cat did weird thing - not seen it before - help?

[SantaIsAnAnagramOfSatan]

hi. i've had cats on and off all my life.

last night my six month old tom was doing that biting/itching thing at the end of spine/base of tale and then he made this weird loud long noise like catcalling and then the sofa where he was sitting was covered in fluid. liquid sick? spray? urine?

i have no clue where it came from or what the noise was about unless it was gagging or something.

he had petline on him on the 21st but bit late for a reaction to that i'm thinking.

anyone seen this before or know what it is?

apologies for random post

It's NOT neglect - you're trying to help him.

The only thing that is bothering me is it still being sore - every time (previous to the last), as soon as the wound is open it has been bright pink flesh, but not particularly sore. (One particularly notable one being the one on his cheek, that he was so grateful for relief of that he wanted to rub his pink open cheek on everyone.... aaaaargghhhhh!!!)

Cat skin in particular is resistant to tearing which means the infection hides underneath the puncture wound. I would say if it hasn't opened by after bank hol get him straight to the vet for anti b's but keep up the salt water as many times as you can in the meantime. If you wrap him in a towel to do it, it should mean you can work at it better with the salt water.

that's a good tip thanks. he quite likes being wrapped in a towel. strangely he likes to get in the bath and the few times he's snuck in i've towel dried him after and he's purred like mad.

wonder if i could actually get him in a shallow bath of warm salty water with a drop of lavender in it tomorrow? bad idea? it's what i did with my bodged episiotomy and managed not to get infected.

i just can't see it properly. if i wrap him in towel i guess i can give it a proper soaking and maybe see it better.

thanks MJ

Yup - bad idea!!!

Forget disinfectants/lavender/any other essential oil/etc etc. You can get a bath in lavender/ tea tree etc etc but you don't lick yourself afterwards, whereas cats do. Salt water only, and boiled will sterilise impurities in the water. I should say that this is from my laymans experience only, but I'm pretty sure a vet will tell you not to put anything on a cat wound other than salt water.

I would rub him with a towel to relax him (as he seems to like it!) and then wrap him... then rub him again through the towel and then get to work. Try and get the wound open. And then if you do, keep salt watering it.

Good luck and let us know how you get on!!

i've just washed it well with salt water, well as well as you can wash it with a very reluctant cat. i've also managed to trim much of the hair away from the area so that i can see it better and also so he too can wash it better.

he's just been biting at it again making that noise.

it's hard to see if it is open. i can see a pink flesh bit which looks good but there's another part that has licked flat hair over it and i can't get at it.

i'm going to go for the bath later - think that will be easier as i can just sponge the water over him and hopefully get him wet enough to really see it.

think i'm going to have to pull at it a bit to be sure it's open. cat's gonna hate me!

sorry to stte the obvious, but why dont you just go to the vet?

because it's new years eve, i live in a village and don't drive.

even if a vets is open it's questionable i'd be able to get an appointment let alone book taxis back and forth.

and frankly wound care is about keeping it clean, getting any gunk out etc and observing and if that fails and infection occurs you then use antibiotics.

would do the same with me, my son or anyone as do doctors, nurses etc.

or maybe it's because i'm some crazy animal cruelty freak?

But it is already infected isn't it??

its a fair question

if an animal has a problem and you dont know why, or what it actually is, then i think most people many people regard a vet visit as standard?

i never used the last line in you last post, you are making an assumption upon me.

i think it sweet you are cleaning it, but if you arent even sure of the cause of the secretion (which your state), then how you would you know if any treatment would cause complications?

i know its new years eve, but your first post was on the 30th.
i wouldnt assume you cant get an emergency appointment, you may be surprised.
at the least you can chat with them to double check your cleaning regime.

however, id certainly sympathise with thge difficvulty with transpost and taxis.

of course i can.

if you just told me that, then that would just be the simple answer to my simple question

i really wish i was in a position to help and give you a lift

i don't think it's infected no. there was no odour or colour to the fluid that came out of it. there is no inflammation around the area and having inspected it again it's open and flat. the cat is lively and fine and showing no signs of illness, lack of energy, appetite etc.

i know cats are different to humans but thinking they too would show some of these signs of infection.

going to a vets today is just not an option for me and i had explained the difficulty further up the thread. nor do i think that at this stage it is necessary. if after the weekend it doesn't look better or the cat is unwell in any way he will of course go to the vets.

