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Woman's face swells up after being scratched by her cat

A woman has been left hooked up to an IV drip for four days after being scratched by her cat.

Heidi Plamping, from Alberta in Canada, and her three-year-old cat, Storm, travelled to British Columbia at the start of May.

But on holiday, Storm got spooked by two Great Danes.

“Her leash was getting tangled and I was trying to free her. Eventually I picked her up so I could bring her inside. She was so scared she climbed my face to my head while I screamed murder and put her inside,” Ms Plamping, 42, said.

“So, I had about seven scratches on my face and three on my hand and arm. The next day I had a black eye and I thought that would be that.”

Pictured is Heidi Plamping with her cat, Storm. Storm scratched her owner several times with doctors fearing she might have sepsis.
Heidi Plamping and her cat, Storm. Ms Plamping was scratched by her cat several times on the face and arm in May, and left her needing an IV drip over fears of sepsis. Source: Australscope

A few days later her condition worsened and she noticed her hand had swollen along with her eyes.

Ms Plamping believed it might have been an allergic reaction to dust where she was staying.

“I haven’t had a bad skin reaction in a long time but since high school I have had sensitive skin,” the 42-year-old said.

“I have had rashes off and on all my life from dust, detergent, perfumes and dyes.”

But her condition only worsened with swelling increasing over the next few days and rashes appearing on her arm and face. She was given pills from a doctor but it didn’t help.

Heidi Plamping's face appears swollen following scratches from her cat.
Ms Plamping's swollen face. She thought she was having an allergic reaction. Source: Australscope

Ms Plamping was informed the cat scratches could cause sepsis or even death and was placed on an IV. She had to return every four days.

“The doctor outlined my arm where the rash was and told me to go to the emergency room if it spread any further that night,” she said.

“Thankfully it didn’t and once the hand swelling went down they finally gave me prednisone to help with the swelling and rash in my face.”

She added the medication made her “nauseous and sleepy”.

Despite the ordeal, her relationship with Storm had not changed much. She was just more hesitant to let her cat outside.

Heidi Plamping's arm hooked up to a drip. The Canadian woman had to undergo the medication via IV drip for four days.
The 42-year-old returned to have her arm hooked up to an IV drip for four days. Source: Australscope

“Storm is very hesitant to leave the cabin,” Ms Plamping said.

“Back home in Alberta she freely goes outside. Here she is nervous about the dog.

“She looked at me weird for a few days when my face was swollen but I forgave her right away and actually asked for her forgiveness as I knew it was a very scary situation for her meeting that huge dog.”

She added she would not hesitate to pick up her cat again if she became scared.

“I don’t have kids. She is my baby. My fur baby,” Ms Plamping said.

“I wasn’t aware that cat scratches were so infectious. If you get a cat scratch or bite, go to your doctor right away.”

– Australscope

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