Cats are especially prone to abscesses. During a cat fight if a deep scratch or bite wound is inflicted on your cat the outside of the wound will tend to form a scab quickly. Unfortunately, the scab seals in the bacteria and sets up the perfect conditions for an abscess.

Abscesses need to be drained in order to heal. A trip to the veterinarian is the safest for a couple reasons. First, the abscess can be evaluated to determine the extent of the infection and whether surgery is necessary to remove dead tissue and place multiple drains to allow the wound to heal. Secondly, antibiotics will most likely be necessary to get rid of the bacterial infection. Once the abscess is drained your pet will start feeling better very quickly since the pressure has been relieved and the infection cleaned out. To keep “Lucky” from scratching or licking the area an Elizabethan collar may be required, depending on the location of the wound.

If your cat has been in a fight, examine him thoroughly from head to toe to locate any puncture wounds or deep scratches as these usually require antibiotics from your veterinarian to alleviate possible infection. At home you will be instructed to clean the wounds and watch for any signs of infection. Place warm compresses on these areas 10-15 minutes 3-4 times per day to decrease the chances of an abscess forming. The compresses increase blood flow to the area which increases the immune response. If an abscess is immediately adjacent to the eye, the anus, or the genitals, or inside the ear don’t try to treat at home. Get your pet to the veterinary hospital right away.

The simple description of an abscess is a “pocket of pus” located somewhere in the body. Abscesses are typically described anatomically by where they are located, for instance, a tooth root abscess occurs at the tip of a tooth root, and a subcutaneous abscess occurs under the skin. Typically, an abscess appears suddenly as a painful swelling (if it is not located inside a body cavity or deep within tissue) that may be either firm to the touch, or compressible like a water balloon. The abscess may be large or small, will often cause redness if it is under the skin, and may cause local tissue destruction. Some abscesses will rupture, discharging a foul-smelling secretion.

A cat with an abscess will often have a fever, even if the abscess has ruptured and drained to the outside of the body. Should the abscess be located inside the body, for example, in the liver, fever would be expected, and there may be the additional complication of a widespread internal infection, or bacteria in the bloodstream, if the abscess has ruptured internally.