The Role of Bacterial Infections in Cat Bites

Introduction

Figure 1. A black cat named Luna opens his mouth wide, revealing his teeth.

Cats (Felis catus) are domestic or house cats that may live with and around people as pets or working animals. Cats are mammals with four limbs. They vary in size but are relatively small. They may also be feral, meaning that they are a domesticated cat that is unused to or refuses human companionship and interaction.

Cat bites are the bites that occur when a cat bites another living organism. For the purpose of understanding bacterial infections in cat bite wounds, “bites,” on this page, will be understood to mean when cats break the skin of another organism, resulting in puncture wounds of varying sizes, rather than when cats bite or grab another organism between their teeth without breaking the skin as an act of play. Cats often bite other cats, humans, and other mammals or birds. Cats may bite other smaller organisms, such as rodents or small birds, in order to kill them. They may also bite other cats in combat. Cats most often bite humans when they are threatened or scared in an attempt to escape or defend themselves.

Genetics

Figure 2. Graph and visual comparisons of proteins expressed in extracellular matrix (ECM) genes (Collagen type 1 (COL1), Keratin 16 (KRT16), and Tenascin (TENC)) and Wnt pathway genes (Wnt inhibitory factor 1 (WIF1) and Follistatin (FST)). The gene expression plots demonstrate how the proteins are differently expressed in incisors, canines, and pre-molars, respectively, while the imaging demonstrates the spatialized locations of the proteins across the three tooth types.

Oral Bacterial Microbiome of Cats

According to a recent study that set out to establish the beginning of a feline oral microbiome taxonomic database using a provisional 16S rRNA gene-based taxonomy with full-length reference sequences, there are at least 171 distinct taxa for feline oral bacteria. The oral microbiome of cats is polymicrobial because they have many different aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms and both kinds of microorganisms are often found in wounds from cat bites.

Hospitalization Resulting from Infection

Cat bites are less common than dog bites in humans yet cat bites account for much higher rates of hospitalization. This is due both to the bacteria present in their oral microbiome and also to the structure of their teeth.

Section titles are optional.
Include some current research, with at least one image. Call out each figure by number (Fig. 1).

Sample citations:

A citation code consists of a hyperlinked reference within "ref" begin and end codes.

For multiple use of the same inline citation or footnote, you can use the named references feature, choosing a name to identify the inline citation, and typing

Second citation of Ref 1:

Here we cite April Murphy's paper on microbiomes of the Kokosing river.

Include some current research, with a second image.

Here we cite Murphy's microbiome research again.

Conclusion

You may have a short concluding section. Overall, cite at least 5 references under References section.<be>

Other examples:
Bold
Italic
Subscript: H₂O
Superscript: Fe³⁺

References

Edited by [Author Name], student of Joan Slonczewski for BIOL 116, 2024, Kenyon College.