Ear abscess

Boo has one and I have no idea where it came from. I imagine someone decided to knaw on her ear and it just got infected.

Anyway, I don't think it's life threatening or anything but how much damage can happen if I let it go? My parents cat, (RB) Buddy, had one and the vet put a stint in it? To help it drain and heal. The only time I've personally dealt with them is feral/stray Big Tom showed up with one. He let me look it over then he disappeared for a week then showed up with his ear all healed but looking mangaled (sp).

I have dealt with abscess' before and with this being her ear, is it any different then one on, say, the back? Can I just use compresses until it blows and just keep it clean?

Thanks!

Are you sure it's an abscess and not a hematoma? My cat Buster busted his ear once and it burst one of his blood vessels in the ear. Within 24 hours, the ear filled with blood and started to sag over. The next morning, he underwent emergency surgery to drain the blood. If we ignored the injury, the ear may have leaked, causing further infection, or shriveled up.

If your cat has an abscess, I would still *definitely* consult a vet for treatment. Abscesses won't simply disappear. They may burst and leak pus, which can cause infection. My other cat, Holly, suffered from an abscess on her cheek last summer and it grew into the size of a tennis ball within 2-3 days. She also underwent emergency summer to drain the pus.

Honestly, I don't think it's a good idea to ignore any medical condition. I hope you do consult with a vet for diagnostic purposes and appropriate treatment. Good luck and keep us updated!

I do plan to call the vet tomorrow but being the weekend he's closed. I just want to get it open and drained to give her some comfort. There's a small spot on the top of her ear that is slowly draining so I've been squeezing on that to help get the gunk out. It's pus alright and not blood, thank goodness.

Rather than squeezing (which can sometimes cause some of the puss to go deeper into the the wound) I would suggest using a warm compress (wet, clean rag) to help draw the pus out.