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Cat lethargic, not eating, skittish after fight. Is he injured?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Maine Coon | Male | neutered | 13 lbs

My cat was in a cat fight and escaped uninjured. However, the next day, he is acting very lethargic, and barely eats or drinks. He also seems skittish and will not purr when pet.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on April 16th, 2019

He may have not escaped uninjured. It is possible he was bitten and is developing and infection or abscess. Cat bites can be difficult to spot. Ideally, he should be physically examined by your veterinarian. He may need antibiotics and pain medications.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Alysia Van Scoy, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on January 9th, 2018
The fact that he has a swollen chin and is very lethargic has me concerned. It could be that he has an infection due a fight. Cats can get abscesses from a cat bite. The puncture wounds heal, but the infection grows under the skin. It usually requires antibiotics. It is also possible that something else happened to Cow. He could have been hit by a car, fallen out of tree, gotten into poison, bitten by a snake or attacked by something besides a cat. Sometimes the wounds are not obvious on the outside. I think that it would be best to take him in to see a veterinarian for an exam. They can try to localize what is causing the swelling and the lethargy. They will most likely need to do some diagnostics. After the diagnostics- they can give you a presumptive diagnosis and start treatment for him. I hope they get him feeling better soon! Thanks for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on April 5th, 2018
He probably got into a fight or got hit by a car, you should take him to the vet ASAP in order to get him checked properly, if he is suffering from an injury he will need antibiotics and pain killers. i would also consider having him neutered soon, this will prevent future incidents like this one.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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