veterinarians, laboratory technicians, and animal control officers, place workers at risk for cat bites.

Evidence:

• Of 263 consecutive cat bites reported in one city in 1995, 235 (89.4%) were caused by provoked animals (1).
• In a survey of companion animal practices, dog and cat bites were the most common occupational hazard (14).
• Eighty percent of veterinarians surveyed reported being bitten previously by a cat (15).
• A case-control study of dog and cat bites in a veterinary teaching hospital showed a significantly increased risk of bites from animals with warning signs on their cages and from animals deemed to be difficult to handle, of which only 37% were muzzled (15).
• Animal control officers are up to 500 times more likely to be bitten by an animal than the general population (16).
• In a survey of veterinary nurses, 98% report a history of either a dog or cat bite or scratch (18).

Comments:

• None.