cat injured fighting - first aid?

[IPredictADiet]

my neutered tom has come back from a night on the tiles with a bite wound on his hind leg. He does often have scratches from fights, but this is the first time I've noticed a bite. It's not deep, and is not bleeding much, but his skin is clearly lacerated. Is there anything I can do for him at home?

bit of svlon anti-septic?

bathe in salt-water?

thanks minx - I was planning the salt water thing when he comes back in (out again!) but hadn't thought of savlon.

good luck... I dare say you'll be back on here in a few hours with a bite wound of your own to sort out

Seriously, I'm sure you know you'll need to keep an eye on it as cat bites can often become infected, etc, and need antibiotics.

thanks belle. The earliest I could get him to the vet would be Wednesday, so I want to make sure we're doing the right things until then.

Do you think he needs prophylactic anti-bs in any case, or should we be watchfully waiting?

The little tyke has just caught and offered up a pigeon, so he is obviously feeling ok in himself at the moment

Apparently there is a LOT of bacteria in a cats mouth so I think he will need antibiotics. If you can't get to the vet I would wrap him in a towel and go for it with the salt water but nothing else because whatever you go fo he is going to lick it off as soon as you let go of him. Can you keep him in at night as well?

thanks for all of this.
we'll get him an appointment for Weds to be on the safe side.

I'm sure he'll be fine - he's obviously not suffering!

I always think female cats are the best hunters but I think you may be proving me wrong - a pigeon??

yup - a pigeon! Guess it must have been injured to start with. I wouldn't be surprised if our much stealthier female cat caught it, and he robbed it off her .

Salt water only, no savlon. Cats lick and many things are toxic to them. If you have already put savlon on then please wash it off. Definately a trip to the vets too - high risk of an abscess forming here, despite good cleaning.

I have a male cat that often comes back with wounds as he fights with the neighbours tom, I always bathe wounds with hibiscrub twice a day and it tends to clear it up brilliantly.