Have any Flutherites ever contracted Cat Scratch Fever or known anyone who has been affected by it?
Cat scratch disease (CSD) (also known as “Cat scratch fever,” “Inoculation lymphoreticulosis,” and “Subacute regional lymphadenitis”) is a usually benign infectious disease caused by the intracellular bacterium Bartonella. It is most commonly found in children 1–2 weeks following a cat scratch or bite. Until a couple of weeks ago, I had heard of this malady, but had never known anyone who had been directly affected by it. One warm night, we had left our front door open. Sometime during the night a stray cat wandered onto our porch. One of our own cats got into what I can only call a verbal argument with this stray through the open screen. I awoke to this caterwauling, got out of bed and went to close the door. When I tried to shoo my cat our of the way, I must have surprised him. Apparently he was so enrapt in his verbal ‘argument’ with this other cat, that he didn’t hear my approach. He instinctively turned and attacked my bare leg, leaving me with several lacerations on my undeservin
