# Abscess on cat`s cheek



## Kansas2014 (Jan 14, 2014)

About 3 days ago I noticed a lump about the size of a small grape on my senior cat's cheek. I felt it and she didn't appear to have pain, there was no open wound, and she let me touch it when I wanted to, trying to decide what it was. This evening she got on my lap with a ( sorry....I know this is not pleasant ) glob of greenish, foul smelling stuff hanging from the swollen area. I then realized whatever it was, it had erupted and it wasn't nice. I cleaned her up, applied warm compress, peroxide, and once I could see the opening I applied Neosporin. I didn't try to express more fluid ( pus ), it had turned from gray green to bloody drainage. I've needed to clean it three times in the past hour. I looked on the internet and advice and opinions on what to do next vary. Has anyone ever had this happen to their cat? Can I treat this at home with peroxide and Neosporin or is a visit to the vet an absolute? Her appetite is fine, she's using the box, she's no more lethargic than normal. ( she's 18 years old )

Thanks in advance for your help.


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## Westexas (Apr 10, 2013)

The last time this happened to us, the vet just prescribed a more expensive topical antibiotic, which worked fine. I would keep doing what you're doing as long as it keeps working. The infection we were dealing with was associated with a fracture, which would probably kill a human!


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## parrotman (Jan 27, 2008)

The good thing to come out of this is that the abscess erupted and the infection is well on it's way out of your cat.
Normally, topical treatment is usually sufficient, but with an older cat, possibly the use of antibiotic might be necessary?
Being 18, the immune system may be compromised and not as effective in healing itself.
That's something that you'll have to decide depending upon how the healing process progresses.
Hope she does well for you.


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## Kansas2014 (Jan 14, 2014)

Thanks for your help. It drained more thru the night. She's eating, comfortable, seems OK. I will keep a close eye on her.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

Don't use peroxide. It damages tissues. I would call the vet. Your cat is very old and it can take an elderly anything to recover. Our vet said that when a cat gets old enough to drive they are living on borrowed time. 

If you don't wish to take her to the vet then I would suggest getting an antibiotic from the feed store. They have syringes. I have also been known to give IV antibiotics orally. When giving IV meds orally I use a dose higher than the bottle recommends. We had a barn kitty with a couple wounds so open that you could see muscle groups. She healed up quickly with three or four times daily IV antibiotics given daily. I also used an even stronger concentration of the IV antibiotic topically.


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## Kansas2014 (Jan 14, 2014)

Thank you Joshie. She's doing well tonight....I'm going to go ahead an irrigate w a syringe and apply more antibiotic ointment. I watched youtube videos of a cat being treated at the vet for this problem and so far I've done what they did.. I am still undecided on the vet as she is doing so well at this point. She's feisty....tskes two of us to minister to her. I do think she needs oral antibiotics.


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## HTG_zoo (Apr 18, 2011)

You don't want the top of that abscess to heal over, so I wouldn't put topical ointments on it. Those promote healing but aren't getting into the abscess and may make things worse. Oral or subq antibiotics have a much better chance at getting to the infection (it kind of depends on which antibiotic and what's growing in the abscess). Abscesses are generally walled off from the blood supply. When they aren't then you start to see systemic symptoms.


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## Kansas2014 (Jan 14, 2014)

HTG_zoo said:


> You don't want the top of that abscess to heal over, so I wouldn't put topical ointments on it. Those promote healing but aren't getting into the abscess and may make things worse. Oral or subq antibiotics have a much better chance at getting to the infection (it kind of depends on which antibiotic and what's growing in the abscess). Abscesses are generally walled off from the blood supply. When they aren't then you start to see systemic symptoms.


Hi HTG,

Tonight I attempted to irrigate and trim the fur around the area. She growled and fought me....hard. I'm thinking another attempt in the morn and depending on the results, a trip to the vet or vet supply for appropriate medications. She seems to have some pain for the first time since it happened. This cat is TOUGH but her age is a real concern.

Thanks to all of you for your good help. Much appreciated!


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## HTG_zoo (Apr 18, 2011)

Abscesses are painful unless they are draining. If you can, you might spring for a culture on the bacteria and make sure it's not MRSA, so you know which antibiotic to use. Something else a vet could determine for you is if this abscess is coming from a bad tooth or tooth root (that's more common in really old cats).

My own cat has one now... we're too snowed in to get him to the vet today anyway so we'll see what we can do at home.

Hopefully you can get your kitty on the mend quick!


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

You should be able to find IV penicillin and syringes at your feed store. I gave it to our kitty orally and squirted it on the wound. I did not touch the wound so I could reuse the syringe. Our cat was very young and the wound was deep and very, very bad. It was totally healed in a couple weeks. 

I haven't ordered any yet but need to get Fish Mox. It is amoxicillin for fish. It isn't available in here in IL but is found online.


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## HTG_zoo (Apr 18, 2011)

I have my choice of antibiotics here and my cat is good for injections, not so much for pills though.


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

When one of my outdoor rat catch cats developed a abscess on his head I first attempted to drain it and apply triple antibiotic to no avail. When it re abscessed a couple days later I took him to my vet who prescribed a feline specific liquid oral antibiotic that I could put on his feed.

My vet explained that cats normal physiology is so toxic to protect their systems that when another cat bites them or such and they develop an infection it takes strong antibiotics from the inside out to combat the infection and the toxicity of the infection and normal toxicity factors of the cats immune system can easily kill off topical antibiotics as the triple antibiotic .

I put the oral liquid on some inexpensive canned moist food for him and the abscess cleared up in just a few days and the vet visit and antibiotic only cost me about 25 dollars___a small price for a good vermin control neutered half wild cat that can take out rats , possums , snakes and once a stray feral cat that crossed into his territory.

I know he can do battle with all those because during the decade he has been my primary outside rat control he has left all at my door at one time or another.


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## Jokarva (Jan 17, 2010)

Does she have an ulceration inside that cheek? Our elderly cat developed mouth ulcers that led to a cheek abcess, IIRC it all had to do with her chronic kidney failure (vet gave her 2 weeks at most). We drained and irrigated that thing for weeks, but it eventually healed and she lived for another 18 months. Hope yours heals up OK too.


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## HTG_zoo (Apr 18, 2011)

Kansas2014, how is your kitty?

My cat is doing well. PenG and draining have worked wonders.


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## WstTxLady (Mar 14, 2009)

Peroxide, no. Draining, good. Neosporan to keep the area from drying out & can drain/heal is good. I use Vetricyn gel spray on wounds. Its awesome stuff.

We live out in the country & the cats come up with wounds all the time. Most turn into abscesses that need to be drained & while gross, it is a good thing. Just keeping it open & drained is good. Might gently clip/trim the hair around the wound so it doesnt get yukky, dried out & it lets the wound close in a healthy way.


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