My unneutered cat has a swollen, sore tail from fighting. What to do?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Rilian. He will need to see his veterinarian as he most likely has developed an abscess under his skin. Cat teeth are very sharp and puncture the skin introducing bacteria deep inside. The overlying skin heals quickly trapping the infection underneath. A visible swelling will develop. This is what I suspect has happened to Rilian. Most cats will develop a fever and may stop eating. He will likely need antibiotics and possibly to have the abscess lanced. In the meantime, it is fine to shave the overlying hair. I would not apply anything topically aside from water to cleanse the wound though. You can apply warm compresses for 5 minutes 3 times per day if he will tolerate it as well. I hope this information helps!

Hi there. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds like Felix has an abscess on his tail. it is very common for them to get this from the bite of another cat. The loss of appetite is usually due to a fever from the infection. The other possibility would be a fracture in the tail. Either way, he needs to see a vet for treatment. Your vet should be able to distinguish between these two possibilities with just an examination. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Do not attempt to drain this yourself. Felix needs to see a vet immediately to get this checked out. It could be fluid accumulating, but he could have an infection or that could be internal bleeding. I can't say what exactly is causing the swelling without seeing him in person, but I would consider this a medical emergency. Please take him into a vet now. Best of luck.

If Cali fights with other cats, she could have an abcsess on her tail from a cat bite. I would be concerned because it’s bothering her, so I would take her into a vet today or tomorrow to have it examined, diagnosed, and treated. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You could try to keep it clean but aside from that, I am afraid that he will need veterinary care. Puncture or bite wounds can get infected rather quickly and result in a fever which may be why he is not eating. They can form abscesses that require local treatment and antibiotics. You could perhaps consider taking him to an emergency veterinarian who is open over the weekend. Good luck and have a great day!

This looks like is may be a bite wound abscess that ruptured. Ideally, it should be addressed by your veterinarian. Surgery may be indicated to clean and flush the wound. Antibiotics and pain medication may also be indicated. Place an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent licking until he sees the doctor. You may need to confine him indoors until he is healed.

This needs to be examined by a veterinarian today. Please do not wait until after the weekend He will need pain medicine and antibiotics and the vet needs to check whether there is already infection present. He may even have to have part of his tail amputated. Please take him to a veterinarian NOW.