Cat's face swollen, scabby, fur gone. Is it safe to wait for vet?

This looks like a small wound, or maybe an insect bite that is irritated. The skin around it looks clean and healthy. As long as he seems his normal self right now, he should be fine until he's seen on Wednesday. If he does feel sick or if the area gets worse try to get him seen sooner.

This type of swelling could be something fairly simple and harmless such as an ingrown hair or an insect bite, or something more serious such as a localized infection or even a skin tumor of some kind. If the swelling doesn't seem to be bothering her and she is acting normal otherwise, you could wait to see if it goes away on its own within the next week or two. If it doesn't, or if it gets larger or becomes itchy or painful, then I would recommend having her examined by a vet to determine what it is - he/she may prescribe antibiotics or short-term oral steroids to treat the swelling, or may do a simple test called a fine needle aspirate to diagnose the problem if it appears to be a growth of some kind.

I hate to hear that Timmay is not feeling like himself. I would recommend to get Timmay seen by his veterinarian today if possible given that he has been lethargic for a week. They will check his temperature and give him a physical exam. Lethargy can be due to fever, organ dysfunction, anemia, heart disease, infection as well as other causes. That scab on his face could be a few things. An abscess could present like this and it could be superficial or related to a tooth root abscess. Superficial bacterial infections, thyroid problems or allergies could also look this way. The vet will try to figure out the cause and will prescribe appropriate medications. Given that Timmay is 18 years old, the vet may recommend bloodwork to check his enzyme levels and bone marrow function. Older cats are more prone to kidney disease as well as other problems with organ dysfunction. You will want to keep the area protected with an elizabethan collar so that Timmay cannot further cause damage it. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

There could be a couple of things causing these scabs such as mites, allergies, ringworm, or fleas. I think Miran should see a vet before Friday. The vet can diagnose what is causing this skin problem, and can treat him. Best of luck.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. As long as the skin is intact and the area is not painful to touch and is not getting more swollen, you should monitor Wonky at home. I suspect the missing fur could be self-inflicted from scratching or it is an abrasion from trauma. In this case, Wonky will just need some time for the fur to grow back. However, if the neck becomes painful, swollen, hot to touch you should take Wonky to your local vets for an appointment as the symptoms would suggest trauma to the deeper structures of the neck or a growing abscess.

Facial swelling can be caused by an allergic reaction to something such as an insect sting or spider bite, an abscess from an injury, or even an abscessed tooth (unlikely in such a young cat). I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. Depending on what the diagnosis is will determine what medications are recommended. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Poor Mara! It could be she was injured while you were gone, she could be experiencing an allergic reaction, or she could have a dental problem. In the second picture, it looks like there is a cloudiness in her left eye. That has to be checked out by a vet if it hasn't already. Get her into a vet as soon as possible. Best of luck.