Cat Scratch Fever is Not Just a Song! Bartonella 101

Don't let cats scratch or bite you. Especially stray cats or those with fleas.

In 1977, Ted Nugent blasted into rock history with “Cat Scratch Fever.”  While most people assumed this was a lustful fake illness—Nugent did, in fact, lift it from a medical journal. Cat Scratch Fever is indeed real, even if my friends and family members snicker every time I mention it. Perhaps the stealthy bacterium that causes it, Bartonella, is a slightly less amusing, if Italian sounding name.

How I Got Bartonella

It all started with sweet adolescent stray cat that had been loitering in my front yard, then my back yard. He was meowing constantly, rubbing against my ankles and demanding my attention the way no feral cat ever has. I would sit, staring through our French doors into our house longingly. Of course, I fed him. Bonded with him. And eventually called a cat rescuer to help get him placed as I have both cat allergies and a rather cat-unfriendly Doberman Pincher.

In the beginning, I treated him like toxic waste—changing my clothes and furiously scrubbing after any contact. Even dunking him in my pool to clean him up a little. Newsflash: he was a good sport.

But on the day he was to be picked up, I knew him a little better and let down my guard. I got sentimental and played with him. That’s when a tiny scratch, barely noticeable, appeared near my elbow. Four days later, a small rash popped up.

What I didn’t know was that the scratch had given Bartonella a pathway into my body.

I was fatigued and tired so, I went to urgent care where I was prescribed a Z-pack. When I wound up in the hospital days later with what I now know to be tetanus symptoms, the infectious disease specialist did not add any antibiotics to that. I would later discover that this was far from sufficient as Bartonella infections often require three antibiotics used in combination for much longer than a week. And if the disease goes "chronic" antibiotic treatment can drag on from months to years.

What Exactly Is Bartonella?

The most well-known strain in North America is Bartonella henselae, which causes Cat Scratch Fever. But there are more than seven varieties, causing different diseases. These include Bartonella quintana, the cause of Trench Fever, and Bartonella bacilliformis, which is at the heart of Carrion's Disease.

But the most common, and most likely suspect in my case is Bartonella henselae. Cats—especially kittens—are common carriers, often without any symptoms themselves. Fleas spread Bartonella to cats, but it can also be transmitted by sand fleas, horse flies and ticks, making it a known Lyme co-infection.

Warm climates with heavy flea populations (hello, southern U.S.) make transmission even more likely. Young cats, with weaker immune defenses, tend to carry higher loads. In my case, it was a triple whammy: a stray, in a warm climate, still young.

The culprit making himself right at home on my deck.

The Stealthy Nature of Infection

Not everyone reacts the same way. If your immune system is strong, you may mount a good defense and get the classic Cat Scratch Fever symptoms:

• swollen lymph nodes

• mild fever

• fatigue

• a sore at the scratch site

  
  

These symptoms generally last a few months while your immune system fights it.

But for many people, the immune system does not "see it" and Bartonella goes underground. It invades endothelial cells lining blood vessels, where it can hide for months or years. The result? Chronic, hard-to-pin-down symptoms: headaches, foot or shin pain, fatigue, brain fog, neurological twinges, anxiety, joint pain, or rashes resembling stretch marks. If left untreated, symptoms can become severe and include Over time, it can lead to chronic vascular inflammation, neurological dysfunction, and immune dysregulation. Common complications include migratory nerve pain, burning sensations, tingling in the limbs, and tremors, as well as severe fatigue, neuropsychiatric symptoms, insomnia, and anxiety and/or depression. 

Standard Lab Tests Are Not Reliable

Because Bartonella hides inside cells and under biofilms (slimy, protective layers), it often evades both antibiotics and the immune system. This explains why relapses are common and why diagnosis is notoriously tricky.

Standard blood tests often fail because they rely on antibody production, which not everyone generates. Specialty labs offer more sensitive testing, but insurance rarely covers them. As a result, many patients are dismissed. One of the most famous Bartonella researchers, Dr. Ed Breitschwerdt, explained the difficulty of testing for the intracellular pathogen in this way. "Trying to test for Bartonella is like testing the ocean for the existence of starfish by going to the shore and taking a bucket of seawater. Just because there aren't any in your sample, does not mean there aren't any in there."

Treatment Approaches

Starting treatment is a good first step, but can often instigate die-off, or herximer reactions. These are when the body goes toxic endotoxins released by dying bacteria. Because of this, it must be started carefully and titrated up slowly.

Lyme-literate doctors (LLMDs) and ILADS practitioners recognize that Bartonella needs a multi-pronged approach:

• Antibiotics: typically three at once, targeting the bacteria in their different forms (growing, persister, and stationary).

• Herbal protocols: can be almost as effective as pharmaceutical antibiotics. Protocols such as those developed by Dr. Marty Ross or Stephen Buhner, provide the body with anti-inflammatory benefits and are good at penetrating biofilms and supporting over all immune response. These include tinctures with additional health benefits such as Japanese Knotwood, Cryptolepsis, Sida Acuta, and Houttuynia.

• Detox support: because bacterial die-off releases endotoxins, triggering the dreaded Herxheimer reaction (fever, worsening symptoms, inflammation). Opening detox pathways first and then binding endotoxins with substances like charcoal is essential. Here are some tips.

• Check for mold with a mycotoxin urine test. Often, the presence of mold is the reason people aren't getting better despite best efforts. Most LLMDs recommend treating mold first before Bartonella.

• Adjunct therapies: ozone therapy, rife frequency devices, and functional medicine strategies that address gut health, mold, heavy metals, and parasites—since these pathogens often cluster together.

  
  
  
  
  
  

Why It’s Often Missed

Bartonella infections can be extremely long-standing, activating years later, making it harder for the patient to connect the dots. Bartonella can also mimic dozens of conditions: autoimmune disorders, mast cell activation, chronic fatigue, anxiety, and even leaky gut. Many doctors don’t recognize it, making families and loved ones question the patient, and leaving patients searching for answers. This leaves patients immensely frustrated and unheard, and several books have been written about this phenomenon. Celebrities like Yolanda Hadid (Believe Me) and Ally Hilfiger (Bite Me) have shared similar struggles with invisible infections.

Prevention Tips

• Wash scratches immediately with soap and water.

• Keep cats flea-free.

• Avoid rough play with kittens if possible.

• People with weakened immune systems should take extra precautions.

  
  

In a Word

Bartonella isn’t just “Cat Scratch Fever.” It’s a complex, stealthy infection that can upend lives if ignored. Early recognition, appropriate treatment, and persistent care are key.

Awareness matters: if you’ve ever been scratched, bitten, or had exposure to fleas or ticks in your lifetime—and later developed unexplained fatigue, pain, or neurological issues—don’t dismiss the possibility of Bartonella.

Remember, don't play with stray cats. Feed them. Save them. Get them treated for fleas and immediately disinfect any bites or scratches.

As a Health Coach, (and Health Consultant-in training) I do help people with natural protocols for Bartonella and mold toxicity specifically. Please reach out if you are interested.