Cat Injury

[Death]

I was given a cat which came with a wound on its neck which was about the size of a 5p coin. It's seemed to have grown to the size of a £1 coin now so what do you think I should do about it? Is it bad enough for a vet to see it or shall I just leave it to heal? Taking it to the vet may seem the favourable option but I'm afraid that I may be overeacting. Also, since the cat was given to us with that wound, does that mean that we have to pay for it (if I'm taking him)?

[Kaleidoscope Eyes]

I would take it to the vet. Any time a pet has a wound or a sore that appears to be growing rather than healing, it should be checked out. It may not be a big deal, it could just be that the cat is scratching at it and making it worse. It's still a good idea to get it check out, though, to make sure it's not get infected while it's taking such a long time to heal up.

I'm not an expert on laws about buying pets but here's my take on the situation: Was the cat given to you or did you buy it from someone? If it was given to you by someone who just didn't want it anymore, you're on your own. You saw the injury before you took the cat, and you accepted it. If you bought it, such as from a breeder, then they may be entitled to pay for it... but I don't know. I think that sort of thing tends to apply more to when they sell you a pet that they knew was sick. If this wound turns out to be related to some disease, it might be different than if it was just a run-of-the-mill scratch that later got angry. Buying from a breeder can involve paperwork which covers that sort of thing, along with return policies, but if nothing was negotiated you're likely on your own.

Oh, and, how long has it been since you first noticed the wound? How long did it take to get to this size? Also, keep an eye out for signs of infection. Take a look at it if the cat will let you (if it won't, that may be a sign that it's in pain and trying to prevent you from hurting it further). Look for signs of redness around the outside of the scab, especially if the redness is spreading. Those may be signs that it needs antibiotics to help it heal.

[Death]

Thankyou for the advice. I see now why this could be quite important so I'll see what I can do.

[xGreenling]

Cats are really prone to infection. It may need antibiotic ointment, or one of those head-cones... vet, for sure.

[Hyper]

It would help if you describe the wound in more detail..

As in is it swollen, colored, smell etc..

Since You are the cats owner You have a responsibility to take care of your pet... And since you got the cat from somebody else taking her/him to the vet would be a good idea in any case

If she needs vaccinations or anything like that.

[Death]

It hasn't been taken to the vet yet but I can clearly see why it's important so I will and thankyouo for your responses. In fact, I swear the injury's doubled in length sin last time I saw it; must be weeping.

[Kaleidoscope Eyes]

If it's weeping, and still growing, you need to get into the vet as soon as you can. If you have other pets, call whoever you take them to. If not, call the person you got the cat from or a friend who has pets--they probably know of a vet. So, call and tell them what's up, ask when they can fit you in. Try to get in within the next week. Let them know it's growing, and be sure to check and see if it looks particularly unhappy. Normal wounds don't grow. Either this is a sore caused by some problem, or the cat is scratching at it and making it worse. Both can be treated, I'm sure. :)

[Death]

This morning, the scab seems to have fallen off and it's now apparant that he wasn't weeping at all. In fact, the wound below is only about the size of a 5p coin and he seems much healthier. There's no visible infection and it seems to be healing nicely. I did speak with my mum about seeing the vet but she said that now that she knew that the injury was nowhere near as bad as it seemed to be at first, there was no need. I still thank you for your advice though. Quite lucky for me actually; I was expecting it to get much worse!