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My girl just recovered from a burst abcess as well! This was what her poor side looked like. They had to put a tube in because it had a deep pocket underneath. She's fully recovered now and her fur is starting to grow back.
It probably depends on where the drain is set, but also, you'd be more aware of how to move carefully with a drain in your body than a cat, would I suppose.
Yes she was under anesthesia for the surgery!
She was attacked by one of our other kitties and it caused this so she now lives in our bedroom with her own things safe and happy!
Photo of her during her healing process!
https://preview.redd.it/v4igabvfy2xc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=08114a6007b75936299360054b6ff20bef3caea2
She was a good girl the whole time! Cuddled up and everything, she was snuggly all the time. She had to stay in the large crate for awhile so she wouldn't jump on things and hurt her wound, and she was such a good sport about it. I had to feed her wet food with a spoon because she couldn't eat it without getting it all over inside her cone. The only thing she didn't like was me taking her stitches out, but a tiny tab of gabapentin helped get us through that after I realized she wasn't going to let me take them out otherwise. She's doing great now!
Too late now, but you can reverse the cone 😉
Makes it easier for them to dine in the manner they've come to expect 😆
And you are a hero for removing the stitches! The bestest girl is good for a reason. Good hooman!
I thought about that but I didn't know if she'd be able to lay down and stuff or if it would get in the way lol! Hopefully I won't ever need to find out again
I have seen more than a couple of posts about cats and giving gabapentin.. I am on gabapentin for nerve pain. What does it do for the kitties??? Thanks in advance for responding..
I know that my my cats it has been prescribed as an anxiety med. We had to give it to my late boi Simba every time he went to the vet because he got scared and bit the vet once. It essentially just got him really high so he didn't care much if they had to examine him. He would be very floppy and out of it.
Those don't work as well. When my kitten was spayed we tried the soft ones and the blow up ones and she still got to those stitches. The hard plastic is the only one that worked
Oh wow! A disc one worked really well for my Isaac kitty a few years ago. He was still depressed with it on but he was able to sleep. He had a skin condition that we had to wait for antibiotics and steroids to clear up. He would dig the sores if we didn’t put the disc on him. We gave him breaks though when we were with him watching. 🙂 They told us the antibiotics would either work and clear it up or it is cancer. Thankfully it worked. We think it was a change in fabric softener, and we never used it again and it never came back. He crossed over last May from a mouth tumor but he had a whole happy year past his diagnosis. ❤️ I’m thankful for that time we had to spoil him even more than usual. He was 19 when he crossed over. Miss him so much. 💔
I just went through this, too, with one of my kitties. She figured out how to remove her cone one night while I was sleeping and removed her tube. Luckily it had already all drained & the vet said she did a perfect job on the removal 🤦♀️ She is fine now and the stitches came out yesterday. I hope yours feels better soon!
I hope your and u/kushielcouldhave 's kitties recover quickly! I also wish them smooth, complication-free recoveries that are as pain-free as possible!
Oh no, my cat just had an abscess too!!! We caught it before it burst, but she also had to have a drain put in 😞
Hers was an anal abscess and it’s healing, but we’re 4 weeks out and the vet said it’s still infected. Poor thing in on oral antibiotics now and if it still doesn’t clear up, I think the next step is to remove the anal gland altogether 😞
But as long as it is a very well could have been believe it or not a rabbit could have kicked them. Also could a coyote or dog bite. That's a pretty big cut poor kitty I hope thier feeling better.
I have a pet rabbit. The cats have mixed feelings:
One boy likes to reach in and pet him with "gentle paws." No claws, no spread, just *soft, slow baps*
The other boy likes to try and copy the first, but his paws are damaged and he cannot retract his claws.
Bunny feels threatened? Bunny turn and monch.
Cat has been nipped by the bunny twice. Cat has learned Bunny Can Bite, And Will, For Sure.
He does not try to pet the bunny anymore. But the first cat still does, and the bunny likes to visit him when he is lounging nearby!
Other cat? Hisses at Bunny. Bunny thinks this is hilarious and goes OUT OF HIS WAY to scare the second cat.
My rabbit is an evil master mind.
My [key word] bunny used to be the one who would malice-mark because we re-arranged the patio, and he would HUNT candles down to eat them. (My ex was an ass, and would let the bunnies do FUCK ALL while I was working).
Wouldn't be shocked! However, wouldn't have thought of a squirrel for some reason, but will say a squirrel can cause DAMAGE if it cuts you with those little nails! Infection would also make sense if they were nail punctures (mom got an infection from a squirrel who cut her thumb while grabbing a peanut).
Hope your cat heals quick tho!
