Permanent-ish open wound

Hi,

We have an approx. 2 year old black cat who is extremely fearful of humans... We've had him since March 2014 and rarely even manage to touch him, let alone pick him up (I've maybe managed it 5 times, always aware of how much he was hating it). It has proven impossible to catch him, pick him up and put him in a carrier (we've tried all the tricks in the book - cunning tuna-laced traps (ignored), mild sedatives concealed in food (pills - he ate the food and spat out the pills; crushed pills - he refused to eat at all), the works), so a trip to a vet's is out of the question.

For several months, he's had a wound on the top of his head, along the line of his ear. You can see it reasonably clearly in the photo below. It is often open, bright red and very painful-looking (though he doesn't appear to be in pain - his behavior is the same every day). Sometimes it's large, sometimes small. Every now and then it more or less disappears, but always comes back, always in the same place, and sometimes along his other ear too.

Does anyone have any idea what might be causing this? It can't just be scratching (it's also been pretty much impossible to use anti-flea treatments; we've only succeeded a couple of times, and always with multiple scratches of our own) as it's always in exactly the same place and nowhere else on his body. And, if you do know what it is, any idea what we can do to help him?

We have another cat - just over a year old - who is quite the opposite: very affectionate, very human-reliant. They get on OK, but spend little time together. Most of the time, the black cat just comes in to eat (preferably when no one's around) and then disappears off outside, though he never roams far.

It upsets me greatly and I would love to be able to help him!

Thanks in advance!

K

I have no idea what it is, he really should be seen by a vet.  Have you tried a drop trap.  I know people here who work with feral colonies have had good luck using those with trap  savvy kitties.  You may be able to borrow one from a TNR group if you have one in your area.  I probably would also make sure the vet you take him to has worked with ferals.  Ferals or extremely fearful kitties usually do one of two things at the vets, either they freeze or they fight. 

I also don't know what this is, but it DOES look painful.  And I'm also wondering how on earth you're going to treat it once you figure it out, if he won't let you touch him .  I was thinking that you might try using Colloidal Silver on it, but, of course, you need to be able to get it on the wound.  And, too, that might heal it, but won't necessarily keep if from coming back .

Have you tried calming sprays,used in the areas where he hangs out?  How about Rescue Remedy for Pets?  I recently had some construction done in my home, so all three of my cats had to be locked up in the same room, and two of them don't get along, so I dosed them all with Rescue Remedy, and all was peaceful .  It just takes 4 drops, so I got some freeze dried chicken, and put 2 drops on each little piece, then fed them each 2 little pieces.  They were calm for hours.  This might calm him enough for you to scruff him and get him into a carrier.