You
might be concerned to come home and discover that your cat has a cut,
a scratch, bite marks, or patches of missing fur. Cats can often get
into fights with other animals, especially other cats, and they will
have the wounds to show for it.
Cat
owners need to know why these wounds occur, what they can do to
prevent these injuries, and how to handle wounds when they happen.
Learn more about keeping your cat safe from fight-inflicted
injuries.
Why
Your Cat Might Get in a Fight
Housecats
are usually harmless pets. Some cats are very cuddly, playful, and
affectionate. Because of a housecat's small size and docile demeanor,
pet owners forget that cats are natural predators. They have the
instinct to hunt, and they are very protective of their home
territory.
You
can see cats display territorial behavior often. They rub their heads
against furniture and people to mark it with their scent. They might
bat away people or other animals who get near their personal space.
When
strange animals such as raccoons, stray cats, small dogs, or even
rats get into your cat's territory, they can become aggressive.
Additionally, if your cat likes to wander, they might cross the path
of a more ferocious feline who wants to protect their own territory.
What
You Can Do to Keep Your Cat Safe
Prevention
of fights is the best cure. Cat owners need to take the reality of
catfights seriously and do everything they can to reduce the risks to
the health of their pet.
Vaccinations
First,
you need to make sure your cat is not at risk in case they ever do
get bitten by a wild or infected animal. Your cat should have routine
rabies vaccinations. People often don't realize the importance of
vaccinations for cats, or they don't know that a cat needs booster
shots for rabies.
Other
vaccines, like the vaccine against feline parvovirus and feline
leukemia, are also essential for cats, especially if your cat will
ever be exposed to other animals.
Confinement
The
best protection for a housecat is to keep the cat indoors, especially
during the nighttime hours. Cats are active in the evening and early
morning by nature, and your cat may show the desire to be out and
about in the evening. However, because this is when cats are most
active, this is when housecats need to remain indoors to be safe from
other cats.
In
general, it is not safe for a house cat to be outside without
supervision. Your cat might greatly enjoy the outdoors, so you might
decide to let them into your yard. But, cats can jump over fences and
they are adept climbers, so you may not be able to keep them close to
home. The more they roam, the more likely they will get injured in a
fight.
If
your cat will truly be unhappy inside the house, consider installing
a cat fence. These fences curve in toward the yard at the top to
prevent jumping and climbing.
Play
and Stimulation
Take
advantage of your cat's increased evening energy and allow them to
get their natural hunting and fighting instincts out through
stimulating play. You might provide a string for your cat to chase,
provide toys for pouncing, or play with a laser pointer to get your
cat to jump and chase.
People
with cats sometimes forget that cats need exercise and stimulation,
just like a dog. Even though you don't take your cat for walks, you
still need to make time to bond with them and help them with
beneficial play.
How
You Should Respond to Wounds
Despite
your best efforts, your cat may still come home with scratches and
bites, or they might even get into a fight in your own backyard. Cat
wounds close over very quickly, so make it a habit to check your cat
daily for injuries, just as you stroke their fur or during a time of
play.
You
can also check for behaviors such as self-grooming the painful area,
as cats will lick themselves to clean their wounds. Check areas that
are commonly hurt, such as the ears, tail, and legs. Cats who are
recovering from fights might not have as energy, they might develop a
fever, or they might not jump or play because they are in pain.
Don't
assume that because a scratch isn't deep or because a bite isn't
bleeding that your cat has no need for veterinary
care
.
The skin may close up the wound, but cat bites and scratches can get
infected easily, and the infection festers unseen under the skin.
Your cat might struggle for days with a scratch that develops into a
painful and sometimes deadly abscess.
To
protect your cat from infection, seek veterinary care for small fight
injuries, especially bites. Your cat can take a protective antibiotic
to keep infection at bay. The vet can clean the wounds and check for
muscle and tissue damage.
For
more information, contact us at South Seattle Veterinary
Hospital.