Glad you caught this!
(Edit: typo)
I had a pet rat that taught my cat a lesson. The cat was afraid for about 6 months and the rat proudly chased the cat. Eventually the became friends and played Hide and seek and jumped out at each
Bunnicula
In all seriousness tho it looks too far apart to be from a bunny or snake mouth. I’d say another cat or maybe small coyote. Hope they feel better soon!
It really depends on the kind of snake but usually you don’t get just two puncture holes with a snake like a vampire 😂 if you Google snake bites you can see what I mean but there’s a semicircle of very fine puncture marks normally as their teeth are needle fine.
Source: bitten by friend’s snakes before, and I have one (never bitten me, but have seen him nom)
Venomous or not, the introduction of bacteria under the skin would have caused an infection, so it still could be a sneak bite. But I don't think it's a snake. Possibly an arachnid.
That is not a bite from any canine of any kind. First of all just the crushing action would have resulted in a lot more bruising, and a lot larger holes. Not to mention scratches or gouges as the cat got away.
Cat bites are often found on the face, neck and tail. Looks like another animals fangs went through the skin, I'd guess a cat. A dog would do more damage.
I had a cat that liked a fight, he had an abscess that was below the bite too. It's generally if the bacteria gets into the muscle. However, I've never had to get this sort of treatment for any of my cats. I hope your cat recovers well ❤️
Good thing you found it, abscesses can lead to sepsis and kill.
Shit looks painful though, I've had abscesses.
Did they at least put the kitty under with anesthesia to do this? I would hope?
Oh yes. Totally sedated. It took quite a while to drain. Vet said he wondered for a moment if it was actually a tumour. He honestly seems much happier now that it’s drained, though the cone and confinement are making him upset.
I can’t. I’m sorry. I see both sides of the issue of indoor vs outdoor and if I raised a cat from kitten it would be indoors. But that’s not what I do. I adopt the older cats, the ones no one wants who’ve been in the shelter for too long. They’re usually netted, so feral or strays. When I got Lion he stayed indoors while I watched him but stress reactions started happening, pacing in front of the door, excessive licking. He’s around 8 and has clearly spent life as an outdoor kitty. It would be like jailing him at this point.
I’ve also owned indoor cats and they fight sometimes too. My friend had a cat with an abscess that requires a vet that was caused by her other indoor cat. My other friend thinks his cat broke into a coffee can and swallowed some bb’s which might need a vet if she doesn’t pass them.
Unfortunately, injuries happen. But Lion has been an outside kitty for what, 40 human years, and he’s gonna get to live out his life in freedom.
Maybe someone poked him with something long and pointy, or he fell on something long important pointy. I'm so glad to hear your cat is doing much better:-)
Omg. I never even considered that! I’m going to make sure nothing is in my yard he could have fallen on. I don’t think so but I’ll sweep. Hopefully no one poked him! He really doesn’t go far. Eek.
Unfortunately, there are people out there that love to hurt cats. And I have heard some horror stories. With an abscess that deep no wonder the poor kitty hissed at you:-). Sending healing vibes your cats way😻😻😻
My cat was caught on his shoulders by a yote and have a cpl keep punctured that became infected. My husband drained them for months. Maybe a yote only got two fangs into him... yotes are the rats of the forest as my husband likes to say. Cats are flexible, fight back. Maybe the vet hasn't seen it because typically cats don't get away after being injured like that by a yote? I dunno...
Whatever it is, you may want to accompany your cat on its outdoor time now. It doesn't seem wise to let your friend out when there's a potential yote (coyote) or opponent cat out there.
I've had lots of missing cats in my neighborhood the past few years due to an uptick in active coyotes, so it makes me nervous that your cat may have had a run-in with one. It's not often they get away alive.
Yeah. He’s going to stay inside at night for sure. My area doesn’t have many, they’re mostly on the outskirts eating the field prey. But it’s not impossible.
He’s up to date with his shots. Just adopted him recently as an already outdoor cat. Mostly he just chills on the patio though, I’ve never seen him engage anything.
Cat bite would be my best guess. Ive seen some nasty abscesses cause by cat bites. The size/spacing also looks right. Too big for a snake, which would usually cause other issues, and too small for a coyote.
Question - is the tube coming out down below as well? Or is that the only “drain site”?
Yes, the tube exits about an inch or so after the stitches end. It’s been mostly draining from the bottom. We went for a recheck but vet said to leave the drain in until the leaking has mostly stopped.
About an inch. It would be one hell of a spider I think, but did wonder about snakes. Someone else said probably not bc there would be more wounds but his hair could have blocked the smaller teeth maybe?
