My cat's swollen, limping arm has fur loss and spots. What's wrong?

If you cat goes outdoors, this is very likely the result of a cat bite. It is amazing how small a cat bite wound can be, but under the skin, infection is building up. Have Coco evaluated tomorrow by your vet because if this is a bite wound, the sooner antibiotics are started, the sooner she will start feeling better. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi and thank you for reaching out to Pet Coach about Thigs. Based on the picture you provided and your description the dewclaw area looks inflamed and infected. The swelling is most likely from both of these reasons. The limping initially could have been from a different cause three weeks ago or the infection may not have been apparent at that time. I would recommend to have him examined by a veterinarian within the next 12-24 hours if possible and that way he can get some pain medication and relief. I do not know if he goes outdoors or is indoors only, but if he does go outside, I would recommend to keep him indoors only until he is examined. Best of luck with Thigs.

Poor Harley! You are correct in suspecting an abscessed wound from possible bites as a likely cause of Harley's sudden swelling. Bite wounds can be very difficult to identify, even to a trained eye at times. In most cases, look for a small scab or tiny hole in the region of the swelling. That said, avoid direct contact with an open wound caused from an unknown source to prevent disease to yourself. Other possible causes of a very sudden swelling include a fracture or severe soft tissue injury to the leg. In any case, Harley needs to be seen by his vet. If the swelling is due to an abscess, the wound will need to be lanced/drained, flushed, and prescribed a course of antibiotics. X-rays may be needed to rule out a fracture.

Poor Tommy! I would recommend returning to your vet for a follow-up. The swelling on Tommy's leg does not sound good, especially combined with the other symptoms you have reported. One possible cause of the swelling would be some kind of infection. However, since Tommy has also lost a lot of weight and has been off his food I worry more about a cancerous process such as lymphoma, or perhaps a bone mass. Your vet will be able to do bloodwork and X-rays, and likely will want to take some fine needle samples of the 'knot' to look at under the microscope. They may want to send these samples out to be looked at by a pathologist too. Treatment options can vary depending on the findings of the diagnostic tests. They could range from surgery, to oral medications, to injectable chemotherapy. I hope you are able to get to the bottom of things soon for Tommy and that he starts feeling better.

She is a cutie! This could be from an insect/spider bite that has cause a local infection/abscess which is why is has started to swell. This could potentially be a cancerous mass that has caused an inflammatory reaction as well. Since it has recently become swollen, I would strongly recommend for your vet to take a look at it. Your vet will be able to aspirate the mass or swelling if needed. They can even take X-rays if needed if they are concerned about sinus or honey involvement. They will also be able to start her on some antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory if needed. I hope this helps!

It sounds like Kuro has a cat bite abscess and a severe fever from the infection. This will require antibiotics and antiinflammatory medications to be prescribed by your vet, especially when it is the lower leg that is affected as this can lead to very serious infections of the joints and bones. Contact your local humane society for information on subsidized clinics or ask if your vet can offer care credit

Poor guy. There are a lot of wildlife critters and probably a fair number of strays out and about, depending on your neighborhood. The swollen not to the touch area is likely an abscess (infected pocket caused by a puncture wound). You will need to see a vet to have this abscess drained and then have him placed on a short course of antibiotics to help this heal properly. I would consider keeping him indoors more often and fixed if he isn’t already, because intact males typically get into more fights and sustain more injuries. Best of luck with your cat. Take care.