Cat with wound on ear not healing as being scratched

[kauri25]

Complicated by the fact it’s not our cat... It’s a neighbour’s cat and she is happy with him spending time in our house. The cat got some sort of minor injury on his ear but scratching it has made it much worse. I’ve bathed it with saline as has the owner several times but then I think the cat scratches because it stings.

Any advice how to deal with it?

Can't she get him a cone of shame?

It looks a bit worse than this now

I can’t work out if a cone would work to stop the cat scratching his ear - would he still be able to reach it?

Thanks bearly - the vet has seen a photo and the cat has antibiotics now and is being kept in.

I will suggest a cone but he is a feisty vocal (but also affectionate) cat and I reckon he would protest loudly!

I was about to say that looks like a burst abscess. The cat gets a bite or scratch from another cat, bacteria multiplies under the skin (cats have reasonably thick skin so the wound worsens under the surface) and causes a pocket of pus (itchy). Eventually the wound bursts and leaves a bloody hole - often to the relief of the cat despite how grim it looks.

My cat had a big one the other month 🤢☹️ Saline can help keep the wound clean but it quite often requires antibiotics to heal. Especially if the cat is active/outdoorsy. Without antibiotics the skin heals over and may trap further bacteria underneath which multiplies and the cycle repeats.

Cats have a high pain threshold. I could barely look at my cat's abscess but he was cheerfully skipping around! He only went a bit funny just prior to it bursting then he was back to his usual happy self.
The drive to the vets and the cone of shame were another matter