A 24-year-old Australian woman, Natalie Carroll, experienced a severe skin reaction after an encounter with a tomcat during her holiday in Bali.
On Thursday, the 7th of November, halfway through her 10-day trip to Uluwatu, Carroll noticed a faint red mark on her leg that rapidly worsened.
“I noticed a very faint little red bump on my leg. I kept an eye on it all day, and it started to get worse,” she shared with Yahoo! News on Friday, the 15th of November.
A visit to the doctor revealed that the irritation was caused by contact with a tomcat, a bug species that is unfamiliar to her.
“They live on you, and if you remove them, they release a toxin. I think what happened was, while I was sleeping, I removed it, and now I’m dealing with the effects, which is crazy […] and painful,” Carroll continued.
She documented the incident on her TikTok account, @nataliesineadd, sharing images of the large blister that developed on her leg.
Dr Swaid Abdullah, a veterinary parasitologist, explained that tomcats cannot inject their venom through bites or stings, but instead cause wounds through skin contact. Initial symptoms include reddened skin and a burning sensation. This is followed by painful irritation and itching. If left untreated, the wounds can lead to extensive pustules and blisters after four days.
Carroll was eventually given a topical cream and oral antibiotics by the doctor and she was grateful to have caught the skin irritation early before the symptoms became more severe. She also appealed to Australians to take simple precautions to help them avoid what she experienced.
“If you’re staying in an indoor-outdoor villa or accommodation that isn’t fully enclosed, use mosquito repellent and coils at every entrance. If you notice any small bumps, see a doctor immediately, as the condition can worsen quickly,” she advised.