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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / December 2006cat wound
I have an outdoor semi-feral cat 3yrs old. She has gashes/wounds around her tail, one on each hind hip, about a quarter in size. Happened about a week ago, and I'm concerned that she has an infection. She eats, but seems a little lethargic compared to normal. Ideas what might've happened? Is there an animal that characteristically would attack her there? bob > I have an outdoor semi-feral cat 3yrs old. She has gashes/wounds > around her tail, one on each hind hip, about a quarter in size. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > bob Cats will attack cats that way. I see it in mine, even just in play. How friendly is your semi-feral? Are you able to capture her to take her to the vet? She really need to get cleaned up, and maybe be on an antibiotic. I have a semi-feral cat, and both of those prospects are hard to think about, because she is still very wild and will not be allowed to be caught for pilling or trips to the vet. When it's time to take her, it's very stressful for both of us.  SignatureCheryl >> I have an outdoor semi-feral cat 3yrs old. She has gashes/wounds >> around her tail, one on each hind hip, about a quarter in size. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > play. How friendly is your semi-feral? Are you able to capture her > to take her to the vet? she's 3 yrs old, until 4 days ago when she received this wound, she was like a housecat- picked her up every day, she was very affectionate (i'd have her in the house except i have a 16yr old housecat)...but SINCE the wound, she's afraid- she'll stand 3 ft from me while i put the food down. > She really need to get cleaned up, and > maybe be on an antibiotic. I have a semi-feral cat, and both of > those prospects are hard to think about, because she is still very > wild and will not be allowed to be caught for pilling or trips to > the vet. When it's time to take her, it's very stressful for both > of us. will she need to be on an anbitiotic for a while, or do you think that the vet can give a strong dose of it? I don't think that after catching her and bringing to the vet (perhaps tomorrow) that she'll come close enough for a while to pick up....... bob > will she need to be on an anbitiotic for a while, or do you think > that the vet can give a strong dose of it? I don't think that after > catching her and bringing to the vet (perhaps tomorrow) that she'll > come close enough for a while to pick up....... the vet may be able to give a long acting shot of antibiotic. Be sure to ask for this. SignatureLynne http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/ >> will she need to be on an anbitiotic for a while, or do you think >> that the vet can give a strong dose of it? I don't think that after [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > the vet may be able to give a long acting shot of antibiotic. Be sure to > ask for this. it's a shame because she was extremely friendly til 3 days ago, like a friendly housecat..i was thinking that either another cat or a raccoon did it, but she's afraid of me now so then i was thinking a person might've done something, but that'd be difficult IMO. bob When they are in pain, they are more skeptical. Please take her to a vet tomorrow for antibiotics before she dies. Get a live trap if you have to. Just get her to the vet. > >> will she need to be on an anbitiotic for a while, or do you think > >> that the vet can give a strong dose of it? I don't think that after [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > bob > it's a shame because she was extremely friendly til 3 days ago, like a > friendly housecat..i was thinking that either another cat or a raccoon > did it, but she's afraid of me now so then i was thinking a person > might've done something, but that'd be difficult IMO. she is probably in pain, which would explain her behavior. Have some soft treats for her and give her small pieces of them on the way to and from the vet's office. Consider setting up a room of her own after she sees the vet, with food, water and a clean litter pan. Being warm and dry and safe will help her heal, and she may come around to being friendly and trusting again if you are patient with her. SignatureLynne http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/ > it's a shame because she was extremely friendly til 3 days ago, > like a friendly housecat..i was thinking that either another cat > or a raccoon did it, but she's afraid of me now so then i was > thinking a person might've done something, but that'd be > difficult IMO. I agree with Lynne's assessment, that your vet can administer a long-acting antibiotic via syringe. But I haven't been offered that with my semi-feral. You might think that these interactions will cause even more of a barrier between you, but I think they break down the wall. I've had my semi-feral in my house for 3 years now (almost). With each interaction, or yearly vet visit captures, or even with people coming in my house that she's not used to, it is a shorter and shorter time that she comes out of hiding. If you have to do antibiotics, try mixing it with baby food (meat, no onion) and hand feed it to her on a spoon or popcicle stick. SignatureCheryl > will she need to be on an anbitiotic for a while, or do you think that the > vet can give a strong dose of it? I don't think that after catching her and > bringing to the vet (perhaps tomorrow) that she'll come close enough for a > while to pick up....... Bob, talk to the vet about your cat's situation and giving medicine. She may have to be on a course for 10 days or so and you'll need a plan. We have a semi-feral who needed antibiotics not long after he arrived. Trying to get a pill down him was tearing both of us apart. The vet suggested a liquid antibiotic that is compounded into a meat flavor. Some pharmacies do that for pets. The chicken gravy flavor mixed in with chicken wet food worked like a charm! If it has to be a pill, there is something called Pill Pockets at PetSmart or Petco. It's a soft cat treat with a hole in the middle. You stick in the pill and mold the treat around it. It worked on our cat about 2 times, but then he figured it out. It works better on some cats. Good luck tomorrow, Rhonda Hi Bob, So sorry to hear your cat was injured. The injury sounds as if she was chased, caught from behind and possibly pinned down at the haunches but was able to struggle free. My cat escaped a coyote attack in a new subdivision where we had just moved into a newly built home. A large dog could do the same thing. My cat had tears through her skin so that flaps of skin showed the flesh bare underneath. They were about a quarter in size as you described. Your cat will be lethargic because she is bruised and sore. Does the cat have a fever? You