should i get an antibiotic?

My favorite cat disappeared for a week - but came back (after the snow storm).

I was petting him and noticed he had about half an inch round patch of missing fur on his side. I could feel his rough skin. It looked as if he had a scratch but it didnt look horrible - just the missing fur was disturbing. Im assuming this was from a fight???

After a year of caring for them Im seeing wounds a lot now. One cat has been missing fur on its tail for over a month after 2 nasty bites.

I know fighting is normal for ferals - but should I worry???

I can get him an antibiotic if it is suggested

thanks

If you can pet him, he likely a stray and not feral but without being vets and actually seeing the missing patch of fur, its impossible to say if he needs antibiotics or other treatment. So many illnesses can cause fur loss, if its round it could be ringworm

i agree, if you can pet him, he's not really a feral cat, more likely an abandoned house cat. you might put antibiotic ointment on the wound since you can touch him but if the wound doesn't look bad (or get worse), you might not need additional treatment.

one thing i do for my ferals is sprinkle powdered Lysine into their food. it can work as a general antibacterial agent and boost their immune system a little, helping them heal faster.

CRAP!

You could be right - I just read up on it. Is there an over hte counter cream I can use. He would be easy to treat. I can try to trap him and get him to the clinic... the snow could postpone my efforts though.

Im wondering now if the other cat has it as well - i DID get him an antibiotic - his "wounds" were also round - although they looked deep and open. Not sure if this is the same...

PS - this cat has always been super friendly - so yes Im sure hes a stray - but he disappeared for over a year!!! Have no clue if someone took him in - thats why when he disappeared for the week I assumed I wouldnt see him again.
Ill never figure these guys out.

thanks

I feed and apply diatomaceous earth. Is that similar to lysine?

thanks

I don't know about OTC treatments, mine (my own and ferals) all go to the vet if I notice anything off about them so I would always get treatments from the vet. Also ringworm treatment is pretty intensive if its not what he has.

Trapping him sounds like a good idea as ringworm can be passed on and if several cats have missing fur...

Ringworm is also easily transferred to humans, so if you notice a red itchy bump on yourself in the next few weeks don't scratch it! If it doesn't go away in a day or so and starts to get bigger then it's ringworm. Being the kind of kid that had to pet every stray I met I caught it several times before I learned to wash my hands right after petting a critter.

Not the same as Lysine but it doesn't hurt--it's a good calcium supplement and safe for almost all pets--bad news for flys, though, so I mix it in with the kitty litter during the warmer months.

You can use over-the-counter human antifungual cream (used to treat athlete's foot) on cats for ringworm, but there are better products available over-the-counter designed for dogs and cats.

Antibiotics should not be used unless you see signs of an infection such as a reddened wound or a pus discharge, and then unless the wound looks serious a topical is usually good enough. Deep soft tissue wounds such as bite abcesses may require Clavamox, but it's always best to check with your vet first....

Originally Posted by m935

I was petting him and noticed he had about half an inch round patch of missing fur on his side. I could feel his rough skin. It looked as if he had a scratch but it didnt look horrible - just the missing fur was disturbing. Im assuming this was from a fight???

Click to expand...

If you can, get a warm washcloth and wash the area the fur is missing from. Bad scratches can cause fur loss, as can bites. Often bite wounds will close up and not look like much until they get badly infected. If you have a bite hiding under an unassuming looking scab it would need proper treatment.

Since you said you've noticed more fight wounds lately... All the cats you are caring for are spay and neutered, correct? Have you spotted any new cats? - chances are there could be one that's disrupting things. Tail bites are common between unneutered toms (they're going after something else, the tail just happens to get bit in the process).

Thanks so much for all hte helpful info.

Yes, all hte cats are neutered. There are 20+ but the colony has separated over the last year (i just heard very recently a neighbor on another st is feeding them). I dont know if these cats are now fighting hte others?? would that happen if they once lived together? I have 10 regulars right now.

ANYWAY. I do have access to a weekly clinic -but with more snow on the way..... Ill have to wait. Plus trapping a 2nd time is so difficult.

My current options then are the anti fungal cream - and a blue cleaning solution that I used on another cat. It is for pets - cant remember the name - borrowed it from neighbor.

Since I cant diagnose this myself and cant get him to the vet at least for another week - which would you suggest I try first?

Is there usually only one Tom - or does that refer to any male cat? I consider one of hte cats THE Tom - but he is very friendly with the cat with tail bites - so i know he didnt do it.

ALSO - so if i purchase Lysine - is this something that will help them with all these wounds instead of having to panic and running to get an antibotic??? Can DE be mixed in at same time?

THANKS!! (sorry for so many questions)

Lysine is basically a supplement, like us taking vitamins. It can make their immune system stronger but apart from upper resp or herpes, it wont help treating any of the possible causes of the fur loss.

If you can get a clear photo of it, it might help know what you are dealing with

the photo is a great idea - hes only coming out at night now - i dont have hte best camera but will try

Originally Posted by m935

and a blue cleaning solution that I used on another cat. It is for pets - cant remember the name - borrowed it from neighbor.

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Chlorhexidine, 2% most likely. If that's what you have, it would be good to clean with as it has anti-microbial properties.

Be careful in the snow!

I saw him this morning.

The hair loss is much bigger than I thought (hopefully didnt get bigger)

The skin looks ok except the middle there is a discoloration more of an amoeba shape than round.

Ill get a picture when I can...

any idea based on my pathetic description?

my neighbor is giving me the blue cleansing stuff and some kind of antibotic solution for skin conditions - im guessing I should use that first?

thanks...

IF the blue stuff is chlorhexidine, you still may need to dilute it. Use it as you would betadine. As for the antibiotic solution.. Not knowing what all is in it, it would be best to ask a vet.

BTW, if it is ringworm it will run it's own course. Usually 6-8weeks and if the cat's immune system can, it handles it by then. The reason people treat it in indoor cats is because it's just more trouble. In outdoor cats you can't control the environment or the cat - there will be spores everywhere.

The only reason most pets that go outside and people don't get a ringworm infection is because their immune systems deal with it.

That said, if it really is ringworm it can be a sign of something else being wrong with the kitty, so you can't really avoid a vet visit no matter how hard kitty is to trap.

It is chlorhexidine. The other solution is an ANTISEPTIC (is that different from antibiotic as far as the safety in using it?)

It is called fungisan - by tomlyn. Active ingredients .130% benzalkonium chloride and .045% allantoin.

Antiseptic germicidal spray - (controls skin infections in cats and promotes healing)

just wanted to know if i should use both - or just the chlorhexidine. I know its difficult without seeing the cat. It will be another 7 days before i can get him to the vet IF he can be caught....

thanks!

I looked up Fungisan and the area has to be thoroughly rinsed before each application of it and the different sites recommended applying 1 and 3 times a day - it may be easier to trap than all of that

chlorhexidine has been linked to respiratory issues and deafness in cats and is dangerous to their eyes too so be careful not to get it close to his head