Vet or not?

[Amethyst24]

I think DCat might have come second in a fight (or two). Before Christmas I noticed a few little scabby-feeling bumps around her neck and shoulders, and yesterday a couple of new ones, one at the base of her ear.

I didn't take her to the vet originally because she seemed totally fine - eating, purring, playing, and not even bothered about the scabs being touched.

Now she still appears 100% fine in herself but I think her temperature may be slightly elevated - she is currently asleep on my lap and is generating slightly more heat than normal!

I know if I ring the vet they will want me to bring her in, but I'm a bit loathe to have her be given antibiotics if this is something that will heal perfectly well on its own.

Should I take her to the vet or give it another couple of days? Presumably if there is infection that's not getting better I'll know quite quickly?

(I am extremely over-protective of her btw and normally inclined to be cautious with her health, but for that reason I don't particularly want the upset of a vet trip and ABs unless it's essential.)

[RubbishMantra]

Personally, I'd bring her in. My beloved deceased cat once spent loads of time licking his chest. One morning I picked him up and a load of custardy stuff splooshed out of him. (Not what he died of btw)

Cats are very good at masking pain.

[RubbishMantra]

Has she been neutered?

[cozietoesie]

I would. Any time spent in pain is too long in my book. Also, if you have suspicions that her temperature is up, that's a bit of a warning sign.

[Amethyst24]

Thanks all. Yes, she's been spayed. No sign of any discomfort at all, she's eating normally, no unusual grooming. If she's still feeling a bit warmer than usual tomorrow I'll take her in though.

[cozietoesie]

Good luck to her. Have you seen any - mean toms, say - out there?

(I'm wondering also about whether she's still giving off some signals because those bites sound like those a tom might give in a mating.)

[Amethyst24]

She has an enemy who's beaten her up in the past (and rolled her in fox poo, poor little thing!) but I haven't seen him around for a while, so I'm wondering whether there might be a new cat in the neighbourhood exploring other cats' territory. She doesn't bother going out much at all in this weather.

We've had her for 3.5 years and nothing at all to suggest anything went wrong with her neutering.

[peckforton]

It could be ear mites as they can bite around the neck and ears, has she been flead?

[shaska]

I'd keep an eye on the heat and on her in general, and look out for swellings - the main risk is abscesses, and they hide pain so well that they can get quite bad ones before you realise.

Memories of a cat coming in with a huge, pus-seeping hole in his face, that I'd had NO idea was brewing, even though it was a) on his face and b) must have been coming for a while... he was absolutely fine, but I felt so guilty.

[Amethyst24]

She is flea-free, and was checked by the vet (much to her chagrin) in October. The original scabs seem to be healing fine (they really are tiny, I know you're imagining my poor cat being a mass of festering sores ) and the new ones aren't hot, swollen or tender at all. Had a lovely cuddle earlier in the evening and she seems less hot than last night. If anything changes I'll pack her off to the vet.

Thanks everyone. Cats were put on this earth to worry us!

[Amethyst24]

(She is very small, by the way, which I think explains why a. she comes second in fights and b. she tends to get got on her neck and back.)