Mom Shares Story of How Her 3-Year-Old Almost Died of Sepsis from Cat Bite

Three-year-old Evie Phillips-Godfrey from Yate, South Gloucs, almost died of sepsis after being bitten by a cat while strolling in a park with her mom.

Evie's mom, Steph Phillips, said that she and her little girl had been walking in the park when Evie saw a ginger cat. The cat did not seem unfriendly, and it purred at her. Her toddler joked that it was a ginger lion, and she stroked it.

When she reached out, the cat suddenly jumped at her, latched onto the little girl's arm, and then bit her, according to The Sun.

Evie screamed and tried to shake off the cat that eventually let go of her. The mom immediately noticed the puncture marks. She thought it did not seem serious, but she had it checked at the hospital to be sure.

The mom rushed Evie to a minor injuries unit to treat the wound. The nurses cleaned her bite marks, gave her antibiotics, and dressed her wounds. They sent the toddler home after. Phillips said that her daughter was courageous throughout the ordeal. She kept saying she would be better and was annoyed that "the lion" bit her.

Septic shock

By the evening, Evie's condition turned worse. She woke up screaming, was red all over, and her temperature spiked. The mom immediately rushed her to the hospital.

The doctor said that Evie needed an x-ray. It was then that they decided to operate. The doctors said that Evie's wound was dangerously infected, and she was developing sepsis. It's a life-threatening medical emergency that occurs when a current infection triggers a chain of reactions throughout the body, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated.

Surgeons performed two operations to clean the wound and prevent further infection.

Phillips noted that her little girl's arm was turning bright red because of the sepsis. The cat bite mark infected her and her body reacted by going into a strong septic shock.

The little girl spent around five nights in the hospital and is now recovering at home with her mom, three sisters, and brothers.

A warning to parents

Phillips warned parents of the dangers of petting cats or other pets, especially stray ones. The pets may seem cute and fluffy, but she urged parents to be cautious about letting the children approach them.

According to Healthline, cat bites can indeed pose significant health risks. Cats, especially the stray ones, are not usually vaccinated; hence, are carrying several diseases. It may carry numerous bacteria in their mouths, causing infections in bite wounds.

As per the 2018 research review, 50 percent of cat bites in children cause infection. There are around 400,000 cat bites that occur in the United States each year. Like Evie's, cat bites can become painful. It also causes redness, discoloration, and swelling around the affected area.

Cat bite infections can spread to other body parts if left untreated, causing septicemia or sepsis (blood poisoning), which requires hospitalization. In sporadic cases, these infections can lead to death.