Injured outdoor cat

My cat recently got into some kind of fight with amother animal. We don't know for sure what he was fighting with but it must of been another cat or a raccoon.he's a declawed outdoor cat and has previously got into multiple fights and come home with all kinds of cuts on his ears and bites which have all healed overtime. He just recently got home with this other cut on his ear a little more serious then his other ones. We tried looking at the current and found some kind odd white stuff on it. I know it should be checked out by a vet but my cat hasn't been to the vet since his shots 8 years ago. I don't know what to do about his ears and I'm open to any suggestions.

He should go to the vet. It doesn't matter how long ago he was last there . He needs to have his vaccines updated, rabies at the very least, since he's regularly exposed to wild animals. And the vet can look at any wounds he has and see if any of them need treatment.

He really shouldn't be outside if he's de-clawed :/. I know it's hard to reason with an outdoor cat but if you think he'd be OK staying inside you should give it a try. Poor guy is just defenseless out there. It's kind of amazing he's made it this long.

Agreed, on all points. Declawed cats should be indoor only. And any cat that is even outside just a little bit regularly should be vaccinated regularly. Sooooo many animals that carry disease out there, and especially if he gets into fights so often? Wow.

Vet trip is definitely in order. And I wouldn't say that you shouldn't go because it's been 8 years, but that you SHOULD go because it's been 8 years.

I know we should take him to the vet to see he's okay and dosent have anything we don't know about but we're scared about the veterinary fees. and don't they make you come back? I know it's really hard for me too knowing that he has no claws and goes outside regularly. Maybe I could change when he goes out? He love going outside and I really wouldn't like to take that away from him. He goes out at night btw maybe during the day would be safer for him?

Seconding that he really needs to go to the vet. He's at risk of getting rabies and other fatal diseases as is. Right now, he could easy get an infection that could be more expensive than a vet check up. He really needs to go in.

Also agreeing that he really must stay in if he's declawed. He's defenseless out there. I'm also guessing that he's not neutered?

Please look with a magnifying lens and see if that "odd white stuff" is some early instar maggots.

You can call the vet and ask how much everything will cost. That way you won't have any surprises. You can call a few different vets to see if they have different prices too. It's not like human doctors---vets are very cost-conscious because most pets don't have insurance and most owners aren't made of money.

I can't speak for all vets, because I've heard some people say they are turned away if their pets are not up to date on vaccinations (or they require them to get them on the first visit). I took Sara to the vet after not taking any of my critters to the vet in over ten years and was terrified (but she really had to go, I almost took her to the ER vet the night before).

This vet is the one next door to me, and they didn't require the vaccinations be up to date, nor did they insist on giving her vaccinations then and there. Which is good because it probably wouldn't have been good for her at that point anyway. I would be up front with the vet and let them know your kitty hasn't been to the vet in a long time, and you can only afford "x" amount of money to spend on this. Ask them how much it is just to walk in the door and go from there. Obviously things like tests and medications will cost extra, but for now start with the exam fee.

archiegoodcat said:

I know we should take him to the vet to see he's okay and dosent have anything we don't know about but we're scared about the veterinary fees.

and don't they make you come back? I know it's really hard for me too knowing that he has no claws and goes outside regularly. Maybe I could change when he goes out? He love going outside and I really wouldn't like to take that away from him. He goes out at night btw maybe during the day would be safer for him?

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It really is too dangerous for any cat to be outside alone, but particularly for a cat that has been declawed. He has no way to defend himself from other animals and will not be able to climb to safety if he gets chased or attacked.

Please don't let him out on his own anymore. He really won't survive much longer.

Could you try walking him on a leash and harness? Or build him a little outdoor catio?

Just asking the vet to clean his cuts, check his ears and give him some antibiotics won't be that expensive. You can always arrange blood tests and vaccinations at a later date if the vet thinks they are needed.

Please keep us updated on how it goes.

For now due to his injury I haven't been letting him out on his own but yea I also think it's time to maybe keep him inside. He's turning 10 next year which is pretty old. But he really enjoys beening outside and knows the nagiboorhood very well I'm not sure how I'm going to keep him indoors. He's actually really good at climbing and knows how to enter the house by the window upstairs. I'll look into getting his cuts checked out and also get his shots updated.

For sure don't let him out at night. This is when wild animals are out and about making it much more likely for a cat to be hurt or killed. As he cannot defend himself because he doesn't have claws, he should not be outside at all unless in an enclosure or on a leash. It really is amazing that he has been okay so far. Shots are definitely a must- especially rabies. If he is being bitten by other animals and especially wild animals, he is in serious danger of catching rabies if he isn't vaccinated.

My avatar cat lived for the first ten years of his life as a feral tom. It took a while to get him to come into the house at all, then even longer to persuade him that he wasn't allowed out anymore. Now he has access to an outdoor enclosure 24/7 and he's been neutered, which calmed him down a lot.

Your cat doesn't want to go outside just for a stroll. His main concern is marking his territory to let other animals in the area know he lives there. Cats can be perfectly happy with just a house and maybe a balcony to watch the world from, once they've accepted the fact that they don't have to go out and claim the neighborhood as their own anymore.

Does your house have a yard? Could you put cat proof fencing around it or make him a catio in one corner? They're actually really easy and fun to make. If you Google Cat Enclosures and Catios you'll see some examples of what can be done.