Is cat scratch disease contagious?
Last updated September 6, 2026.
No, cat scratch disease does not spread from person to person; it spreads from cats to people through scratches, bites, and licks on broken skin. The bacteria behind it, Bartonella henselae, live in the blood of infected cats and travel between cats through flea bites and flea dirt. Kittens under a year old are the most likely to carry it, and most infected cats look completely healthy. A bump or blister often shows up at the scratch site within a few weeks, followed by a swollen, tender lymph node near the injury. Washing scratches and bites with soap and running water right away, keeping cats on year-round flea control, and not letting a cat lick open cuts all lower the odds of infection. People with weakened immune systems, including those on chemotherapy or living with HIV, can get more serious illness and should talk with a clinician after any cat scratch or bite.
What to do
- Wash it right away: Clean any cat scratch or bite with soap and running water as soon as it happens.
- Keep fleas off your cat: Use year-round flea control from your veterinarian, since fleas move the bacteria from cat to cat.
- Skip the rough play: Avoid games that end in scratches or bites, especially with kittens and stray cats.
- Protect open skin: Do not let a cat lick cuts, scabs, or broken skin, and cover wounds while they heal.
- Watch the lymph nodes: Check the glands near the scratch for swelling or tenderness over the next few weeks.
- Call a clinician when: Swelling lasts beyond two to three weeks, fever or severe pain sets in, or you are immunocompromised or pregnant.
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