Cat hiding and not eating after abscess drain. Is this normal?

It all sounds normal. Cat bite abscesses can really take a toll on their bodies. Draining is good - it means that the infective material is getting out of the body rather than staying trapped under the skin. You can keep it clean by gently wiping with a warm wet washcloth before applying the topical medication. Decreased appetite and lethargy are also normal, but if they last longer than 24-48 hours, I would call your vet to see if she needs to go in for a recheck. Otherwise, just let her rest and heal.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Mr. Cheeks! I think I need more details to be helpful about where and how many abscesses he had. My worry is that is is now Friday and he isn't better. Cats can't go a long time with out eating well. What you are describing is NOT normal. I recommend having him seen today before the weekend for a recheck so he isn't suffering through the weekend. I wish Mr. Cheeks the best!

Abscesses can be very painful and usually it takes a few days of treatment to start to feel better. Recovery is normally complete. However as with any infection there is always a chance of developing sepsis, I would monitor him closely and attend the vet if he does not make any further improvements. Also he may still be fairly uncomfortable so it would be worth discussing further pain relief with your vet.

Poor Clementine, it is a lot to go through at her age, however I am confident she can get better. I would not worry about the ointment if the abscess has already scabbed over. You can try cleaning the pus away gently with some cotton wool and lukewarm water, if she allows you to do so. As her sense of smell is probably affected, you need to offer her food that smells quite strong such as tuna in water, or boiled cod, or Hill’s recovery wet food. In particular, this last food is in a pate form, and it can be made a bit more watery by adding some water to aid water intake. You could warm it up slightly in the microwave, and offer it afterwards. Always start small with portions, and if eating increase the portion and offer again in 2 hours. If she is still not eating by this afternoon best to have her checked over as she could benefit from being rehydrated and have her temperature rechecked as it could still be up a bit. Hope she makes some progress soon.

It is possible that Toby is still disoriented from his surgery or acting different due to the surgery. I would recommend placing him in a bathroom with a litter box and some water so he can have a dark safe area to rest. It should be fine to wait to eat until tomorrow I hope that helps

It is possible - many cats are sensitive to changes like this. As long as he is eating and drinking I would wait a day or two to see if his behavior goes back to normal. If his behavior is abnormal for more than 48 hours or you notice any other signs like vomiting or diarrhea I would recommend seeing your veterinarian to make sure everything okay. You could also ask the groomer if anything out of the ordinary happened this time when he was groomed - if he was particularly anxious he might benefit from a sedative before his next appointment.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tom. I recommend contacting his veterinarian today with your concerns. Most cats are back to normal within 12-24 hours after surgery. If he is not eating, he could be painful. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications though as these can be toxic to cats. The sunken abdomen is not an expected side effect. It may not be a problem, but is worth discussing with his veterinarian. I hope this information helps!