Prevention of Cat Scratch Disease (CSD)
You can prevent cat-scratch disease in the following ways:
Wash your hands carefully after handling your cat.
Play gently with your cat so they don’t scratch or bite you.
Don’t let your cat lick you, especially around the mouth, nose, eyes, or open wounds.
Control fleas to decrease the chance that your cat will contract the bacteria.
Don’t tease or provoke a cat.
Avoid petting stray or feral cats.
Young cats are more likely to carry the bacteria than older cats. Households with kittens have higher rates of infection. If the kittens have fleas, the infection rate is even higher. If you are planning to adopt a cat, consider a cat that is at least 1 year old.