Cat with burst abcess?

Question

Stan came in last night minus his collar and limping slightly. I couldn't see anything wrong, he was eating and chasing our other cat around but this morning there is an open wound on his leg which I think must have been an abcess. He hadn't shown any signs of having one. Should I leave it alone to heal or use warm salt water? Vets aren't open till Monday and as he's eating/drinking OK and beginning to put his weight properly on it I want to try and avoid a large unnecessary bill also, he's a very nervous cat and I don't want to put added strain on him if it can be avoided. Any advice?

Answer 1

If Stan trusts you enough clean the wound site with a mild hydrogen peroxide solution (it will fizz and he will ***** about it) then irrigate with normal saline... lots of fuss, keep him in for a couple of days and spoil his furry little butt (smoked salmon will make him much more compliant)... the important thing is lots of fuss... if the wound isn't looking vastly improved in two-three days, vets for a check up, just to be safe (hydrogen peroxide and sterile saline both over the counter from Boots)

Answer 2

Cats have tiny teeth that leave tiny puncture wounds which are difficult to find under all the fur. The wounds from these bites often times don't bleed significantly and they go undetected and heal over. The bacteria from the bite gets trapped in side and the infection festers. The area swells up and the pressure from the pus and fluids often times causes the old wound to burst and the absess to drain.

You must take your cat to the vet because when infections get to this point, the only way to stop them from spreading and becoming deadly is to use antibiotics. Your cat will need the wound cleaned properly and most likely an injection of anti-biotics as well as an oral round.

The vet will also be able to check your cat for other wounds and clean them before they become problems. You will probably end up paying around $100 but if you let the infection go you will end up paying a lot more.

In the future, if you suspect your cat has been in a fight, carefully check him for any puncture wounds, and scratches and clean them if you find any. If they are in an area he can't lick you can use a q-tip to swab some alcohol on them and a dab of neosporin. Cats will typically have wounds in the vicinity of their heads, face, neck, and lower back and back legs, but mainly head and face.

Check the cat for a few days in a row and feel around for any scabs with your fingers. It might take a while for signs of a bite to start to show.

Answer 3

When an animal has an absess especially when it has burst, it needs some of(not all) the hair shaved around the area to make it easier to clean & as the hair holds dirt oils etc it is that dirt that actually infects the wound.

Do NOT use ointments/potions etc they can make it worse.

Clean the area with warm slightly salted water air dry & do not bandage. If the cat seems to start bothering (licking all the time etc) put an old sock over the leg & take to the vets they will then again clean it & might give it a collar to stop it bothering it till it has healed.


(mine had an absess & the above is what the vet advised me to do)

If you do not think it has been an absess & the cat does not seem to be bothering about it I would leave it till monday. Just keep an eye on him.

but as you say is eating normally etc I would clean the area with the above advice. Hope he is ok. ♥

Answer 4

I realize you don't want to have to pay the bill, but the best thing is to take your cat to a local 24 hour emergency clinic because it sounds like antibiotics are in order here. If you wait, and the wound becomes worse, the bill will only be higher. If it is a ruptured abscess it could be from a bite wound and if he is up to date on his rabies vaccine, which hopefully he is, the vet may need to give a booster. Finally, if you won't go the vet route, don't use salt water. You can keep the wound as clean as possible using regular warm water and hope it heals on its own without becoming worse. Also, while it's healing, you should keep him indoors so you can keep a close eye on it, keep it clean, and because it will be harder for him to escape a predator since he is injured. That's my advice. Good luck.

Answer 5

Hello there, I agree you do not want to incur unnecessary veterinarian bills as they are extortionate.

I do not think this is an abscess it may just be a wound, may I suggest that you get the little poppet and put tea tree oil onto the wound, this may smart a little but has excellent healing properties and as a back up try using a vetzyme veterinary antibacterial powder a little later on the dry and protect the wound. I would use the salted water each day to bath the area and use the other meds as a back up.

I wish you well and hope your little soul gets well soon

Answer 6

In order for the abscess to heal properly and swiftly you need to have your vet take care of it. A thorough flush and debridement and antibiotics are always needed for abscesses.

However, if you want to be cheap and let your cat run around with an infected open wound that's your choice. Use a dilute iodine or chlorhexidine solution and clean it thoroughly 2-3 times a day. Don't try to bandage it, the pus needs to drain. I'd keep your cat inside and away from the other cats for a few days as well.

Btw do NOT use hydrogen peroxide, it is abrasive to the tissue and will damage the live tissue in the area, delaying healing. Use dilute iodine or chlorhexidine gluconate.

Answer 7

if it is a abscess then normally there would have been a lump first then it would come to a peak and then burst. Once it has burst it will ooze pus and bloody fluid which needs to be done.
If he has caught his leg on something and torn it then it may need cleaned/stitched, either way cats mouths are dirty and contain alot of bacteria so if its a abscess he will need treatment and if its a wound from another animal or torn it on something he will need treatment.
So take him to the vet, leaving it till monday could make it alot worse and infection may set in.

Answer 8

most vets have a 24hr emergency line??? but if you can't get hold of them then yes bath your cats leg with cool boiled water,
but for things like this, having you cat insured would help with huge vet bills...
i have never put a collar on my any of my cats because i worry as they could get caught on a fence or something. thats why i have them chipped.

maybe your cat got involved in a fight or was attacked by nother animal.. but once your vets are open take him to get checked out.

Answer 9

Put some Neosporin on it. I iuse this for minor injuries on my animals and have always gotten excellent results. One thing though: Stan will try to wash it off (they love the taste for some reason), so try to hold him and distract him for at least 5 minutes so it can do some good.