So this cat in our neighborhood took a liking to us. Kinda just followed me up the stairs and into my apartment one day and now he just comes and goes as he pleases. Really sweet guy, loves to be cuddled and petted and will absolutely crawl into bed with you. In fact, I'm certain that somebody abandoned him.
So one day I notice he has a limp. I look at his leg and it's got a few puncture wounds in it. Two of them are close together, and one of them is towards the back of the same leg. I washed his wounds as best I could, and let him stay in the house for a couple of days. He didn't seem to be in a rush to leave, anyway.
He did leave though, and I didn't see him for 4 or 5 days, which is unusual. He's usually hanging around in the evening and looking to be petted a bit. He doesn't always want to come in, but he's usually around. And when I did see him, he was still limping.
I took a look at the wound and it looked like it was either still open, or he kept ripping it back open jumping around. Not only that, but the blood looked thicker than it should, and had a yellowish tinge. I put on a glove and carefully poked around, and it feels like there's a solid clump of flesh under the skin where the worst of the injury is.
Is there anything I can do for the little guy? I don't have any money to take him to a vet to get him properly checked out, otherwise I would've done it the day I saw he was injured.
OP pic is just behind his front left paw, if it's hard to tell. This next pic show's another wound on the same leg, but a little further round.
Disinfect and bandage it, he'll probably be fine. Also, keep your cat inside. That solid lump is probably a cyst of some sort, though.
>>2087267
I can't keep him inside indefinitely. I have another cat and they don't really get along. They're fine most of the time, but sometimes my indoor cat will chase him around. I keep his claws trimmed though, so I don't think he did this to the stray. I mean the wounds don't even look like defensive wounds.
And even if they did get along, the stray doesn't like shitting or pissing indoors. Even with his own litter box, he'd rather do his business outside.
The cyst or abscess or whatever it is is what I'm really worried about. From what I've read though, it really needs veterinary attention.
>>2087267
Disinfect but don't bandage, the wound needs to stay open to drain.
He probably needs antibiotics at the very least, it sounds like a small abcess is forming. Keep him inside, keep the wound clean, you can put triple anti-biotic ointment on it but don't let him lick it off. You will want to take him to a vet asap, especially if it doesn't get any better, abscesses can be mother fuckers if left unchecked
>>2087286
This, mostly.
You won't be able to prevent him from licking the ointment off, though.
You can't keep a bandage on that leg, much less the paw.
Looks like a bite from another cat. Keep an eye on it for drainage that looks infected (thick pus). If it starts to look gnarly, take him to a vet if you can.
Cats are tough SOBs though.
Probably not a cyst. Abscess or just a nodule of angry scar tissue or bruised tissue under the cut.
>>2087272
For it to heal and not get infected or worse, he would have to stay indoors for a while. You're right about vet treatment; they probably need to give him antibiotics. Look into cat to new cat introductions and keep this new guy separate until you at least get him to a vet.
Or if you don't want to do any of that, stop letting the cat in and feeding it and giving it attention. It's also extremely likely this cat has one other owner beside yourself if not more.
>>2087337
Just go down to a local aquarium store or something and they should have fish amoxicillin. It's OTC as long as you don't tell them it's for anything other than fish, they won't sell it to you if you do. It's the same exact shit as the stuff the doctor gives you, everyone in my family takes it when we get sick. I've always given it to pets as well and it works great. Get it in powder/capsule form to make it easier to dose.
>>2087413
what are the effects of amoxicillin? does it get you high?
>>2087432
Are you retarded?
>>2087456
sorry I'm not a pharmacist mate
>>2087453
Hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol will work. And I believe neosporin is safe for cats, but the kind with painkillers is toxic to some animals, so double check online somewhere. He'll likely just lick it off anyway, but it can't hurt to use just a little.
If he does have any other owners, they're definitely not good ones, so it doesn't matter. Don't worry about it.
