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Original poster

Cat has nasty injury from a fight - what should I do/look out for?

19 replies

CarGirl · 11/08/2007 22:19

About a week ago dh saw cat having a fight - called him over and he sheepishly bounded back home.

We found a few scratches etc but seemed fine. He has been sleeping and sunbathing an excessive amount even for him.

Came home yesterday evening and he was all wet around his neck, I thought he'd managed to get himself wet somehow - he is very stupid so quite likely the I was grooming him and realised that there is a bald patch and a small hole in his flesh [vomit] so we now think perhaps it was an abcess that now has burst? The wet patch didn't dry up like water would, his fur is a bit matted!

Anyway it doesn't smell, look green or manky so what do we do and what do we need to look out for?

He seems fine in himself but want to keep an eye on the wound but don't know how it should it heal if all is well.

OP posts:
Twinklemegan · 11/08/2007 22:21

Take him to the vets for AB injection just to be safe. This happened to our little cat (who is a right scrapper despite her size).

Pannacotta · 11/08/2007 22:22

I would take him to the vet. Cat bite can get very nasty and can cause cat flu, so would take him to be checked out.
Our two cats have been in fights and have had to have post scrap antibiotics.

magnolia1 · 11/08/2007 22:23

A vet would be the best thing as antibiotics are probably needed. But if not a topical antibiotic cream would be ok for a couple of days.
The matted fur is nothing to worry about as long as it's not hiding other injuries?
If it is healing it will soon scab over. Can the cat groom it? If yes then it may get irritated.

Original poster
CarGirl · 11/08/2007 22:24

the bite is already at least a week old so if it was going to get nasty I was thinking it would have already done so. I thought normally you got them checked out in case they got abcessess but his has burst now anyway????? He is up to date with cat flu.

Any ideas on how to stop him fighting grrrrrr - apart from keeping him in!

OP posts:
Twinklemegan · 11/08/2007 22:25

I'd still take him if I were you Cargirl. I don't think you could stop him fighting - he's neutered presumably?

magnolia1 · 11/08/2007 22:26

Is he neutered?

Original poster
CarGirl · 11/08/2007 22:27

x posts - no he can't groom it and he is very co-operative and will let me look at it although I haven't touched it. Would dilute tea tree oil be a good antiseptic to use?

Every time we take him to the vets it stresses him so much we get big problems with his rear end for quite a few days - he is a highly strung pedigree what more can I say!

OP posts:
Original poster
CarGirl · 11/08/2007 22:29

Yes he's neutered and used to be part of a 15 cat household but I think he was top cat there.

As for defending his territory all he does is go the loo then come back home - he's pathetic, we think they surprised each other as there was no pre-fight noise.

Presumable waiting until Monday should be fine providing it doesn't get any worse?

OP posts:
Twinklemegan · 11/08/2007 22:31

Oh yes, wait. Hopefully the fight might have been a one off then?

Pannacotta · 11/08/2007 22:33

I agree with TM, would take him all the same even though he is up to date with jabs and wound not looking too bad, our vet was very keen for us to take ours in asap after being bitten (or any puncture marks), cat mouths carry lots of nasty germs and AB injection ususally needed.
Why not call your vet tomorrow for an opinion?

Original poster
CarGirl · 11/08/2007 22:33

I hope so, I keep finding more scabs from scratches as they are now coming off, I checked him carefully at the time but he has a double coat so I guess it hid them really well.

It's taken him 8 months to be keen to go to bed and go out and patrol his patch at night like a "normal" cat would. I'm never having a pedigree again!

OP posts:
magnolia1 · 11/08/2007 22:33

Yes diluted tea tree will be fine. Check it tomorrow and on Monday if no worse then it's probaly ok.
Nothing you can do about the fighting. He sounds like mine, runs out goes to the toilet and then runs back in

Original poster
CarGirl · 11/08/2007 22:35

Do they ever do stitches? There is a chunk of flesh missing, not huge about 0.5cm by 0.8cm or is that quite normal for a fight wound?

OP posts:
magnolia1 · 11/08/2007 22:36

No thats not normal and sounds pretty bad, a vet is needed for sure now xx

pucca · 11/08/2007 22:37

The wetness was probably cat spit, gross i know but true!

This is gonna sound ridiculous, but dry the wound as best you can and put some sudocreme on with a cotton bud.

My cats are always in fights, and whenever they have a wound i do this, and it heals really quickly, my mum does it with her cat too.

Original poster
CarGirl · 11/08/2007 22:42

If this becomes regular he may be evicted! We wanted to insure him but then after being told he was all healthy by RSPCA he kept passing blood (I mean badly) which means that we couldn't.

Am really cross with him, hope he won. Our previous moggy was the boss around here - even tried see of a family of foxes once.........

Okay I will take him on Monday and bath with tea tree diluted in the mean time

Any idea why the bald patch is so much huger than the hole that's about 3x3cm?

OP posts:
Pannacotta · 11/08/2007 22:57

Please do not use tea tree (even diluted), have heard that it can be very bad for cats!
www.messybeast.com/teatree.htm

Twinklemegan · 11/08/2007 22:59

He'll have been licking and licking at it and wearing the fur away.

Pannacotta · 11/08/2007 23:00

Should have said tea tree can be fatal for cats (though prob not if diluted) so please dont use it!

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