My 6 weeks kitten has an abscess

Hi there, my name is carolina and I recently got a kitten, this was like 3 days ago , unfortunately my tiny baby started to meow everytime that he poo so I checked and cleaned with a baby wipe and I noticed something just opened and I found an abscess. I have searched every way of disinfecting it , I cleaned with warm water and put some betadine last night and this morning.he seems very happy today, eats quite a lot , just wants cuddles but im not sure if its treated or not.. I couldn't even sleep because I don't have any money to take him to the vet, im alone in England and I wanted company , I got so attached to him already. Please tell me what can I do...

Warm compresses will help draw infection out, but without seeing a Vet and getting antibiotics, if it's truly an infection, you need to keep a very close eye on it!  Abscesses can cause issues internally that you can't see.  Look for him to act differently...if he stops eating, or even slows down, stops playing, etc., then you need to find a way to get him seen.  Even if you have to borrow money to do it.  That's all a part of being a pet parent. 

Please keep an eye on the size of the abscess if it gets bigger and/or the swelling or redness gets worse it could be a sign of infection and it means it is getting worse. Some cats will not tolerate trying to do warm compresses.  If your baby will not allow you to do warm compresses put a heating pad on low with a towel over it.  You can also use a small heated blanket with a towel on it. Keep the setting on low and try putting it where your kitten likes to sleep.  If the abscess gets worse you really need to see if you can borrow money to get your baby to a vet because they can get painful.  I only have experience with human abscesses and they can be really painful to deal with.  A compress or heating pad can help draw out an infection but it can be painful and messy process to get them to drain.  The infections that cause abscesses do not always go away on their own after one drains if you see any new abscesses then please find a way to get money to him to a vet because this could mean the infection is spreading.  Also as mentioned by mrsgreenjeans watch for behavior changes these changes can be a sign of pain or the infection getting worse.  Cats hide pain much better than humans do.  I can only speak from human experience.  Thankfully this painful issue has not happened to any of my cats.

When my cat got an abscess, the vet said that it opening probably made her feel much better.  There were warm compresses recommended.  Just watch for pain and a spreading of the infection.

carolinalucasg said:

Hi there, my name is carolina and I recently got a kitten, this was like 3 days ago , unfortunately my tiny baby started to meow everytime that he poo so I checked and cleaned with a baby wipe and I noticed something just opened and I found an abscess. I have searched every way of disinfecting it , I cleaned with warm water and put some betadine last night and this morning.he seems very happy today, eats quite a lot , just wants cuddles but im not sure if its treated or not.. I couldn't even sleep because I don't have any money to take him to the vet, im alone in England and I wanted company , I got so attached to him already. Please tell me what can I do...

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Carolina,

I am a human doctor, not a vet and any advice that I give about a cat will need to be checked by a vet.  Having written this, I have had over fifty years medical experience and I know that any abscess, in a human or a cat, must be opened as soon as it points.  There is an old medical adage that states: "Where there is pus, let it out."   Your cat will continue to be in pain until either the abscess bursts spontaneously or it is opened by the vet with an incision that is large enough to allow adequate drainage.

It appears that the abscess has burst spontaneously, but it will still have to be seen by a vet as spontaneous bursting of an abscess may not be adequate enough for it to drain properly and the pus may reform.  This will cause the cat to have severe pain again.  @catlover73 has told you that cats often disguise pain and you may not even know if the abscess is reforming.  Betadine, another name for Iodine will not help the abscess in any way..   Warm moist compresses, as an interim treatment before a vet can see the kitten, will help - that is assuming your cat will allow the compresses.   But please do not try to treat your cat by yourself.  You must, somehow, take it a vet.

Many vets will put your animal first and see your kitten if you explain your financial situation.  I do not know which area of England that you live in, but there is an Animal Hospital in London where you can obtain free treatment and, if you don't live in London, then most veterinary staff will be able to direct you where you can get treatment free or without having to pay straight away.  I know because I am English and lived there for 28 years before migrating to Australia.

With all best wishes,

Geoffrey

Seet hsi for how to afford vet bills: http://www.thecatsite.com/a/no-money-for-vet-care-how-to-find-help-and-save-your-cats-life At the bottom of thep age is a list of UK resources.

@Columbine may know of other UK low cost vet clinics or resources.

Owning a pet is not cheap so plese keep that in mind with your new kitten. Emergencies can arise when you least expect it and some vets require payment up front. It's a good iea for all pet owners to put aside money however often they can towards emergency vet bills and / or use pet insurance.

The article LTS3 linked to lists the national organisations that help with low cost vet care in the UK:-
the PDSA
the RSPCA
and the Blue Cross

These really are your best choices. Additionally, you could try asking a local veterinary practice whether they'd be willing to take payment in installments. As a new patient it is a bit of a long shot, but it can't hurt to ask

As others have said, veterinary treatment really is needed here, to be sure the infection doesn't spread. This kind of thing (as with most ailments) is always far cheaper to treat when caught early.

I hope your kitten makes a full recovery very soon :cross:

My cat had it too and I tried with much alternative stuffs but the only thing that works was antibiotic.