Cat Puncture Wound

[Tom09]

My cat likes to go outside and adventure around the neighbourhood everyday and usually comes home with no problems. That was until Thursday when he came rushing back into the house looking unusually scared. I noticed his behaviour was not normal as he looked almost terrified and found that he had this deep puncture wound in the side of his neck.

I immediately went to the vets to get it checked out and the vet cleaned the wound, gave him some antibiotics, and had to wear one of those cone things to protect it from infection so he’s been for treatment. The vet identified it as a puncture wound and asked if my cat had ever been in fights which he doesn’t usually do.

Today, I took the cone off to have a look at it and it still looks like this. It looks like a really deep hole. Ultimately, my q is what could’ve possibly caused this? I also found some sort of small tree thing sticking out of it when I found the wound as if he’d been in some bush.

His behaviour hasn’t been the same since and has been sat in the same spot all day and looks sad. Any suggestions?

 

[FeralHearts]

Ouch, poor kitty. Hugs to you both.

Glad you took him to the Doctors as that looks painful.

Sadly no one will probably be able to tell you what caused it but it's most likely he got into a tuffle with something, maybe even with something he was stalking and it got the better of him. If the Vet is asking about a fight, chances are they are thinking the puncture was caused by a tooth.

it's absolutely possible that it could have been a sharp branch, or a rose bush, there are some that have some pretty deep nasty thorns and he was very unlucky, but something like that is more often that not a bite. Especially the fright response.

I'm going to assume he is up-to-date on Rabies? Did the vet do any Rabies protocols?

 

[fionasmom]

I think that the wound occurred from a fight of some sort and the stick was collateral damage, probably something that entered the wound during a struggle. Having had a number of outdoor ferals, this looks like a bite wound to me. It certainly could be from another cat or from a predator in your area.