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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

possible cat bite

16 replies

derektheladyhamster · 25/03/2015 17:12

Cat has a wound on her tail - it's not causing any discomfort that I can tell, But it has been bleeding and there is a scab. There is also a lump, but again doesn't seem to be causing pain.

It's a trip to the vet isn't it?

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 25/03/2015 17:34

I reckon so - tails can be very chancy if an infection were to set in.

Have you been over the rest of her body to check?

shaska · 25/03/2015 17:42

Lump could easily be an abscess.

I run an 'if I know about it it's a problem' rule when it comes to illness and injuries. They hide pain to an unbelievable degree, and of course fur covers a lot, so things can be quite wrong without you knowing and I always figure if something's visible, it needs seeing to.

I've had a cat with an abscess on his face that I only found out about when it burst. Somehow I hadn't noticed a thing until there he was at dinnertime one night with a large, pus-dripping hole. To be fair he didn't seem to care about it even at that point, but I felt pretty terrible!

sugarplumfairy28 · 25/03/2015 18:08

Yup off to the vets. My George had what I thought was a bite on the base of his tail, small hole, bled a little, no discomfort, but his tail was limp. Turns out some horrid person had shot him with a pellet gun. The pellet is still in there due to it's location but his tail has mended and none the worse now.

Original poster
derektheladyhamster · 25/03/2015 19:40

he's booked in first thing tomorrow Sad

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 25/03/2015 20:13

Poor george Angry

sugarplumfairy28 · 25/03/2015 20:32

Hoping everything goes OK for you, try not to worry too much.

Fluffy I was so angry when I found out! Actually angry doesn't cover it, I punched through a door. I was so relieved, I cried when I saw his tail move again for the first time!

RubbishMantra · 25/03/2015 20:54

The vet will be able to sort him out Derek.

I remember my cat keeping me awake all night, with constant noisy slurpy licking. I picked him up in the morning, and what looked like custard and strawberry sauce just sort of spilled out onto the floor. I'd not noticed he'd had an abscess under his fur.

The vet cleaned it up nicely and put him on a course of antibiotics and he was right as rain.

Someone shot your cat with a pellet gun Sugarplum?! Why do some arsholes think it's OK to do horrible stuff to cats? Angry

Original poster
derektheladyhamster · 26/03/2015 08:22

that's horrible sugarplum Angry
he's running around like a loon this morning....Envy

OP posts:
OwlCapone · 26/03/2015 08:24

FatCat has had several cat bites. A quick clean up at the vet and a long lasting antibiotic jab and he's been fine.

OwlCapone · 26/03/2015 08:25

Glad your cat recovered, Sugarplum.

Original poster
derektheladyhamster · 26/03/2015 10:14

yep long lasting antibiotic and painkillers. oh and a shaved tail. he and my wallet are crying. if an abscess forms I'm to take him back (and claim on the insurance!)

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 26/03/2015 11:13

Well done for heading for the vet and glad the cat is OK - or shortly to be OK.

(My cc is still in hiding after yesterday - I occasionally catch the sound of gentle sobbing if the wind is in the right quarter. Grin)

Original poster
derektheladyhamster · 27/03/2015 11:54

stupid question time. It will be obvious if an abscess forms won't it? I keep checking his tail wound and it looks the same, still a bit lumpy but if it is forming into an abscess, I'll know won't I?

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 27/03/2015 14:00

I think it will, given the tail is shaved and you can get a good view. I'm not an expert though.

cozietoesie · 27/03/2015 14:20

You absolutely should - at least if it bursts - but I doubt that it will. I've found myself that these long lasting ABs generally take a day or two to really kick in so you wouldn't necessarily see a dramatic improvement overnight as you might with some other meds. Mabe have a closer look at the weekend.

shaska · 27/03/2015 15:16

I'm not a vet but ime:

Abscess will be a round lump. They do hurt so cat might be against you touching it, if he's letting you touch the area now. They can feel hot.

You'll notice it because it gets bigger quite quickly. Timescales vary ime but they normally take a few days to grow, if not longer.

Antibiotics should help against one forming. If it does form though, as far as I know the treatment is antibiotics and lancing in one order or another so you're already halfway there.

Also, yes, they're gross if they get to bursting without you knowing, and it's safer to have them drained at the vets, but I grew up with a cat who got them all the time, he loved fights and clearly didn't care for hygiene, and despite catching them at various stages from growing through to post bursting he always recovered fine, just annoyed at having to go to the vets yet again.

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