can tell easily if her head is hot and she won't eat or drink. If no fever there is no infection. If the wounds are healing on their own, there is no pus and no fever, your beautiful creature will recover with some peace, quiet, dimly lit room, and TLC. If you have the funds, I would take her to the vet to rule out internal injuries with Xray. Other than that just trust in Nature's ability to heal her own. All the best, Lu > I have an outdoor semi-feral cat 3yrs old. She has gashes/wounds around her > tail, one on each hind hip, about a quarter in size. Happened about a week [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > bob > Hi Bob, > So sorry to hear your cat was injured. The injury sounds as if she was [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > skin showed the flesh bare underneath. They were about a quarter in > size as you described. Lulu, thank you for the info. > Your cat will be lethargic because she is bruised and sore. When I say "lethargic" she's not very lethargic, just slightly compared to her normal playful self. And she seems much better Mon/Tues. I'm closely watching her. > Does the cat have a fever? You can tell easily if her head is hot and > she won't > eat or drink. She eats and drinks plenty, not a problem. She'll now let me pet her again, she doesn't feel any warmer than my housecat. I don't believe she has infection/fever. I believe she's just recovering from the trauma of the incident. I'm suspicious of 1 of 3 things as the cause: (1) another cat (2) raccoon (3) big dog. (there is a refuge behind my unit with a few raccoons). > If no fever there is no infection. If the wounds are > healing on their own, there is no pus and no fever, your beautiful > creature will recover with some peace, quiet, dimly lit room, and TLC. > If you have the funds, I would take her to the vet to rule out internal > injuries with Xray. Other than that just trust in Nature's ability to > heal her own. I have the funds to take her to the vet, just dont' want to do it if she's ok. If she shows any sign at all of problems, I will take her in. She's 3yr old and has 2 siblings (1female, 1male) that she sleeps with on a pet carrier on my patio all her life, she sleeps with them last 3 nights as usual, lets me pet her again. I'm thinking she's fine....... bob > She eats and drinks plenty, not a problem. She'll now let me pet her again, > she doesn't feel any warmer than my housecat. I don't believe she has > infection/fever. I believe she's just recovering from the trauma of the > incident. I'm suspicious of 1 of 3 things as the cause: (1) another cat (2) > raccoon (3) big dog. (there is a refuge behind my unit with a few raccoons). Cats will bite other cats in the spine near the tail because it's an easy way to induce systemic infection and kill the other cat. Most likely, she was fighing another cat for territory. > I have the funds to take her to the vet, just dont' want to do it if she's > ok. If she shows any sign at all of problems, I will take her in. She's 3yr > old and has 2 siblings (1female, 1male) that she sleeps with on a pet > carrier on my patio all her life, she sleeps with them last 3 nights as > usual, lets me pet her again. I'm thinking she's fine....... Cats are stoic by nature and will hide their illness. Keep a close eye on the wounds - most cat wounds are infected by anerobic bacteria (those not requiring oxygen) so the bacteria will continue to eat away at the tissue long after the wound is healed over - an abscess under the skin results and it can easily become systemic. If it were me, I would take the cat in to the vet for a shot of antibiotic and pick up some Amoxicillin tabs to mix in canned food for her. Cat bites are serious and infect easily. If you decide not to take her in, look for hair loss in a circular pattern around the wound. It may or may not turn red and/or swell. Any seeping bite wound can be cleaned once (and only once) with peroxide, but should be treated by a vet asap. -L. >> She eats and drinks plenty, not a problem. She'll now let me pet her >> again, [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > easy way to induce systemic infection and kill the other cat. Most > likely, she was fighing another cat for territory. this sounds like it might be it. >> I have the funds to take her to the vet, just dont' want to do it if >> she's [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > turn red and/or swell. Any seeping bite wound can be cleaned once (and > only once) with peroxide, but should be treated by a vet asap. i'm going to take a good look at the wound tonight. she doesn't feel like she has a fever though, doesn't feel warmer than her siblings or my housecat. it happened 8 days ago. would this be relevant? also she eats normally and doesn't appear to have a health problem at the moment.. bob > i'm going to take a good look at the wound tonight. she doesn't feel like > she has a fever though, doesn't feel warmer than her siblings or my > housecat. it happened 8 days ago. would this be relevant? also she eats > normally and doesn't appear to have a health problem at the moment.. > > bob If she ran a fever she would probably act sick - hide and sleep, mostly. The look of the wounds is important. -L. >> i'm going to take a good look at the wound tonight. she doesn't feel like >> she has a fever though, doesn't feel warmer than her siblings or my [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > If she ran a fever she would probably act sick - hide and sleep, > mostly. The look of the wounds is important. took her to the vet today. he said it was abscessed and a "little infected" but not too bad. he gave her a shot and gave her an antibiotic pill to give for a week, he thought it would heal up ok but wants to see her in a week. now I'm glad I took her in. bob >>>i'm going to take a good look at the wound tonight. she doesn't feel like >>>she has a fever though, doesn't feel warmer than her siblings or my [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > for a week, he thought it would heal up ok but wants to see her in a week. > now I'm glad I took her in. Good for you! I'm glad you took her in, too, since it sounds like it could have gotten worse. Good luck with the pills! Rhonda >>>>i'm going to take a good look at the wound tonight. she doesn't feel >>>>like [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Good luck with the pills! i crush the pills and stick it in soft food- she gobbles it right up. fingers crossed, so far, so good. bob > took her to the vet today. he said it was abscessed and a "little infected" > but not too bad. he gave her a shot and gave her an antibiotic pill to give > for a week, he thought it would heal up ok but wants to see her in a week. > now I'm glad I took her in. > > bob Good for you! I hope she heals up quickly. -L.
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