# Hardhead Cat?



## jet8998 (Sep 16, 2008)

I got punctured pretty deep on my thumb by a hardhead cat today while fishin the surf. Does anyone know if their barbs are poisonous? Should i go to the Doc or just suck it up? Bastard got me real deep.


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## angus_cow_doctor (Apr 13, 2009)

Not poisonous to my knowledge, but the slime is LOADED with bacteria. Some gnasty ones at that. Best to disinfect with iodine and/or peroxide, and start antibiotics if it is real deep. Some people get infections in tendons and tendon sheaths from punctures like that.


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## User6882 (Feb 4, 2009)

they have a mild poison.. not life threatening but can be very painful.. take some kind of anti-inflamitory meds for several days


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## Silver (Jun 18, 2009)

keep it covered too obviously, get some triple antibiotic ointment, and like brandon said take some anti-inflamatory. 

but if you think its getting worse definitely go to the doc.


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## deeptracks (Oct 2, 2007)

had a tetnus shot lately..? go see Dr. ........


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## TCGrimsley (Apr 10, 2009)

They are poisonous and they hurt like the dickens. About a month ago, I had a very sucessful of fishing and the last fish of the night was my one and only hardhead. Dehooking him with the good ole Gerber, and lo and behold, he finned me in between my thumb and first finger. A two inch fin hurts like hell, and my hand turned into a baseball. kept it in the water for a good 30 minutes to help cleanse the wound, and took it like a man! (Honestly, I was just putting up a show in front of my buddy, I really wanted my Momma!) I have been finned so many times before, but that took the cake. Unless he really tore into tendons, and as long as you wash it out, saltwater helps keep it clean until you can get some ointment, and you should be fine. If in a few days it starts stinking and gushing goo, or your veins start turning red, go to the doc immediately! To my knowledge, I believe all catfish have poison on their barbs. Feels like a wasp or a bee stung you, with a bonus of a puncture.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

All above of course but with saltwater born bacterial infections at high levels this time of year, including flesh-eating bacterium, I would definitley see a doctor for some proper antibiotics.


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## yimmj (May 26, 2009)

The cats do have poison. The best way to alleviate pain is to soak the sting in the hottest water you can stand. This will help the body push the toxins through the sytem. However, if inflamation and redness persist se the the Doc. I have been hit more than once and the hot water sure feels good


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## NavySnooker (Sep 10, 2008)

just a thought, but when you have puncture wounds like that on your hands, keep it away from your mouth and nose... bad critters like mersa and staph like to hide out in your nostrils... i feel for ya dude, it's happen to most of us in some way or another.. keep that sucker clean, and don't be scared to go see doc..


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## reelthrill (Oct 3, 2007)

I have been stuck several times and the pain is immense! If you submerse the wound in slushy ice water it will stop the pain, but you will have to keep the wound in the ice water for over an hour. How would you like this to happen to you: I knew a guy who set a gill net once and when he pulled it to shore it was full of hardheads. He and his father spent hours pulling the hardheads out of the net and piled them up on the shore. The father slipped and fell into the pile of catfish and was stuck 15 times. He actually was life flighted to the ER!!!


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## domimax (Aug 4, 2009)

I hate the bastards. They are nothing but a bloody pain in the ass.



I where kevlar gloves and use long, strong pliers for hook removal. They still manage to wreck my rig half the time.:banghead:banghead:banghead


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