Could you call your vet to discuss? Abscesses really do need to be taken seriously. I do understand the difficulties of getting him to the vets.

thing is i don't think it is an absess anymore by the looks of it. think it was forming one but he managed to get it open and drain it and the fluid was clear and now it's just a flat open wound that's a bit sore.

but yes. any concerns i will get a vet.

Satan - one of our cats had this, exactly as you describe, after being bitten by another cat.

The wound was pink and obviously sore but between him and me, we kept it clean and it healed within a few days.

It should start to close on it's own and get smaller if it's just a cut/bite. Anything more will 'grow'.

Keep checking it as best you can, keep it clean and dry (as dry as you can) use a different towel/cloth each time to stop cross infection.

If he is his normal self, then I'd say leave him be. The yelping is most likely the pain.

The liquid, most likely fluid that has built up around the bite.

That's what happened with out Tom anyway.

HTH

right. dunked him in the bath and was able to get a very clear view - there are two and a bit flat open hole type wounds in a row pink around edges bit bloody in centre. absolutely open and flat so think we/he opened it up nicely. hair is cut away from area so easy to wash and air.

will keep looking at it. if no signs of healing over the weekend or any worsening or behaviour changes he'll go to the vet but i think from the looks of it it will heal neatly.

does help thanks mouse. i have a pile of towels already to go on a very hot wash and just dried him and cuddled him from his bath in an old soft dressing gown.

more laundry!

Santa my cat had exactly this as a young cat. Vet said it is common in young inexperienced cats who approach other cats in curiosity and then get bitten on the back when running away. He had an abcess and I took him to the vet. The vet opened the wound, syringed out masses of vile gunk and gave him antibiotics. However that was because it was at an advanced stage and near his spine. She instructed me on how to manage any future wounds of which he had many. Oh and he was neutered.
I have opened infected wounds by washing them with warm salty water, cleaned out gunk and kept them clean and open until they healed up. I have caught wounds early and managed them to prevent infection.
You are doing all the right things and need only keep a close eye on him to check that an infection is not building up. Feel his ears sometimes and if they get hot he may have a temperature. You could also have a very good check for other wounds in case he was bitten more than once.
Hope he feels better soon!

If he is young, fit and healthy he should heal up himself if there is any change in him i would take him to the vet but i think you are doing the right thing and i would do the same!!

Any takers for an inseason kitten who behaving like a randy bugger????

no thanks clayre! got my hands full as it is

thanks everyone. i'm not silly i wouldn't neglect an infection but i really am confident that he opened it early, the fluid showed no sign of infection and now it is clean and open and not swollen it should heal up ok. if not act.

sorry if i got a bit defensive but i just don't believe that everything immediately requires a vet/doctor etc if you apply common sense and get info. especially not on new years eve with double time taxi fares and more than enough to do and having flu myself.

reassuring to hear others have had and dealt with the same.

dunoon i think that's exactly it. he isn't showing signs of sexual maturity or aggression and territorialness himself but he's young and daft and friendly enough to wander up to the wrong cat and he no longer looks like a harmless little kitten to them.

will be on the phone to book neutering on tuesday. must read back up the thread and see where those vouchers could be found.

thanks again dunoon! just re-read whole thread looking for voucher advice and anything i'd missed and yours has been the most practical, pragmatic and useful voice on here

think i'm doing exactly what your vet told you to do.

thanks everyone for help and advice. i'd still be wondering where the hell the fluid came from at this point as the wound was so well covered by the hair.

Burn the witch!

satan or her cat?

practical and pragmatic - think i made my point?