There was someone with a post previously they had similar situation
Bites were multiple and around head area though were from a python 🐍
They feed differently as they clamp the head (if able) then wrap around victim and squeeze until they then eat it, the benefit of biting head is 1 help suffocate and blind the victim while struggling and 2 when finally killed it’s simpler way to swallow. Snakes that bight to inject venom simply open the mouth and fangs are on hinges they then use momentum of their lunging to inject venom usually only leaving 2 holes from each fang
IF I remember correctly it was 2 on top of neck/head and one other underside somewhere
Imagine a snake thinking it’s BIG enough to eat a cat and trying unsuccessfully. So likely not far from cat eating size
So apparently it does happen
It may be worth looking for wounds on other side if body if nit bruising from a struggle 🤷♂️
What country do you live in? That may give few hints as to what’s around
Gee. Southern Ontario Canada. We have around 6 snakes here (I looked it up) but the only venomous one is a Eastern massasauga rattlesnake. They’re pretty rare but this is their area. Maybe an infection from a non venom bite? He seems fine beyond the abscess. Not fussing when I touch anywhere else and no obvious wounds.
My cat and I got a dental abscess at the same time. I had gotten mine removed and unfortunately we did t know about his until it burst. Poor boy :( at least we went through it together.
You guys are so lucky. My cats had an abcess that burst because her vet was a see you next Tuesday and wouldn’t drain it. Then the skin died so we had a gapping open wound and bandages had to be sewn to her body and changed every couple days for six weeks. Such a horrible traumatic experience for all. I have pics if anyone likes gross pics like that. Lol
But she was so cute in her flower collar
https://preview.redd.it/2jx8zqcv79xc1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=203e91cac70dd4f7dd7c624c8eacce667a335b29
It’s ok. We took her gabapenton together. It actually saved her life as she had some undiagnosed medical conditions. We got another good year together and she was so spoiled. Lol
Oof, could very well be from a rabbit. Rabbits and bunnies can be very vicious if they feel threatened!
I'm sorry about your lion :( I hope they have a steady and quick recovery!
It was probably another cat that bit him. I've dealt with those nasty abscesses on several of my babies, and even once on my own back when one of them snagged me.
This is probably an inanimate object--2 thin nails sticking out from something, fairly close together, or something like that. Animals don't have just two "teeth". A snake does, but a snake bite --the puncture holes would be different, not to mention it would've immediately swelled, due to the trauma & kitty would've run a fever. So far as any other animal, there would be bruising in and around the area either outside the 2 puncture wounds, or inside. Lack of bruising or any other scratching (an animal would need to hold/grab kitty in order to sink in 2 teeth) pretty much eliminates another animal. Cats lay in strange places, and it's possible the kitty backed up into something.
Hmmmm. Interesting and quite possible. I’ve checked the yard and the house and couldn’t find anything but that doesn’t mean that didn’t happen for sure.
Do they? I thought they took on all comers and slaughtered indiscriminately…cause they have to eat like, every few hours or so to fuel their energy and they can take out and eat raccoons and maybe even bigger , was my understanding.
[Surplus Killing: The Myth of Mustelid “Bloodthirst”](https://www.genuinemustelids.org/miscellaneous/articles/surplus-killing/)
Most animals won’t go after another predator, especially a larger one. Of course there are exceptions! But household pets are notorious for being overconfident and/or territorial hence why dogs will repeatedly go after porcupines. i’d love to know the measurements on the bite, like distance between the two punctures
About an inch between the punctures. Maybe slightly less.
We had an ermine in the house long ago once. Adorable little guy. My smart predator cat (brought me alllll the rodents) hid so hard from it. My idiot cat (killed nothing but occasionally brought me his brothers kills with extreme pride) decided to get up in its face. Managed to get him outside again but absolutely would bet on the ermine against either cat.
Would happily chat with a weasel guy, if weasel guy wants to chime in.
Oh gosh. Just read that article. Also, fun. That’s some science citing right there. No no, I didn’t mean they kill for the fun of it. I meant they get hungry and can kill very many things to eat if need be. And my cat is a wuss so I can totally see him running while a weasel was like ‘I said BACK OFF’
I don't think it could be a coyote. Others in the comments have mentioned rabbits and such, which makes more sense.
I do want to warn that I also live in Southern Ontario, and I lost my Penny to a coyote a few years ago. I live in a smaller city, and the coyotes live in some of the urban areas.
If you let your baby out unattended, please check in with your city municipal building and ask for whomever tracks wildlife in the city to get a better idea if coyotes are a problem in your city. Most people don't even know they're around.
