Blooming Prairie Man 'Lucky To Be Alive' After Cat Bite Becomes Infected

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Like all cat owners, Per Kvalsten loves his cat. He was devastated when Mauer, an indoor cat, went missing two weeks ago.

"We were worried," Kvalsten said. "We've had him for seven years he's part of the family."

Two days later Mauer showed up outside their Blooming Prairie home, noticeably shaken. When Kvalsten went to grab him, Mauer resisted.

"It was pretty frightening," Kvalsten said. "I've never seen that kind of face from him and that anger."

The cat bit Kvalsten's right hand and clawed his hands and arms. They immediately swelled.

Kvalsten went to urgent care, where he was given antibiotics and sent him home. The next day, a local gas station employee saw Kvalsten's hands and told him his injuries were serious.

"She could see on my arm I had blood poisoning," Kvalsten said.

It was blood poisoning that would keep Kvalsten in the hospital for five days on around-the-clock antibiotics and monitoring.

"I was told I could have died," Kvalsten said.

A Mayo Clinic study found of 193 people bitten by a cat on the hands, 1 in 3 had to be hospitalized due to a bacteria infection. Two thirds of those hospitalized needed surgery.

"Cats' teeth being so sharp can act like a needle, and can just seed that bacteria deep into the joint or the tendon sheath," orthopedic hand surgeon Dr. Brian Carlsen said.

Kvalsten says he still loves his cat, but wants other owners to know the risk of a potentially deadly bite.

"I don't think people out there know this could be life threatening and if I could help one person get help we could save a life here," Kvalsten said.

Kvalsten's sister set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for his medical expenses. Click here to donate.