What Could be Wrong with My Outside Cat (Multiple Abscesses)?

A week or so I noticed that one of the cats that hang around my house had a wound on his leg, so I took him to the vets and they said it was an abscess most likely caused by being bitten. They shaved the area around the abscess and put him on some antibiotics and pain meds.

A few days later I noticed another abscess. This time it was over a joint, which caused him to hop around on three legs (I did take him to the vet again and they put him on a different antibiotic and more pain meds, saying it could take a while to heal due to the location).

Since then I've noticed some more abscesses. They've all being on his hind legs. Both times he was at the vets he had a low (101 something I think) fever. He tested negative for feline Leukemia and FIV. He's been good about taking his medicine but he has missed a couple of times here and there.

I don't want to take him to the vets for nothing (though I will, of course, if I need to) so I was wondering what I should look out for in making sure he's healing properly? The vets mentioned that if the wounds close up too soon they'd likely need to be re-opened...Also is there anything else I should be doing (cleaning them, etc.)?

Thanks.

Is he neutered? If not, then this is the time of year when males are fighting each other for females and territory. Even a neutered male can get caught up in it. Even small puncture wounds can cause nasty abscesses, especially in outdoor cats. My neighbour's semi-feral used to be covered in wounds and abscesses every February/March until I caught him and had him done. But even then, I used to put out food laced with antibiotic for him as the neighbour did nothing. As you can catch this cat, it should be easier to treat him.

Thanks for the reply. I got him neutered when I took him in for the first abscess. Is there anything I should be looking out for in these abscesses? Or anything else I should be doing for him when he has them? I have a horse too, so even with giving pain meds / antibiotics, I feel like I should be doing more, as I would with horses!

I wish I had more to add, CatLady2000, but no advice other than keeping an eye on him and keeping the area as clean as possible. I thought I saw this same post on another board, though, so welcome to this one

The poor fellow, they are really beating up on him. The only way to stop the abcesses is to stop the fighting.

Abcesses need to heal from the inside out. My cat, Buddy, rumbled with one of his house mates and had a nasty one near his ear. After the vet drained it, he told me to keep warm, damp, compresses on it a few times a day. He actually liked it... the warmth must have felt good.

But your guy will continue to get these nasty things as long as there is fighting. He may become FIV or FLV positive if the cats going after him are.

Ask your vet about the warm compresses, that was instrumental in his recovery.

Being injured already might be making him more of a target. Can you keep him indoors or in a garage until he is fully healed?

Haha yeah, sk_pacer, I did post this on COTH as well I thought I'd maybe get some more answers on a cat forum though so decided to try this one.

farleyv- Thanks. I think I will try the warm compress. I actually haven't seen him yet today though (he's usually around all day-- he's been coming a little later for a few days now but this is the latest he'd rarely even be gone for a day or two and now that he's neutered...ugh. I'm sure I'll see him later, but he needs his meds! ).

Like Cloud_Shade suggested, I'd recommend keeping him inside. Abcesses are caused by bites from another cat. He's probably protecting his territory from an invading kitty, and apparently he's losing! If possible, try keeping him indoors for the duration of his antibiotics to prevent further problems... that would help with the healing process and keeping it clean, as well.

Good luck!

Okie

Considering the time of year, there's probably intact female cats in the neighborhood that are in heat. That can rile toms up more, enough that they'll go after neutered/spay cats in the area, too, and fight with them.

Only solution is inside or an outdoor enclosure since you can't control other people's pets or strays.