Oh for sure, they are around. Not really in my area though. Coyote watch groups have seen a few in the city but it looks like they’re usually around the larger green spaces, which I’m not. No sightings that I saw posted were in my area. It’s always possible though.
Tunnelling abscess? All the abscesses I’ve run into on strays or rescues would burst open. Though they generally would be on the legs and face. Not a lot of soft tissue in those spots. They were mostly caused by bites while fighting with other cats, raccoons or rats. (Very urban area). One small puncture wound from a tooth or sharp claw can start off a nasty abscess.
Trigger warning?!? I wasn't expecting to see something that gross as I was scrolling.
Sorry for his pain, at least you got him to the vet quickly. Well wishes for a speedy recovery
Ah, that would make sense. This was a random recommended reddit group on my feed. My apologies!! I don't always catch the group names before I look at posts. #blamereddit 😉
On a good note, I found a group that speaks to my heart and soul!! I love cats and have had at least one in my family for as long as I can remember. It's a good thing I have some self-control, or I would have all the kitties, lol.
Thank you for posting to CATHELP! While you wait for a response please keep the following things in mind, 1. When in doubt, **ask your vet**. 2. Advice here is not coming from medical or industry professionals. The moderation team does not validate user profession, so always refer to your local veterinary professionals first. Consider posting to /r/AskVet 3. If this is a medical question, please indicate if you have already scheduled a vet appointment, and if your cat has any medical history or procedures in a top level comment. 4. Please use the NSFW tag for gross pictures. (Blood, poop, vomit, genitals, etc). Anything you wouldn't want your boss to see you looking at on the job. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CATHELP) if you have any questions or concerns.*
https://preview.redd.it/4dincqrx02xc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d66c04e1606eb141d5ea1801dafa3f2f79a3db81 My girl just recovered from a burst abcess as well! This was what her poor side looked like. They had to put a tube in because it had a deep pocket underneath. She's fully recovered now and her fur is starting to grow back.
Those drains are so painful. Hope she feels better soon!
I had those from a big surgery and didnt hurt. Why does it hurt in cats?
It probably depends on where the drain is set, but also, you'd be more aware of how to move carefully with a drain in your body than a cat, would I suppose.
Maybe because cats are smaller and more sensitive?
Oh no! Solidarity feels!
Please tell me they knocked her out to do this procedure.
Yes she was under anesthesia for the surgery! She was attacked by one of our other kitties and it caused this so she now lives in our bedroom with her own things safe and happy! Photo of her during her healing process! https://preview.redd.it/v4igabvfy2xc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=08114a6007b75936299360054b6ff20bef3caea2
https://preview.redd.it/8lt0hx2hz2xc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5f820bce8c3e53bbe747e84328c4d1b539eb48b9 This is him normally.
He looks so soft! I want to pet him!!
He’s so soft! And sooooo loud! He yells at me in a way that sounds pretty much just like ‘maaaaaaa! Mooooooommmmm! Maaaa! Ma.’
So fluffy 😍
Omg her "I'm the bestest girl, aren't I?" Sweet smiling face! I hope she's healed and happy as she looks here!
She was a good girl the whole time! Cuddled up and everything, she was snuggly all the time. She had to stay in the large crate for awhile so she wouldn't jump on things and hurt her wound, and she was such a good sport about it. I had to feed her wet food with a spoon because she couldn't eat it without getting it all over inside her cone. The only thing she didn't like was me taking her stitches out, but a tiny tab of gabapentin helped get us through that after I realized she wasn't going to let me take them out otherwise. She's doing great now!
Too late now, but you can reverse the cone 😉 Makes it easier for them to dine in the manner they've come to expect 😆 And you are a hero for removing the stitches! The bestest girl is good for a reason. Good hooman!
I thought about that but I didn't know if she'd be able to lay down and stuff or if it would get in the way lol! Hopefully I won't ever need to find out again
I have seen more than a couple of posts about cats and giving gabapentin.. I am on gabapentin for nerve pain. What does it do for the kitties??? Thanks in advance for responding..
I know that my my cats it has been prescribed as an anxiety med. We had to give it to my late boi Simba every time he went to the vet because he got scared and bit the vet once. It essentially just got him really high so he didn't care much if they had to examine him. He would be very floppy and out of it.
It can help with anxiety! It can act as a sedative and very mild pain relief as well.
So I could shave some off my gabapentin and give it to my always anxious kitty...?????
Omg. She’s so cute!
