Tips on home treating cat wounds

[HedgeWitchOfTheWest]

I have a 3 year old male (neutered) cat. He has free rein to come and go. He prefers to sleep at home in the daytime and goes out adventuring overnight.

He is a fighter. He’s had numerous vet visits with abscessed bite wounds. His last vet bill was £1k+ as he needed stitches. Luckily he’s insured.

However, I think there’s a bit more I could do at home for the more minor cuts and scrapes he comes home with.

He came in this morning with bite wounds on his shoulder (again), and is looking pretty sheepish. I’ve ordered some cat specific antiseptic spray, given him a dose of the metacam leftover over from last time and when that’s kicked in I’ll start with some salt water and a closer inspection of the wounds.

Does anyone do more home care for a fight-cat? Is it possible to buy antibiotics/anti inflammatories online? Do you recommend buying a thermometer to keep an eye on his temp and help decide when to go to the vet?

I could keep him in overnight (and I might well for the rest of the weekend), or could cat-proof the garden fences. But I’m not sure limiting his access/environment would be the best (although every wound takes us closer to that). Your thoughts on that would be appreciated too.

And yes, this is the cat that released live mice in our house that cost hundreds of pounds of damage. And we now have the ZeroMouse unit that solved that problem. Maybe he should be restricted…

If there is a way to catproof the garden then yes. To prevent recurring injuries to your cat. And your neighbours' cats will thank you too.

Is there a particular cat he is fighting with? Why is he picking fights? Maybe get your vet to check his hormone levels. Maybe they left a bit of testicular tissue behind.

I use this on my animals. It's good. www.amazon.co.uk/Vetericyn-Wound-Skin-Care-Hydrogel/dp/B011190WHE

Cats have very thin skin that tears easily and bites get infected very easily. I'd always err on the side of caution and say see the vet if they've been bitten, it's easier to treat things early and not wait until they get into an infected mess that will cost you more in the long run. If it's bad enough to warrant pain relief it needs a vet.
Antibiotics and anti inflammatories are prescription only.

After a cat fight I tend to wait and see for a day or two and see how the cat gets on. It is usually obvious if they have an infected wound, due to their behaviour and the swelling at the site. If they are perfectly happy and no swelling, I avoid the vet.

I still have one older cat who roams, but I cat proofed the garden a few years ago and the other cats stay in that part. I used this company and it has worked very well. They still bring in mice and other treasures.

https://protectapet.com/

I bought Leucillin from pets at home for my cat.

Is there a particular cat he is fighting with? Why is he picking fights? Maybe get your vet to check his hormone levels. Maybe they left a bit of testicular tissue behind.

You don’t know that it is the OP’s cat picking fights, he could be just standing up for himself, and getting hormone levels checked seems a bit OTT. All cats will fight regardless of age, sex or whether they’re neutered; there could be a new cat that’s moved into the area and they are establishing new territory boundaries.

My old cat used to get into fights a lot. Once he had a bite on his face, turned into an abscess which required the vet and was infected and was squeezed. I’m not sure me bathing it with antiseptic would’ve stopped it getting infected.

Current cat, she gets scabs presumably from fights but never infected and come off if I pull them. They seem to last ages.

My current cat used to fight with next door neighbour’s cat, she was her nemesis. My cat always won. They had to rehome the cat so now that’s gone but I’m sure she sometimes has scraps with other cats. She’s a tough tabby and white 13 year old though. And had a sister she lived with so think they fought together (against other cats). Sister now moved about 30 mins away.

Cats generally stand up for themselves. There’s an unneutured new male cat in the area. I don’t think my cat fights him but she’d certainly stand up for herself if it was required.

I agree, my vet told me there is no point bathing the skin as the infection is inside, not the the surface.

With most of my cat's fights, the aggressor was a neighbour's cat who used to stalk him and wait by the cat flap to ambush him. When attacked the cat has no option but to try to defend himself. If they try to run away, the aggressor often pursues in an even more heightened state of aggression.

I would get all bites checked as we lost a cat through sepsis. He was taken to the vet for a sore leg but they couldn't see the bite and just gave metacam, we lost him the next day. It was very traumatic and now I would insist on antibiotics if there is any suspicion of a bit.

I keep mine in at night as it's the most dangerous time. They have got used to it now and adjust sleep patterns.

There was an antibiotic medication that you could get from Spanish vets/chemists for cats without prescription. I brought some back a few times whilst on holiday. I haven’t had cats for a few years now so can’t remember the name.
For my dogs I have a wound spray, Contego skin spray from the vet. Topical spray to clean and soothe skin about £25 a bottle which works well.

Everyone will hate me but I used to treat my old cat’s wounds myself. When I took him to the vets one Easter with an abscess they said they could not get near him ( I was not allowed in with him- think it was still Covid) just gave me some antibiotics and painkiller tablets and told me to get on with it- obviously not a good experience. However he did let me squeeze his abscesses and clean them with saline - I then put a Manuka honey ointment on. Probably the exception to the rule but it worked for him. Vets were hopeless with him

Thanks for your thoughts and feedback.

I managed to have a closer look at the puncture wounds, one on the front of his shoulder and one on the side. The wounds themselves looked ok. I think he’s probably a bit bruised.

But he ate well this morning, was keen for the dreamies used as bribery for wound inspection. And sat and watched the sparrows before going to sleep under the favourite bush.

I don’t know who he’s fighting. I’d like to put a tracker/camera on him but he won’t tolerate a collar, and took the last one off and caused some damage to himself.

Though he is fighty he’s also a bit of a wimp, terrified of my husband, strangers, surprises (but fine with fireworks etc).

He’s usually got a few scabs on the go at any one time, they don’t usually need vet intervention.

Iodine - I keep a bottle, just dilute a little until it looks like weak tea. It was recommended by my vet. It cleans and helps the wound dry.

I've put Savlon on the cats cuts. Or Germaline, I even put it on a fish that the cat got out of the pond once and it went on to heal.

My friend recommends homeopathic treatment which can be used alongside conventional medicine.
She uses Silica 30 to get rid of anything trapped, and Hypericum 30c and Calendula 30c - tablets or cream- for healing the wound.
Im giving it a go at the moment on a huge neck injury that has been stitched twice and become infected.
Keeping Dcat in at night has prevented some of his fights.

Fighty-Cat is right as rain this evening after good day’s sleeping in the shade. Of course I’ll keep an eye on his wounds & overall self.

I’ve ordered some of the hypochlorous acid wound spray suggested above. And he’s got his routine 6 month checkup on Monday anyway - I’ll ask the vet for any suggestions.

Next time he goes to the vet for anything, can you ask them to check him to see if he is FIV positive. Lots of cats pick that up when bitten by other animals infected with it.

I was recommended sudocrem by an emergency vet but it’s really just a tide you over until the vet opens if it’s evening/weekend and not quite meeting the threshold for the emergency vets. Cats have so much bacteria in their mouths, which is how they eat raw bird whole without getting sick, but unfortunately it means any bite from a cat is super high risk for infection and needs antibiotics (the same applies if a cat ever bites you). Also if he’s being bitten that frequently he really needs an FIV screening. To prevent future vet bills and injuries I’d strongly recommend keeping him in at night- you can get fancy microchip ones that allow entry but not exit after a certain time, or just manually lock it. He’ll soon adjust.

My cat is also a fighter. After a couple of visits where I spent £40 for the vet to have a look at wounds or £60 for a look plus an antibiotic injection, I now wash them with antiseptic solution regularly and would only take him in if his temperature was high.

I've never taken mine to the vet for injuries, he's always fine within 24 hours.