Do you need a rabies vaccination if you are scratched and bleeding by a cat?

  A person who is scratched by a cat’s paw and bleeds is likely to be infected with rabies and needs to go to a hospital or CDC for rabies vaccination in a timely manner.  As the main source of rabies infection, in addition to dogs, cats may also be infected and transmit rabies virus. Rabies can be divided into three exposure levels, with the higher the exposure level, the higher the chance of contracting rabies. Level III exposure is when the skin is bitten or scratched by an animal and there is bleeding from the wound, when the patient has a higher chance of rabies infection, and bleeding from the skin scratched by a cat’s paw is a Level III exposure. The patient should treat the wound immediately, rinse the wound repeatedly with 20% soapy water, and try to administer rabies vaccine within 24 hours. If the wound is deeper after being scratched by a cat, in addition to the rabies vaccine, the tetanus vaccine should be administered according to the situation.  By the cat claws scratched skin bleeding is not recommended to bandage the wound, it should be exposed to the air to facilitate the healing of the wound, if the wound infection can be applied antibacterial drugs.