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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

Wound on cat - emergency vet or wait until morning?

19 replies

CoastalMum101 · 07/09/2021 18:46

My cat has just come in with this cut on his ear Sad. He’s eating and still seems himself. He allowed me to put some Veterycin spray on it and seems to be leaving it alone so far. He’s always getting into fights despite being neutered when he was 6 months old 🙄.

Obviously I’m going to get him seen to by a vet but would you say it’s urgent enough to go now or can it wait until the morning. I know it makes me sound like a terrible cat owner but I’m a single parent, it’s dc’s first day back at school tomorrow and I was just about to start bedtime, the nearest emergency vet is a 40 minute drive away and I take my life in my hands whenever I attempt to get dcat into his carrier.

Wound on cat - emergency vet or wait until morning?
OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 07/09/2021 18:58

If you have some painkillers for him, I'd give him a dose and wait till the morning. But only if it's not bothering him.

Toddlerteaplease · 07/09/2021 18:59

The emergency vet will probably charge about £150 just to see him.

Original poster
CoastalMum101 · 07/09/2021 19:06

I’ve phoned the emergency vet - they’ll have a look at the photo and let me know whether I need to go in or not once I’ve made a payment of £75.

OP posts:
Original poster
CoastalMum101 · 07/09/2021 19:08

It doesn’t seem to be bothering him at all. But then the only time I’ve ever seen him show any kind of discomfort was once when he got fleas.

OP posts:
livenletdie · 07/09/2021 19:10

My cat had a similar wound a few weeks ago.

I bathed it with saltwater a few times a day and it took about 2 weeks to heal but as he wasn't in any pain and it wasn't infected I didn't see a vet.

I would treat that myself unless there was any pain or infection.

headintheproverbial · 07/09/2021 19:14

I'd bathe it gently in warm salted water but that can definitely wait til the morning.

Original poster
CoastalMum101 · 07/09/2021 20:50

Thanks so much for the advice. I’ve bathed it in warm salty water which made him hiss at me. I think it was more the fact it was water than it hurting as he knew he’d be getting wet as soon as he saw me walk in with a bowl of water. I’m keeping him in tonight and I’ll call my usual vet first thing tomorrow.

He’s always getting into scraps but this is the worst injury he’s had so far. Hopefully this will put him off for a while. He’s only a small cat and still hasn’t seemed to work out that him starting on cats twice his size is a bad idea.

OP posts:
RosesAndHellebores · 07/09/2021 20:52

I would take him to the vet tonight.

Bobmonkfish · 07/09/2021 20:57

I would bathe it in boiled water tonight and take him to the vet tomorrow, given he is eating and seems well.

Bobmonkfish · 07/09/2021 20:58

Ps Ask the vet for the large bottle of painkiller so you have some in for next time!

ThankyouForListening · 07/09/2021 21:01

Please don’t give him paracetamol- I’m just saying just in case!

Motorina · 07/09/2021 21:15

If he's not bothered I would leave til morning. I'd take him in starved, just in case they want to sedate him and do anything. And I echo @ThankyouForListening - no human pain relief!

yourestandingonmyneck · 07/09/2021 21:43

Poor little guy. I agree it looks like it could wait until tomorrow.

Mumsgirls · 07/09/2021 22:47

He looks like my old guy Eric. Age has n’t stopped him fighting yet and he is neutered as well. I think some are like that. If I went to the vet every fight I would be broke. If he seems well and is eating you can
manage but would keep him in. Eric’s wounds have healed very quickly. There is a cat twice his size who tries to come into my/ his garden. Still not worked out how to stop the fights except water on the other cat.Often all part of a cat slave’s life

Lonecatwithkitten · 08/09/2021 07:05

@Bobmonkfish

Ps Ask the vet for the large bottle of painkiller so you have some in for next time!
You are aware that most medications are only good for a certain amount of time once they are open. Using something you have had for a while could be harmful if bacteria have grown in it.
Motorina · 08/09/2021 08:16

@CoastalMum101 - how is he this morning?

Original poster
CoastalMum101 · 08/09/2021 09:22

He seems much the same this morning. He’s pretty outraged at being kept inside. He cried at his cat flap for about 20 minutes before finally condescending to use his litter tray and has been scowling at me ever since.

The vet is seeing him this afternoon. I sent her the photo I’d taken and she’s going too just clean it and give him some painkillers. She said she doesn’t think it needs stitching yet but if he keeps scratching it and reopening the wound she might need to in a few days. Then he’d be subjected to the cone of shame which he’d be absolutely livid about.

OP posts:
lljkk · 08/09/2021 09:27

Daft fighter blighter.
I reckon I would have waited until daytime, too.
Looking forward to pic of his scowls with cone on.

lljkk · 08/09/2021 22:45

How is he, OP?

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