see my cat is a fighter...he likes to go out side alot so he getsall knotted up...and see my mom likes to try and cut the knots out...well last night my mom cut off a knot on my cat...and i guess it was sooo knotted it was to his skin and she accidently cut at least a 1/4 inch round of skin out of him...about the size of a quarter...you can see his veins and everything but he only bled a little like maybe an hour afterwards...well my dad and i took a cotton ball put some pain releiving ointment on it and taped it on him...but because he spends most of his time outside it comes off or he takes it off. im scared he'll get and infection...should i take him to the vet to get it checked out or what? im scared...im traumatized because i wa there when my mom was cutting the knot out i told my mom to stop because he was crying.i just cant get that image out of my head...i think its pretty bad.my moms a nurse...so she didnt mean to..and she says its bad she cant even look at it. please help.
2006-07-04 22:55:56 · 14 answers · asked by music4uchick 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
I'd definitely say to take him to the vet.
I don't know how deep the wound was, but I used to have two male cats, and one time they got in a fight and one got pretty scratched up - it looked like the other bit a big chunk out of his back, right above the tail.
Anyway, we didn't notice the wound right away because it didn't bleed at all that we saw. But eventually we noticed that the cat was smelly and he wouldn't let us touch him. His wound had gotten infected!
We called the vet, but didn't take him in. They said to just cut the hair from around the wound and put Triple Antibiotic Ointment on it every day. (I was worried this would hurt him if he licked it off, but he never got sick or anything from it. I still would be conservative about how much to put on if I had to do it over.) My husband cleaned it out with cotton balls because I was too grossed out to even look at it. Eventually it healed up, and now we can tell where the spot is because he's got a little bald spot that you can only see if you search through the fur. And he's especially sensitive there - if you scratch him on that spot, he sticks his nose up in the air and licks at whatever is in front of him (sometimes nothing!) It's actually really cute, though I wouldn't advise anybody putting their cat through that just to see the cute reaction!
So I'd say talk to the vet. If you can't afford to take him in, at least call them. Keep your cat inside for a week or so. He probably won't like that, but it'll be better for him. Clean out the wound and apply some Triple Anti-Biotic Ointment. (Neosporin is the name brand, but we used a generic store brand.) Keep an eye on it and if it doesn't seem to be getting better, then definitely take him in to the vet. Many will make payment plans for customers who have a history with them.
Good Luck!
2006-07-04 23:08:32 · answer #1 · answered by IdiotGurl 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cats have a phenomenal ability to heal. Yes, they can get infected also. The vet can give you a topical medication to heal the wound without seeing the cat. Get some and check up on the cat at at least 1 time a day (2 times a day is best) and apply the medicine to the wound. Just look at the wound each time and make sure it is healing nicely. If it starts to look nasty, take the cat to the vet.
Most surface wounds that small will heal up quickly. The ones that become a real problem are puncture wounds, especially on the tail there injuries can easily get infected.
Tell your mom that knots should never be cut off (dog or cat) when close to the skin. Shave the area instead.
Since your cat is a fighter, it is a good idea to keep a supply of the medication on hand all the time. We had a first aid kit just for our 6 cats and 5 dogs that belonged to my house mate. Used it a lot.
P.S. While working for the vet, once I saw a cat brought in that had been hit by a car. The "meat" on one leg was severely missing and I could see a lot of bone. I thought to myself they would put it to sleep. No, the vet treated her and every day I watched the leg healing.
This was a very severe injury, but I swear, I watched the muscle grow back on the bone and then skin and hair. The vet explained that cats could heal themselves quickly in many cases like this (if no infection gets in the way) and they could do it rapidly. If I had not seen it myself, I doubt I would have believed it.
2006-07-04 23:10:20 · answer #2 · answered by Seikilos 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yea, vet would be my first choice. But maybe you dont have the funds, or arent willing to spend too much $ on an "alley cat". Either way, hell probably be fine. There are wild cats at my work, and Ive seen them so beat up from fighting, that they could barely walk. I could see the bone on the hind leg where the cat had been bitten so hard, i think it actually broke the leg. My work is so filthy and nasty too. I thought he was gonna die, or the wound would get infected because it was basically all the way through the leg. But hes good as new now. Pretty amazing
2006-07-04 23:04:40 · answer #3 · answered by MetalTeK 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The skin will eventually grow back. Right now, your biggest worry will be infection and abcess. You must thoroughly wash the wound area with agua oxegenada - its painless. Then you must keep your cat indoors to prevent infection. But if infection has set in, you will need to give him anti-biotics, which unfortunately, you may get only from the local Vet.
Next time, when the cat's hair is matted consider taking him to a professional groomer. To prevent aweful matting like that, brush him everyday. And you know what? If your cat is a fighter, you shoud keep him indoors at night. If you let him out at all, do not leave him out there "unsupervised." He'll live longer if you keep him indoors for most of his waking hours. I have 3 male cats I let out for a few hours at night. They just hang around the immediate vicinity of my apartment because they wait for me to take them "walkies." Yeah - they walk around the block with me - that's our exercise!
2006-07-04 23:40:19 · answer #4 · answered by Phoebhart 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take your cat to the vet if there is any question of infection! If there is a bad smell coming from the wound that is a sign of infection. If it were my cat I would have brought it in the day it happened.
2006-07-05 02:02:21 · answer #5 · answered by JENNIFER 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Never treat animals with human ointments, they lick it and it can poison them. Poor mom must feel dreadful, still he is your cat and needs to be brushed daily if he is a long haired cat. please have your cat treated by the vet before he licks himself silly. Dont worry, cats bounce back very well if he is not desexed (you say he is a fighter? Get him desexed and keep him home at night. They are prone to abcesses through claws in a fight. Good luck!
2006-07-04 23:28:50 · answer #6 · answered by Windsong 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
awww thats so sad i didnt even want to finish reading what u wrote. im a cat lover. just go to the vet and get one of those head cones for ur kitty cat and then get them to put a lil disinfectant on it and a new bandage and keep ur cat indoors =(
2006-07-04 22:58:58 · answer #7 · answered by Oh, Natey-O! 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
V-E-T...unless you like a smelly cat with maggots...or a dead cat...which ever you prefer...or just take it to a vet and take care of him :) Oh! HAPPY DAY! I love when stupid people, do stupid things, and animals and other people inevitably have to pay the price for their stupidity...
2006-07-04 23:06:20 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to take the little fella to the vet
2006-07-04 22:59:27 · answer #9 · answered by tweetypie88888 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
come on hun, take it to the vet. you dont want it getting an infection.
2006-07-04 22:59:38 · answer #10 · answered by sball124 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