I squeezed my cat's shoulder cyst and now there's a hole. Is it okay?

You can apply a warm and damp washcloth to the area, which will help the area continue to drain. Gently trim back Hocus's fur, and clean the area with antiseptic soap. I would not put any antibiotic cream on it. Although quite safe on superficial wounds, cats groom and ingest most of the topical ointment you apply and therefore should be used only under direct veterinary supervision and if there are no other appropriate options. Many human ointments contain multiple other ingredients which are not necessarily safe to be swallowed. I would keep an Ecollar on Hocus to keep her from licking at it, and keep her indoors if she is allowed outside. Monitor the hole for signs of infection, which include redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, and pus. Should you see any of those signs, I would take her into the vet as she will need antibiotics to treat the infection.

The cyst was actually an abscess or pocket of puss from a cat scratch or bite. I'm glad it is draining as it will heal quickly now that the infection is coming out. I would massage all of the infected material out of the wound then clean the area with hydrogen peroxide. Then apply a thin film of antibacterial ointment on it. Keep it clean and treated daily and this should heal in a few days to a week. Since it's draining a veterinary visit shouldn't be needed unless it fills again and Salem stops eating due to a fever. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Salem.

I can't tell you for sure without seeing your kitty, but from what you describe I think there is a good chance it will heal on its own without further intervention. It must have been a cyst all along and finally ruptured. Sometimes I go in later and surgically remove these only if they become a recurrent problem that is not well-managed with antibiotics alone.

That is very oddly discolored gunk for sure. I would certainly clip (if you're able) around the area to see if it looks infected or can be kept clean at home (clean washcloth, Elizabethan collar to prevent pawing at or licking it, keeping the area trimmed and dry). If Gremlin won't let you look at it or clean it properly, more discharge is coming from it, or it's very large/rapidly changing in size, a vet visit is a good idea. They can safely clip back any hair to make sure there aren't other pockets of infection, can clean the area, and may suggest taking samples if they suspect something more than a clogged pore or minor abscess.

It looks like he had an abscess that burst open. It would be best to have your vet check this out. In the meantime you can use this wound spray on it. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-cat-wound-and-skin-hydrogel )

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Oreo. Potentially it could heal, but keep in mind that the cyst will likely grow back because the cyst sac has not been removed. So this could be a continuing problem when it heals, fills up again, and then opens. While the best thing to do is have it removed, you can hold off to see if it fills up again. Clean the area with warm water and antiseptic soap. Keep the wound clean and dry, and monitor it for signs of infection. If you see redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, or pus, then it is infected and she will need to see the vet for antibiotics to treat it. I hope this helps!

Oreo is in a bit of a tricky situation. I agree with your vet, in that if Oreo has a heart murmur I wouldn't want to put him under GA for anything other than a life threatening illness. This lump is probably nothing to worry about in the grand scheme of things, however it is starting to break out and could potentially get infected. I would advise you to bathe the broken piece daily with chlorhexidine bro try and keep it clean. If it does become infected oreo will need treatment. I would avoid having it surgically removed unless no other option is present.