Piercing guide › Ear piercings › Cat bite
A cat bite consists of two helix piercings sitting very close together on the rim of the ear, like the marks of a cat's bite.
The small spacing is both the appeal and the risk. I measure so that enough cartilage remains between the two channels.
As initial jewellery I use two small flat-back bars made of Bioplast or titanium to ASTM F136. Rings only once healing is complete, at the earliest after six months.
The studios give no separate figures for pain and healing. They correspond to the single helix, per hole.
If the rim is too narrow to keep two channels stable so close together, I say no.
Cartilage has hardly any blood supply. That's why every cartilage piercing heals much more slowly than the earlobe, even if it looks calm from the outside earlier.
How to care for the piercing in each phase is explained in detail on the Care and aftercare page. The short version: sterile saline solution, don't twist, don't fiddle with it, be patient.
When to see a doctor immediately
An inflammation of the cartilage is serious and can permanently deform the ear. Don't wait.
Pain and healing time are guide values, averaged from information given by piercing and tattoo studios. Where the figures come from. Everyone feels and heals differently.
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