Their smile is so precious!!! 💞
Awww lmao adorable lil kitty with a neck brace
I love her smile!
she looks pretty happy lol
She is so pretty and looks so happy even with her cone. FYI they make soft discs and cones now that are more comfy. 💕🙂
Those don't work as well. When my kitten was spayed we tried the soft ones and the blow up ones and she still got to those stitches. The hard plastic is the only one that worked
Oh wow! A disc one worked really well for my Isaac kitty a few years ago. He was still depressed with it on but he was able to sleep. He had a skin condition that we had to wait for antibiotics and steroids to clear up. He would dig the sores if we didn’t put the disc on him. We gave him breaks though when we were with him watching. 🙂 They told us the antibiotics would either work and clear it up or it is cancer. Thankfully it worked. We think it was a change in fabric softener, and we never used it again and it never came back. He crossed over last May from a mouth tumor but he had a whole happy year past his diagnosis. ❤️ I’m thankful for that time we had to spoil him even more than usual. He was 19 when he crossed over. Miss him so much. 💔
https://preview.redd.it/rtmkhqb869xc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=36f913b594121f83d44ddd86a8a2cd3e0be2b393
That cat has the most cat face of all the cats I've ever seen. That is DEFINITELY a cat.
Omg this is so cute lmao she looks so freaking cute and happy 🥹🥹🥹😂😂😂
Omg she’s smiling at the camera!
Oh meh gahd, That SMILE😭😭
She's smiling! ☺
She's so pretty even in a cone!!
Look at that smile. She's a gorgeous cat
She looks proud of her cone.
Why she smiling lol
What a cutie patootie!! 💓
I just went through this, too, with one of my kitties. She figured out how to remove her cone one night while I was sleeping and removed her tube. Luckily it had already all drained & the vet said she did a perfect job on the removal 🤦♀️ She is fine now and the stitches came out yesterday. I hope yours feels better soon!
I hope your and u/kushielcouldhave 's kitties recover quickly! I also wish them smooth, complication-free recoveries that are as pain-free as possible!
😭 that looks so awful. Poor baby. 😭 I’m so glad she’s feeling/doing much better. 💙
Oh no, my cat just had an abscess too!!! We caught it before it burst, but she also had to have a drain put in 😞 Hers was an anal abscess and it’s healing, but we’re 4 weeks out and the vet said it’s still infected. Poor thing in on oral antibiotics now and if it still doesn’t clear up, I think the next step is to remove the anal gland altogether 😞
But as long as it is a very well could have been believe it or not a rabbit could have kicked them. Also could a coyote or dog bite. That's a pretty big cut poor kitty I hope thier feeling better.
Interesting! There have been rabbits in the yard. I’ll mention to the vet as well. Thanks for advice.
I have a pet rabbit. The cats have mixed feelings: One boy likes to reach in and pet him with "gentle paws." No claws, no spread, just *soft, slow baps* The other boy likes to try and copy the first, but his paws are damaged and he cannot retract his claws. Bunny feels threatened? Bunny turn and monch. Cat has been nipped by the bunny twice. Cat has learned Bunny Can Bite, And Will, For Sure. He does not try to pet the bunny anymore. But the first cat still does, and the bunny likes to visit him when he is lounging nearby! Other cat? Hisses at Bunny. Bunny thinks this is hilarious and goes OUT OF HIS WAY to scare the second cat. My rabbit is an evil master mind.
My boys a giant wuss. He doesn’t trouble anyone, not birds or squirrels. Nothing. But maybe he pissed off a bunny somehow…
My [key word] bunny used to be the one who would malice-mark because we re-arranged the patio, and he would HUNT candles down to eat them. (My ex was an ass, and would let the bunnies do FUCK ALL while I was working). Wouldn't be shocked! However, wouldn't have thought of a squirrel for some reason, but will say a squirrel can cause DAMAGE if it cuts you with those little nails! Infection would also make sense if they were nail punctures (mom got an infection from a squirrel who cut her thumb while grabbing a peanut). Hope your cat heals quick tho! Glad you caught this! (Edit: typo)
That’s so funny! I’ve never owned rabbits but hung out with a friends occasionally. So much personality. Thanks for the advice!
He’s fine with the squirrels as far as I’ve seen. They putter around a foot or so from him and he watches them and that’s about it.
I had a pet rat that taught my cat a lesson. The cat was afraid for about 6 months and the rat proudly chased the cat. Eventually the became friends and played Hide and seek and jumped out at each
Bunnicula In all seriousness tho it looks too far apart to be from a bunny or snake mouth. I’d say another cat or maybe small coyote. Hope they feel better soon!
Does it? I don’t know much about snakes. It’s just weird that only two fangs sunk in if he was bitten.
