Scratched by cat, initial encounter

This code indicates an injury to a patient resulting from a scratch inflicted by a domestic cat. It specifically denotes the initial presentation for care related to this particular incident.

Apply this code when a patient seeks medical attention for the first time following a cat scratch. This includes scenarios such as a visit to an urgent care clinic, emergency department, or primary care physician for wound assessment, cleaning, or antibiotic prescription.

• Always assign an additional code for the specific nature of the injury (e.g., superficial scratch, open wound).
• Remember the 7th character "A" signifies an initial encounter for active treatment of the injury.
• Do not use for bites; a different code series applies for cat bites.