My barn cat's tail cut is blue. Could it be infection or dead skin?

Hello! It's hard to say for sure, but generally speaking, I wouldn't be too worried, if the tail isn't sore, or itchy. Shaving was a great idea, for 2 reasons. 1) Because now you can keep an eye on the area to be sure it isn't getting worse and 2) Air can now get at the skin to help it to heal. If the area looks sore, or is itchy, I would suggest having her checked out by your vet. If everything seems pretty comfortable, it would be likely okay for you to keep an eye on this at home. Best of luck with Munchkin!

That is a little bit concerning, especially since it seems like there is a distinct line of demarcation associated with the blue color. It's possible that there is not good blood flow to the skin in that area from the injury. Since it's difficult to evaluate based on a picture alone I'd recommend seeing your veterinarian for an exam in person - it's also possible that this is nothing to be too concerned about.

I would recommend seeking another opinion in person. I would make sure the Ninja is on a good flea and tick prevention (even if indoors). I would have a veterinarian evaluate his skin underneath his hair to make sure there are no lesions. I would also recommend having a veterinarian check his anal glands. After this they can always biopsy the area. I would have them do a biopsy in that spot and then a normal spot on Ninja's skin. I have previously done this before on patients when people would want answers to why the hair is turning color and most of the time it comes back as normal, but without that biopsy I can't say that for sure in Ninja's case. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

You can try applying Neosporin and giving it time. Unfortunately, tip of the tail injuries like this can be very difficult to heal since there is not much tissue or a very good blood supply to the very tip of a cat's tail. Sometimes they are licking it to clean even when you don't see, which will significantly slow healing. If it doesn't appear to be healing in a few days, then your kitty should get checked out by a vet. Sometimes we need to amputate the tip of the tail so that we can close healthy tissue over the bone to aid with healing.

There is a wound on the tail tip and the tail itself (bone muscles and skin) is necrotic and slowly falling. I would recommend an immediate check up as wound curettage and antibiotic treatment are needed as soon as possible.

Hello. Tail wounds are notoriously difficult to heal. A slow healer is not unexpected however if the scab appears inflamed or infected it should be seen. I would leave the E-collar on until it is completely healed. Good luck with Archemedies.

What you are seeing is likely dead skin and will fall off soon. Once the skin falls off, there will likely be an open wound. Once this happens I would see the veterinarian for a recheck examination as it will need to be cleaned out from infection to ensure healthy tissue grows back in. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.