Cat abscesses, what to look for and how to treat

Handsome George came in with a very sore ear and shoulder. Poor soul had come off second best in a cat brawl at home. The scratch marks on him had quickly turned into abscesses. Think of a pimple but 100 times more painful.

The vets took a sample of his blood which showed other than being beaten up he was in peachy health. He had day surgery to fix his abscesses and was back home with his family that night. All the infection and other matters were tidied up and George is well on the road to recovery.

It’s hard to see with such long fur what’s going on but a few tricks. One of the things to check for is painful areas, so if they ‘yeowl’ more than usual when you pick them up, or pull away that’s a sign. Also watch then and if they seem unwilling to move much or moving like they are favouring a side that’s also a sign. Another trick, if they let you, is to part the fur. Once the fur is parted look closely and see if you can see any small scabs or swelling take them to the vet. Its kind of like detective work but worthwhile when you can.