Animal bites are pretty common, nearly 5 million people are bitten each year.

Usually, the bites are harmless.

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Cat Bites Can Kill

One local woman had a brush with death afer her cat bit her.

Like the proverbial cat with 9 lives, Taylor has been lucky. His owner is pretty lucky herself.

Sandy Smith was playing with Taylor one night in January. She stopped, but he didn't.

Smith said, "Something caught my attention on TV, so I stopped and my hand was still out there on the bed. He kind of just attacked it. (Actually) not kind of, he did."

Almost immediately, Smith said it hurt and she could tell it was getting infected.

"My hand was probably four times its size and then I had the infections line going up my arm."

The infection landed her in the hospital for a week.

"It was pretty scary at that point," Smith said.

Doctors say though cat bites are pretty common, infections are rare.

"The vast majority of cat bites are everyday bugs, staff, strep, pasturella," said Los Gatos Dog and Animal Hospital's Dr. Kyle Frandle.

It can be fatal if not treated right away.

Smith said she has had cats all her life and never thought they could be so dangerous.

Still, she says Taylor will always be her buddy.

"I think I was more protective of Taylor because I didn't want people to think that Taylor is like Kujo The Cat." Doctors say with any animal bite, you should wash the wound with soapy water and go to a doctor if you see signs of an infection.