Help, cat issue

[Taeobi]

My MIL's cat was limping a few weeks ago. He seemed to get better, then on a sunny day last weekend, his paw swelled up, and he started limping more severely. That lasted for one day; the swelling went down but he was still limping on it. He was like this all week, then this morning I go to check on him and he has an open sore on his paw. Not sure if he got into a fight (he is an outside cat) or if it's an abscess? Anyone please advise what this could be and how it could be treated at home. My MIL won't take him to the vet and I don't have the extra money to take him myself. Attached is a picture. TIA!!

[RoseRed (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Taeobi

My MIL's cat was limping a few weeks ago. He seemed to get better, then on a sunny day last weekend, his paw swelled up, and he started limping more severely. That lasted for one day; the swelling went down but he was still limping on it. He was like this all week, then this morning I go to check on him and he has an open sore on his paw. Not sure if he got into a fight (he is an outside cat) or if it's an abscess? Anyone please advise what this could be and how it could be treated at home. My MIL won't take him to the vet and I don't have the extra money to take him myself. Attached is a picture. TIA!!

Snakebite?

[Roman]

What ever it is..it looks infected. Take him/her to the Well Pet Clinic. I use Waldorf Well Pet 4499 Leonardtown Road Waldorf, Md. (301) 885-0263. You will be surprized how cheap they are. Good Vets too. My regular Vet charged $55 for an office visit, and I think extra if it was a Senior Pet. The Waldorf Clinic charges $10 for a visit, no matter what the age. A 10 supply of antibiotics are REAL cheap too. Until you can get him to the Vet, maybe put some Polysporin on the wound, and leave it unbandaged for now. Wel Wishes to your little guy!

[ICit]

Originally Posted by Taeobi

My MIL's cat was limping a few weeks ago. He seemed to get better, then on a sunny day last weekend, his paw swelled up, and he started limping more severely. That lasted for one day; the swelling went down but he was still limping on it. He was like this all week, then this morning I go to check on him and he has an open sore on his paw. Not sure if he got into a fight (he is an outside cat) or if it's an abscess? Anyone please advise what this could be and how it could be treated at home. My MIL won't take him to the vet and I don't have the extra money to take him myself. Attached is a picture. TIA!!

... thats what it looks like... not too sure if the well pet clinic will work with this... they are usually shots and spays and neuters.

but the kitty does need to be seen... shave it up, clean it up and most important antibiotics!!! ... oh and maybe even a booster for rabies... there have been MANY confirmed rabies cases in the SO MD area... few kittens, a dog that presented with classic symptoms and if I recall right... a calf as well.

Rabies is nothing to mess with! Its a wound of an unknown origin

Good luck

[Taeobi]

Originally Posted by Roman

What ever it is..it looks infected. Take him/her to the Well Pet Clinic. I use Waldorf Well Pet 4499 Leonardtown Road Waldorf, Md. (301) 885-0263. You will be surprized how cheap they are. Good Vets too. My regular Vet charged $55 for an office visit, and I think extra if it was a Senior Pet. The Waldorf Clinic charges $10 for a visit, no matter what the age. A 10 supply of antibiotics are REAL cheap too. Until you can get him to the Vet, maybe put some Polysporin on the wound, and leave it unbandaged for now. Wel Wishes to your little guy!

Originally Posted by ICit

... thats what it looks like... not too sure if the well pet clinic will work with this... they are usually shots and spays and neuters.

but the kitty does need to be seen... shave it up, clean it up and most important antibiotics!!! ... oh and maybe even a booster for rabies... there have been MANY confirmed rabies cases in the SO MD area... few kittens, a dog that presented with classic symptoms and if I recall right... a calf as well.

Rabies is nothing to mess with! Its a wound of an unknown origin

Good luck

I think it's an abscess too, do they need to be drained? How would I shave it? Clean it with water; soap and water; hydro peroxide; alcohol?

What is Polysporin? Is that an antibiotic? If not, could you recommend one; would Neopsporin work?

I don't think he's had any vaccines at all. Any symptoms of Rabies I should be looking for?

Sorry, new to medically treating cats. lol, thanks for the help guys!!

[ICit]

Originally Posted by Taeobi

I think it's an abscess too, do they need to be drained? How would I shave it? Clean it with water; soap and water; hydro peroxide; alcohol?

What is Polysporin? Is that an antibiotic? If not, could you recommend one; would Neopsporin work?

I don't think he's had any vaccines at all. Any symptoms of Rabies I should be looking for?