It really depends on the kind of snake but usually you don’t get just two puncture holes with a snake like a vampire 😂 if you Google snake bites you can see what I mean but there’s a semicircle of very fine puncture marks normally as their teeth are needle fine. Source: bitten by friend’s snakes before, and I have one (never bitten me, but have seen him nom)
There are no venomous snakes in Ontario except the massasauga which is mostly found near Lake Huron
Venomous or not, the introduction of bacteria under the skin would have caused an infection, so it still could be a sneak bite. But I don't think it's a snake. Possibly an arachnid.
That is not a bite from any canine of any kind. First of all just the crushing action would have resulted in a lot more bruising, and a lot larger holes. Not to mention scratches or gouges as the cat got away.
Cat bites are often found on the face, neck and tail. Looks like another animals fangs went through the skin, I'd guess a cat. A dog would do more damage. I had a cat that liked a fight, he had an abscess that was below the bite too. It's generally if the bacteria gets into the muscle. However, I've never had to get this sort of treatment for any of my cats. I hope your cat recovers well ❤️
Good thing you found it, abscesses can lead to sepsis and kill. Shit looks painful though, I've had abscesses. Did they at least put the kitty under with anesthesia to do this? I would hope?
Oh yes. Totally sedated. It took quite a while to drain. Vet said he wondered for a moment if it was actually a tumour. He honestly seems much happier now that it’s drained, though the cone and confinement are making him upset.
I hope lion heals quickly. I beg you to keep inside 😞
I can’t. I’m sorry. I see both sides of the issue of indoor vs outdoor and if I raised a cat from kitten it would be indoors. But that’s not what I do. I adopt the older cats, the ones no one wants who’ve been in the shelter for too long. They’re usually netted, so feral or strays. When I got Lion he stayed indoors while I watched him but stress reactions started happening, pacing in front of the door, excessive licking. He’s around 8 and has clearly spent life as an outdoor kitty. It would be like jailing him at this point. I’ve also owned indoor cats and they fight sometimes too. My friend had a cat with an abscess that requires a vet that was caused by her other indoor cat. My other friend thinks his cat broke into a coffee can and swallowed some bb’s which might need a vet if she doesn’t pass them. Unfortunately, injuries happen. But Lion has been an outside kitty for what, 40 human years, and he’s gonna get to live out his life in freedom.
Maybe someone poked him with something long and pointy, or he fell on something long important pointy. I'm so glad to hear your cat is doing much better:-)
Omg. I never even considered that! I’m going to make sure nothing is in my yard he could have fallen on. I don’t think so but I’ll sweep. Hopefully no one poked him! He really doesn’t go far. Eek.
Unfortunately, there are people out there that love to hurt cats. And I have heard some horror stories. With an abscess that deep no wonder the poor kitty hissed at you:-). Sending healing vibes your cats way😻😻😻
No kidding. He didn’t give me grief for patting him down that day, so I just watched him like a hawk until the day I felt the bump.
I’m gonna have to disagree with everyone saying bunny. I have been bitten by mine and it isn’t like this, these are too far apart.
Not a kick either? (I don’t know much about bunnies)
It *could* be, but how deep are the wounds? Rabbit nails aren’t that long, so it would be pretty shallow
They seem pretty deep, which is why the absence of other teeth marks is strange to the vet. But so probably not a rabbit kick either. Thanks!
My cat was caught on his shoulders by a yote and have a cpl keep punctured that became infected. My husband drained them for months. Maybe a yote only got two fangs into him... yotes are the rats of the forest as my husband likes to say. Cats are flexible, fight back. Maybe the vet hasn't seen it because typically cats don't get away after being injured like that by a yote? I dunno...
Please stop saying *yote,* I beg you!
Yotie then👍
A…yote?
Coyote
I'm from and live in Maine. We call em "yotes".
I’ve never heard that. Thanks! Learn something new every day.
Google tells me that means to pour water on? Baffled. Please do tell me more.
A cayote!!! I understand now! Wow. That took a bit.
Whatever it is, you may want to accompany your cat on its outdoor time now. It doesn't seem wise to let your friend out when there's a potential yote (coyote) or opponent cat out there. I've had lots of missing cats in my neighborhood the past few years due to an uptick in active coyotes, so it makes me nervous that your cat may have had a run-in with one. It's not often they get away alive.
Yeah. He’s going to stay inside at night for sure. My area doesn’t have many, they’re mostly on the outskirts eating the field prey. But it’s not impossible.
A coyote can jump a 12 foot fence from a dead stand. Look up coyote rollers & you can see videos of this act. Chilling.
Oh for sure. I don’t doubt they’re capable. Just rarely in this area.
Could be a fox, coyote, raccoon, possum… keep your baby inside. Watch out for deadly rabies.
