What in the fuck happened to my cat?!

[Monkmaster]

Ok, so about a week ago I wake up to see my cat's face a bit swollen on the left side. I examine him and conclude that he must have been bitten by a pretty large bird, as there was a bite mark that seemed to have only two contact points (one above, one below; like a beak). In between the two bite marks, he was pretty swollen. This cat is pretty rough and tumble; he's walked away from at least two car collisions that I know of. The swelling never did seem to subside though...

Easter Sunday: I get home from my grandparents house, walk in the front door and there is blood trailing from the cat door to the living room. I was fucking shocked. I ran along the blood trail to find my cat sleeping on the coffee table with blood and pus all over his face. Frantically, I wake him up and get a warm, sanitary cloth and wipe away all the blood and pus. That fucking swollen mass must have burst while I was away. Think, think! It's the night of Easter Sunday, vet is closed. Tomorrow, it is still likely to be closed. I further wipe down the affected area and cover it lightly with polysporin (antibiotic cream).

This morning, he seems fine (still sleeping) but he is going to have one hell of a fucking scar.

http://www.lookpic.com/files/100_0162.JPG
http://www.lookpic.com/files/100_0164.JPG

I'm hoping my cat did some damage to whatever bastard bird did this to him. :mad:

[xxombie]

What the fuck, that's fairly deep, and it certainly does look like it could be a bird bite. He must have tried to take down one hell of a bird. Possibly something very large but wounded.

Either way, I'd keep him inside for a few days so there's less risk of it getting infected and you can keep an eye on him. And check around the area for something that could have done it, you never know. My outdoor cat comes home with random scratches all the time and I'm suspicious of the neighbors down the street... He could have also got caught on something, a fence or something. Hopefully you'll just find a large dead bird with a mouthful of cat fur.

[Monkmaster]

I was thinking maybe something tried to swoop down on him but then I figured he would have some talon scratches. Must have snuck up on a hawk or owl or something. Seems unlikely though.

I've sealed the cat door and am probably gonna apply a fresh lather of salve on him tonight.

[Snoopy]

You need to take that to the vet asap.

[Monkmaster]

You need to take that to the vet asap.

Easter Monday. Vet's closed. I'll take him tomorrow.

[Snoopy]

Easter Monday. Vet's closed. I'll take him tomorrow.

Right, forgot all about that. My cats sometimes get small wounds from playing and fighting each other and I usually spray some kind of non-alcoholic spray I got from the vet for disinfection. The good thing about this is that it absorbs very fast so they won't try to lick or paw it. Liquid would be better than salve in any case. Whatever you have that is non-alcohlic. Just make sure to keep dirt out of it.

[DJ Meaty Cheeks]

I happened to your cat.

Actually I'd think snakebite or just a small cut that got infected.

[Monkmaster]

I happened to your cat.

Actually I'd think snakebite or just a small cut that got infected.

Snakebite is unlikely. We only have small garter snakes around here. And I bet they haven't came out of hibernation yet.

Infection, surely, but I doubt this was merely a small cut.

[5024L]

So he got into a cat fight.

If he's a male cat, he just got into a fight over a bitch. Take him to the vet.

[puzld]

Maybe he fought off a coyote.

[Tinted Glass]

Yeah, I'd just make sure to keep a close eye on it and see how much he's favoring it.

[rabbitweed]

My old cat used to have that to him a lot. his face would get swollen and then one day BOOM the side of his head would all blood and pus.

I'm pretty sure it's just from cat fights. My cat was always fine afterwards, so don't worry about it.

[Your Local Crack Dealer]

what a cute kitteh

[xxombie]

Any word from the vet?

[Monkmaster]

Basically, keep doing what I'm doing. I've started to let him outside, but when he comes in for the night I do whatever cleaning I can do for the wound. Vet said 'no worries', so I guess kitty will be fine.

[xxombie]

Awesome, it is so good to hear it.

Did he have any speculations of what the fuck could have done it?

[Monkmaster]

Yeah, she said it was most likely to have been a brutal cat fight. I dunno. I still like my owl fight theory.

[Jeff Gatherer]

Cat fangs can leave that mark too, it happened to my cat several times

[Method of Madness]

Your cats fine. It got beat up thats all