Sorry, new to medically treating cats. lol, thanks for the help guys!!

it may need to be drained! vet has to do that.

you cant get the antibiotics.. most meds that cats get are WAY diff than those we take! DO NOT SELF MEDICATE THE CAT

Do not use peroxide!!!

if he has not had any vacc..... YOU NEED TO GO TO THE VET... just for the chance he has never been vacc for rabies this means he has not immunity against it.. and RABIES IS FATAL.. and can be spread to humans... thru salvia! (not that hard)

the longer you wait to take the cat in... the worse it will be! The warmer it gets outside the higher risk of the cat having flies lay eggs and we know what happens after that! MAGGOTS

... IF HE HAS HAD NOT SHOTS... do not attemt to do anything yourself... you then put yourself at risk of him biting you.... and you getting a nasty cat bite.. cat bites get infected fast! and then you will be getting the Rabies Vacc series! just go to the vet on Monday!

[Taeobi]

Originally Posted by ICit

it may need to be drained! vet has to do that.

you cant get the antibiotics.. most meds that cats get are WAY diff than those we take! DO NOT SELF MEDICATE THE CAT

Do not use peroxide!!!

if he has not had any vacc..... YOU NEED TO GO TO THE VET... just for the chance he has never been vacc for rabies this means he has not immunity against it.. and RABIES IS FATAL.. and can be spread to humans... thru salvia! (not that hard)

the longer you wait to take the cat in... the worse it will be! The warmer it gets outside the higher risk of the cat having flies lay eggs and we know what happens after that! MAGGOTS

... IF HE HAS HAD NOT SHOTS... do not attemt to do anything yourself... you then put yourself at risk of him biting you.... and you getting a nasty cat bite.. cat bites get infected fast! and then you will be getting the Rabies Vacc series! just go to the vet on Monday!

Thanks so much for the info... I'm going to have to go on a top secret mission: KIDNAP CAT!! I'll take the cat to my house for the tonight. the MIL doesn't let them in and will not take him to the vet under any circumstances. So I'll figure something out. I'm in Calvert, is there a local well pet clinic or will I need to go to a vet? Money is tight these days... reason being why I only have 1 cat and 1 dog. Or I'd take 'em all!! I love animals!!

Thanks again for the advice!! Poor kitty!! I love him!! I just had a Random flashback of the movie Thomasina... anyone remember that? I loved that movie.

[ICit]

Originally Posted by Taeobi

Thanks so much for the info... I'm going to have to go on a top secret mission: KIDNAP CAT!! I'll take the cat to my house for the tonight. the MIL doesn't let them in and will not take him to the vet under any circumstances. So I'll figure something out. I'm in Calvert, is there a local well pet clinic or will I need to go to a vet? Money is tight these days... reason being why I only have 1 cat and 1 dog. Or I'd take 'em all!! I love animals!!

Thanks again for the advice!! Poor kitty!! I love him!! I just had a Random flashback of the movie Thomasina... anyone remember that? I loved that movie.

yeah... good for you

I do think you will have to go to a reg. vet... just FYI... By law you will/should have to fill out a bite report. He will have to be quarintined for "so" long according to the paper work. (this is for many reasons!!)

no outside, not around other animals directly... it does sound like a PIA but they dont take rabies too lightly around here (or any chance)

pm me and I can recommend a place to go! (maybe where it wont be soooo much)

[Katelin (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Taeobi

My MIL's cat was limping a few weeks ago. He seemed to get better, then on a sunny day last weekend, his paw swelled up, and he started limping more severely. That lasted for one day; the swelling went down but he was still limping on it. He was like this all week, then this morning I go to check on him and he has an open sore on his paw. Not sure if he got into a fight (he is an outside cat) or if it's an abscess? Anyone please advise what this could be and how it could be treated at home. My MIL won't take him to the vet and I don't have the extra money to take him myself. Attached is a picture. TIA!!

You dont need to go to the vet, UNLESS: 1) He is running a fever ( Temp above 102-102.) 2. He has stopped eating and looks "sick".

It is an abcess that has opened up and is draining.

Wash paw with hot water and soap...wash well, run hot/warm water over paws to flush out wound.
Do this today and tomorrow.

Kitty will do the rest by licking and cleaning it.
Wound will heal from the inside out.

No need to go to vet or put any kind of ointment on it ( cat will lick it away and may make cat sick)

It will heal on its own in a few days.

Treat like any wound...no big deal!

[Katelin (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Taeobi

I think it's an abscess too, do they need to be drained? How would I shave it? Clean it with water; soap and water; hydro peroxide; alcohol?

What is Polysporin? Is that an antibiotic? If not, could you recommend one; would Neopsporin work?

I don't think he's had any vaccines at all. Any symptoms of Rabies I should be looking for?

Sorry, new to medically treating cats. lol, thanks for the help guys!!

Do not use alcohol in wound...it damage tissue and no need for it.
Washing it soap and water loosens the dirt and cleans out the wound.
IF you need to, flush wound with Novasan or Chlorhexiderm or a diluted solution of Betadine.

Abscesses contain anerobic bacteria, so a hydrogen peroxide flush can be used. Oxygen released from hydrogen peroxide help kill anerobic bacteria and will flush also flush out dead material. Follow with a rinse with normal saline solution.

Again, rinse well, as the cat will continue to lick and clean the wound until healed.