Cuts and abrasions in cats

Overview

Cats are stoic creatures and they often hide the fact that they are ill or injured.  When a cat has been wounded, they often try to groom and clean their injury themselves.  Excessive grooming in one particular area may be your first indication that something is wrong.  Minor wounds are often difficult to find, because they are hidden under the fur or in between toes.

Symptoms

Cuts or bites:

• Bleeding
• Torn skin
• Swelling
• Wet fur from grooming in one specific area
• Increased grooming habits, especially with fixation on one area of the body

Abrasions:

• Red, irritated skin
• Bruising
• Scuffed skin with imbedded dirt
• Excessive grooming

Prevention

The best way to protect a cat from injury is to keep your cat indoors.  By keeping them indoors, you eliminate many risks.  These risks include such things as: fights with other animals, a snag from a branch, cuts from broken glass, being hit by a car, and a host of other hazards.  For example, a cat that has a close call with a car can get a nasty abrasion from asphalt and gravel.

Indoor cats can still get hurt, but they are injured less frequently and the injuries are often cleaner and less devastating.  As always, secure your wastebaskets so a curious cat doesn't go exploring and get cut by broken glass or metal cans.

Daily brushing and petting can help you spot any injuries on your cat.  Brush and groom your cat and go over his entire body regularly so you will find minor injuries before they turn serious.  As an added bonus, the time spent with your cat is great bonding time!

Treatment

You can treat small cuts and scrapes at home. As a general rule, if the cut is smaller than a half inch you shouldn't need to seek professional help. The exceptions to this rule are bites or other puncture wounds, because they can be small in diameter, but deep.  Such wounds may require the placement of drains or stitches. 

By following this step-by-step treatment plan, you should begin to see improvement in a couple of days:

Cleaning the wound

Carefully clip the fur around the wound. Use electric clippers, if you have them.

Thoroughly flush out the wound with warm salty water (add 1 teaspoon of salt to two cups of water) or saline solution. If you're unable to prepare the salt water solution, warm water is fine. Just be sure to remove all dirt and debris from the cut. You may need to use tweezers to remove larger pieces. The cut won't heal if you don't get everything out.

Medication

Apply a topical antibiotic cream per the directions on the label. Keep the wound area clean and reapply antibiotic cream several times a day. Your cat may need to wear an Elizabethan collar (E-collar) to keep him from licking or scratching the area while it heals.

When to see the vet

You should always seek veterinary help if your cat has a large wound, is bleeding excessively, or has a large amount of debris in the wound.  Also, seek veterinary help if an originally small wound becomes larger or doesn't show signs of healing after several days. Watch for signs of infection like swelling, pus, and continued redness. If the cut closes up with debris like fur, dirt, or bacteria under the surface, it could abscess and make your cat seriously ill.

When assessing the condition of your pet's wounds, it's okay to be overly cautious. If you notice heavy bleeding or a very deep cut, apply direct pressure to the wound and head straight for the vet. Excessive handling of the animal or manipulation of the wound can cause further injury, so keep your cat as stable and still as possible. Wrapping her in a towel or blanket may help calm them on the way to the veterinarian.

Bites

A bite from another animal, whether they were playing or fighting, is always serious and usually requires a thorough cleaning and antibiotics from a veterinarian to prevent infection. Bites from wild animals carry the risk of rabies; if your animal has been bitten by a wild animal, contact your veterinarian for your area's rabies protocols.  Your pet will need to be quarantined for a number of days for both you and your animal's safety.  Even the smallest bite wound, regardless of what type of animal was involved, should be seen by your veterinarian.

Resources:

Aiello, Susan, BS, DVM, ELS, Editor, The Merck Veterinary Manual, (Merck Handbooks, eighth edition, 1998) page 865

Moss, Anne  Scottish Fold Cats  www.thecatsite.com/Breeds/63/Scottish-Fold-Cats.html