Cat's foot swollen after squirrel bite. What can I do without a vet?

If you can't treat her at home because she won't let you then you will need to get her to a vet for treatment. They may have to sedate her to provide treatment. If you want to try at home, you can soak the foot in warm Epsom salt water for 5 minutes 3 times a day (if she will let you). This should draw out the infection. The other option is to use this wound spray. She won't like the spray noise, so you can douse a cotton ball with the solution and then wipe it on the wound. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-cat-wound-and-skin-hydrogel ) If she is licking the foot you will need to get her a cone to wear. No matter what you put on this to treat it, if she continues to lick, it won't heal. Remember, the cone must be long enough to go past the end of her nose or she will still be able to lick the foot. You can buy these at your local Petco or other large pet shop. Also, keep her indoors until healed. Hope this helps.

Based on your description and the appearance of the paw, my suspicion is that Finley was either bitten / scratched by another animal or he suffered some sort of puncture wound from something else. If there is a yellowish exudate emanating from the effected area, there is likely a significant infection occurring that will require a systemic antibiotic to fix. I would also be concerned about a fever. You should go ahead and obtain a temperature at your house rectally. See if it is above 102.5-103.0. If so, the infection is definitely real and Finley could probably benefit from some fluids as well and an NSAID to decrease the temperature. In order to prevent any further damage to the area, the use of a collar to stop Finley from licking his paw would be great. You can make one of these at home if you don't want to buy one commercially. Anyway, I think a vet visit would be the safest bet in this case. If you decide to wait, I really think you may ultimately end up having to go anyway but with matters only worse. Hope this is helpful.

I am so very sorry to hear about your kitty! It does appear, unfortunately, that your kitty could have an infection going on in the foot here, as the area looks swollen with purulent discharge coming from the area. Unfortunately when we have an area like this, a topical treatment is usually not going to suffice and oral or injectable antibiotics is often needed. We can see infections as a result of overgrown or ingrown toenails, wounds, foreign bodies (like a piece of splinter or grass seed) entering the skin, and sometimes we can also get fungal infections. Without seeing your kitty in person it is very hard to determine. I know you say you cannot afford a vet, but I think you will have to figure out a way to get your kitty in to see the vet. They can look more closely at the toe and the nail to try to determine the cause. They may be able to do this just by looking and feeling the area, they may want to test the discharge to check for bacteria or fungus They may need to flush the wound to be sure there isn't any object lodged there. I would recommend calling the vet's office and letting them know your situation. They may have a program called Care Credit that you can apply for to help pay your vet bills with monthly payments, or they may have another program set up similar to this. If they do not, they may be able to refer you to a low cost clinic in your area. Some Humane Society's or animal shelters have lower cost services for those in need. It is best to let your vet know up front of your financial situation so that they can choose the most stream-lined and cost effective options for you from the start.

It is best to bring Simba to your vet ASAP especially if the wound is painful or he won't let you touch it. Your vet can safely sedate Simba so that the wound can be thoroughly cleaned, drained and sutured as needed. Your vet can also provide you with some pain medications and antibiotics to keep the wound from becoming infected and keep Simba comfortable. An Elizabethan (cone) collar is also a good idea to use to prevent Simba from licking or chewing at the wound which can make it worse.

He will need to be seen by a vet of course as he must be given antibiotics and pain killers, but in the meantime you can clean the area, put some antiseptic or antibiotic cream on it and bandage it. i understand it will not be easy nut this is the only thing you can do to help him without seeing a vet.

It looks like Johnny has an abscess. What he really needs is to have it flushed out and get on some antibiotics. If you absolutely can’t get to the vet, you can try soaking the foot in epsom salt solution. Mix 1 tbsp epsom salt into 1/4 cup warm water and submerge the foot for 5 mins two to three times daily. You will also need to warm compress the leg at least twice daily to help drain the puss. (Use a warm wet washcloth in a plastic bag and apply moderate pressure- you want the puss to come out.) Johnny MUST stay indoors until his leg is healed. Leave the wounds open to air- do not try to bandage the leg. Also remember that pain medications for humans (Tylenol, aspirin, ibuprofen) should NEVER be given to cats as they can be very toxic. Good luck to you and Johnny!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. First of all, you need to stop Biscuit from licking the wounds. Head cone usually works best. You should clean the wounds with warm, boiled water twice a day until they scab up. If Biscuit becomes lethargic, off food or you notice that the wounds are hot to touch, painful or swollen, you will need to take her to your local vets.