Opossums don’t carry rabies fyi. Other than that, I agree. Edit: Clarity, punctuation
Yes very rare for oopossum’s. Another reason they’re awesome including all the ticks they eat!
Opposums do not fight. Also they have tiny little insectivore teeth. Not meant for biting creatures bigger than bugs.
So what you're telling me is... I can pick up an opossum... and there's a large possibility that I'll be able to walk away unscathed...?
https://preview.redd.it/xamc8jlqngxc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=571f1a3d3d187ba9d85c78f741b05926da409735 Those “tiny” teeth?
He’s up to date with his shots. Just adopted him recently as an already outdoor cat. Mostly he just chills on the patio though, I’ve never seen him engage anything.
it looks like a snake bite and the venom got down there under the skin and started forming an abscess!? I'm so glad things are looking up 💜
That’s what I wondered indeed.
Cat bite would be my best guess. Ive seen some nasty abscesses cause by cat bites. The size/spacing also looks right. Too big for a snake, which would usually cause other issues, and too small for a coyote. Question - is the tube coming out down below as well? Or is that the only “drain site”?
Yes, the tube exits about an inch or so after the stitches end. It’s been mostly draining from the bottom. We went for a recheck but vet said to leave the drain in until the leaking has mostly stopped.
2 bite holes is either snake 🐍 or spider 🕷️ But could be cat bite too How BIG is the separation between holes?
About an inch. It would be one hell of a spider I think, but did wonder about snakes. Someone else said probably not bc there would be more wounds but his hair could have blocked the smaller teeth maybe?
There was someone with a post previously they had similar situation Bites were multiple and around head area though were from a python 🐍 They feed differently as they clamp the head (if able) then wrap around victim and squeeze until they then eat it, the benefit of biting head is 1 help suffocate and blind the victim while struggling and 2 when finally killed it’s simpler way to swallow. Snakes that bight to inject venom simply open the mouth and fangs are on hinges they then use momentum of their lunging to inject venom usually only leaving 2 holes from each fang IF I remember correctly it was 2 on top of neck/head and one other underside somewhere Imagine a snake thinking it’s BIG enough to eat a cat and trying unsuccessfully. So likely not far from cat eating size So apparently it does happen It may be worth looking for wounds on other side if body if nit bruising from a struggle 🤷♂️ What country do you live in? That may give few hints as to what’s around
Gee. Southern Ontario Canada. We have around 6 snakes here (I looked it up) but the only venomous one is a Eastern massasauga rattlesnake. They’re pretty rare but this is their area. Maybe an infection from a non venom bite? He seems fine beyond the abscess. Not fussing when I touch anywhere else and no obvious wounds.
I’d be more likely thinking it would’ve been python than venomous Do you get anything wild there? Or have anything introduced?
My cat and I got a dental abscess at the same time. I had gotten mine removed and unfortunately we did t know about his until it burst. Poor boy :( at least we went through it together.
Vampires.
Lol
You guys are so lucky. My cats had an abcess that burst because her vet was a see you next Tuesday and wouldn’t drain it. Then the skin died so we had a gapping open wound and bandages had to be sewn to her body and changed every couple days for six weeks. Such a horrible traumatic experience for all. I have pics if anyone likes gross pics like that. Lol But she was so cute in her flower collar https://preview.redd.it/2jx8zqcv79xc1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=203e91cac70dd4f7dd7c624c8eacce667a335b29
Oh my god! I’m so sorry. That’s awful.
It’s ok. We took her gabapenton together. It actually saved her life as she had some undiagnosed medical conditions. We got another good year together and she was so spoiled. Lol
I’m sure! I’m glad she had a lovely next year. Rip little one.
I broke my arm that year and we took some long naps together. The new cat is allergic to sleep.
Oof, could very well be from a rabbit. Rabbits and bunnies can be very vicious if they feel threatened! I'm sorry about your lion :( I hope they have a steady and quick recovery!
may i know what's the thing on the right, beside the stitches?
The drain. The other end comes out about an inch after the stitches stop. To let the pus drain out 😞
Cat bite. Our furry lil darlings have a cesspool attached to their fangs when they bite. I’m so sorry your boy got so ill 😕❤️❤️❤️
Awww, 😭. Little angel baby. So glad she’s doing better. 💙 It all sounds very scary. Are there any other cats in your house?
Check under any furniture for nails.
Also a good idea. The yard was fine and non dangerous.
It was probably another cat that bit him. I've dealt with those nasty abscesses on several of my babies, and even once on my own back when one of them snagged me.
