Can anyone make out what's wrong with my cats tail? (pics includes)

[passthetea]

Our cat has come home this evening (was out for a couple of hours) and his tail looks like this. It's the same on the other side of his tail too. Thanks

Maybe it’s been caught in a door that’s been slammed? It looks very very sore poor puss Does he seem in pain?

No he doesn't seem in any pain, not keen on you touching his tail but he never is. I initially thought he's been fighting with another cat but it's a bit of an odd place to get a wound. Plus there's bald spots.

Ouch! I’d be taking mine to the vet with that I think.

Looks like a cat bite and will need antibiotics. Vet tomorrow. It's a very common site to get bitten if they turn to run rather than squaring up to the aggressor.

He could have been bitten by another cat. That's happened to ours twice but further up on the base of the tail. Poor cat, hope he is better soon.

Has he used his tray since he came home?. I think he needs the vets though.

Oh dear that does look really sore. It looks an awful lot like his tail may have been trapped somewhere. Is he moving his tail at all?

Has he seemed fine the last few days? The open wounds and bare skin at the side of his tail look a bit like when our cat has had an abscess in the past after being injured in a fight.

Hope you can get him to the vet first thing to get him patched up asap.

Thanks everyone I'll call the vets in the morning, he's been fine up until he came home with his tail looking like this. He's just bit me while I was trying to look for any other injury's, he's never bitten me. He's used his tray and he's moving his tail as normal.

Poor puss. It does look like he's caught his tail somewhere to have lost the fur around it too. I would be making a vet appointment. He must be uncomfortable to have bitten you.

It's good he is moving it and has used his tray. Sometimes tail injuries can cause problems with mobility or weeing.

That looks like an infected bite wound from fighting.

We've had this twice - once like yours is now, and once higher up, which was worse because the inflammation impacted the nerves and poor puss lost the use of her tail!

I think your cat will need a trip to the vet for an antibiotic injection and a painkiller.

Forgot to add. Can you prevent him from going outside again via his catflap/door until you get him to the vet tomorrow? That open wound could turn really nasty quick and you don't want to risk anything else getting in there.

That's good that his tail movement seems normal. The last time our cat had an abscess it was at the base of her tail and she was unable to lift it high up and it was hanging down a bit looking really low and strange. Once the antibiotics kicked in and the swelling went down it was soon sticking up like a bumper car antennae again though at the sight of her food dish being filled.

Hope he is on the mend soon.

I reckon that’s a cat bite. As PP have said, this happens when they turn and run from a fight and get bitten on tail when fleeing! My cat, who looks very similar to yours, had exactly this injury. You should get him straight to vet for antibiotics

Another vote for cat bite - mine had one recently. Just needed antibiotics from the vet and then it healed by itself.

OUCH! Poor Baby. Is there an update?

Hi all, vet said it looked like a cat bite and gave him the antibiotic injection. He is enjoying the extra fuss

Aww! It should scab over pretty quickly now and then he'll be fine. My cat's bite scabbed over within 48 hours of the antibiotics.

Gosh he’s lovely! Hopefully he will be feeling better very soon. He looks so much like mine! He looks quite happy despite his bite!

Hi me again, our cat has come home after missing for 4 days and his tail looks like this I'm confused because he was given the injection and was told it wouldn't take long to heal but I'm not sure if this looks like a healing tail? Can anyone help? Do you think I need to take him back? Thanks

Hi OP.
That must have been worrying that he was missing.
Does he seem fine in himself? Is his tail still sore when you go near it? Are those puncture wounds still leaking gunk?

Our black cat had blue tinged skin like that when her fur was growing back in after a bite. I took her back to the vet as I was worried about it and they checked the wound to see how it was all healing.
She had been kept inside as per vet instruction with a cone on to stop her licking until the wound was healed.
The blue colour totally freaked me out though.

I always think if in doubt, get it checked out. You could always phone the vet's for advice and see what they think you should do.

Had it healedin the meantime? That looks like a fresh wound rather than something that hasn't healed.

I think he's got in with a bad crowd. It's another trip to the vets and grounded for him!

@TuttiFrutti123 he's a little bugger, we kept him in after his visit to the vets and then my dd opened the door and he shot out. Then took advantage and disappeared for 4 days the little shit  we've all been worried sick. The wounds look a little wet but he's constantly licking them (not sure why the vet didn't put a cone on him) I'll call the vets up and see what they say, he's fine in himself and doesn't seem to be in any pain.

@TheoriginalLEM that's what I'm thinking, it didn't look that bad when it first happened so I'm thinking his been fighting again. He's been castrated so not sure why he's getting into fights.

Our cat gets really frustrated and tries to escape when being kept in on the vet's advice too.

I agree with the PP that it does look like there may be some fresh bite marks on his tail.

Did you get a chance to talk to the vet today?

Can you cat proof the garden? Long term it will save on vets bills & hair dye for all the grey hairs he’ll give you.