I'm so sorry I wasn't able to post back an answer to your question. I was on a camping trip with my horses and had turned the laptop on for a quick second to check email and have a look at the boards. I am home now and just saw you post. I don't think there was anything you could have done.
Cat saliva is toxic to all animals. This is why, for some people, it can be an emergency if a cat bites them. There have been cases were people have lost fingers because of cat bites. Cat bites can become awfully infected. It's also why people have allergic reactions so strongly to cats. Its not the hair, but the dander in the hair from them licking themselves. Birds and small animals are particulary succeptable to cat bites.