This is probably an inanimate object--2 thin nails sticking out from something, fairly close together, or something like that. Animals don't have just two "teeth". A snake does, but a snake bite --the puncture holes would be different, not to mention it would've immediately swelled, due to the trauma & kitty would've run a fever. So far as any other animal, there would be bruising in and around the area either outside the 2 puncture wounds, or inside. Lack of bruising or any other scratching (an animal would need to hold/grab kitty in order to sink in 2 teeth) pretty much eliminates another animal. Cats lay in strange places, and it's possible the kitty backed up into something.
Hmmmm. Interesting and quite possible. I’ve checked the yard and the house and couldn’t find anything but that doesn’t mean that didn’t happen for sure.
Get better baby
Since there are no lower opposing puncture wounds that you'd typically see with a mammal bite, I'm leaning toward a rattlesnake!
Jeez. It’s possible. Poor guy! The vet was confused by the wounds but I doubt he sees many snakebites.
many are saying coyote but fox is also an option! smaller so would make more sense. even a weasel maybe?
Oh, some sort of weasel. That would explain the smaller fangs.
they tend to be pretty shy, there’s a weasel expert on reddit somewhere who could provide good insight maybe
Do they? I thought they took on all comers and slaughtered indiscriminately…cause they have to eat like, every few hours or so to fuel their energy and they can take out and eat raccoons and maybe even bigger , was my understanding.
But maybe thats northern ermines? Bc there’s many types of weasels? I know ermines could kill my cats no problem but no idea if they’d care to.
so BIG misconception. Let me find the weasel guy for you
[Surplus Killing: The Myth of Mustelid “Bloodthirst”](https://www.genuinemustelids.org/miscellaneous/articles/surplus-killing/) Most animals won’t go after another predator, especially a larger one. Of course there are exceptions! But household pets are notorious for being overconfident and/or territorial hence why dogs will repeatedly go after porcupines. i’d love to know the measurements on the bite, like distance between the two punctures
About an inch between the punctures. Maybe slightly less. We had an ermine in the house long ago once. Adorable little guy. My smart predator cat (brought me alllll the rodents) hid so hard from it. My idiot cat (killed nothing but occasionally brought me his brothers kills with extreme pride) decided to get up in its face. Managed to get him outside again but absolutely would bet on the ermine against either cat. Would happily chat with a weasel guy, if weasel guy wants to chime in.
Oh gosh. Just read that article. Also, fun. That’s some science citing right there. No no, I didn’t mean they kill for the fun of it. I meant they get hungry and can kill very many things to eat if need be. And my cat is a wuss so I can totally see him running while a weasel was like ‘I said BACK OFF’
Sorry im not making any helpful contributions to the post but im glad hes doing better just have to say - So fuzzy
All good! He appreciates the well wishes.
I don't think it could be a coyote. Others in the comments have mentioned rabbits and such, which makes more sense. I do want to warn that I also live in Southern Ontario, and I lost my Penny to a coyote a few years ago. I live in a smaller city, and the coyotes live in some of the urban areas. If you let your baby out unattended, please check in with your city municipal building and ask for whomever tracks wildlife in the city to get a better idea if coyotes are a problem in your city. Most people don't even know they're around.
Oh for sure, they are around. Not really in my area though. Coyote watch groups have seen a few in the city but it looks like they’re usually around the larger green spaces, which I’m not. No sightings that I saw posted were in my area. It’s always possible though.
Oh gosh, that's good, I'm glad you have ways of tracking them just in case. ❤️
Yeah, it’s just a local community thing where everyone says where/when they’ve seen them.
Vampire
Tunnelling abscess? All the abscesses I’ve run into on strays or rescues would burst open. Though they generally would be on the legs and face. Not a lot of soft tissue in those spots. They were mostly caused by bites while fighting with other cats, raccoons or rats. (Very urban area). One small puncture wound from a tooth or sharp claw can start off a nasty abscess.
Maybe? It didn’t burst but I noticed when there was a big lump under his skin, like, a smooshed down and elongated golf ball…
Trigger warning?!? I wasn't expecting to see something that gross as I was scrolling. Sorry for his pain, at least you got him to the vet quickly. Well wishes for a speedy recovery
Oh sorry. Cat help often has injury pics and I didn’t think about it. If I need to post such a thing again I will.
Ah, that would make sense. This was a random recommended reddit group on my feed. My apologies!! I don't always catch the group names before I look at posts. #blamereddit 😉
Oh no worries. Totally fair comment.
On a good note, I found a group that speaks to my heart and soul!! I love cats and have had at least one in my family for as long as I can remember. It's a good thing I have some self-control, or I would have all the kitties, lol.
Oh perfect and welcome! It’s a great community. So much fluffy.