BoyBoy's Face Scab Needs Rapid Healing!

Carolina SA

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Hi All, Nice to find this website!

BoyBoy is a stray cat we trapped and castrated a few months ago. He had some severe scratches on his face so I kept him in a catio for 5 weeks and released him when he was 95% perfect. I wish I'd kept him longer! I released him with the very last of almost a dozen deep scratch wounds not fully healed. There was a slight scab and trace of the last scratch and the hair had not regrown. Unfortunately this area has been repeatedly scratched in the last 3-4 weeks. He visits every night for food,affection and play. A few nights ago I tricked him back into the catio as the wound/scab area was getting worse.

It is driving him and my household nuts as he wants to be free and wants constant attention. I've segregated him to my veranda catio & bathroom with a wire door blocking his entry into the main house but a view of us for company. I really would like some advice on getting these scratch wounds healed ASAP - we need sleep! My indoor cats hate him!

The white mark in the scab photo is a little of the white cream Neodermol an antiseptic/healing cream readily available where I live - rural Paraguay. I apply it twice a day and before that most nights he visited to prevent infection (hot, humid summer here).

The centre of the scab is where the months old scratch is located. Like the first time, it is surrounded by fresh scratches.

He doesn't bother with the wound excessively but enough to scrape a small bit of the scab here and there.... I'm wondering if I should upset him anymore by putting a sock on his back paw❓❓

He has other tiny scratches which are almost gone but seem to generate itchiness. I've given him his anti-parasite / flea etc treatments regularly and he mostly scratches around the head/neck area where the little scratch/scab marks are so I assume its that not a parasite.

He did lose weight but he went from living in a catio with breakfast in bed to hiding in the forest and visiting for dinner. However, his face and neck are thinner and less fluffy❓ The scratched areas lose fur so maybe that's all it is❓

Of all the food I offer him he basically only likes my chicken raw food mix, which with the added vitamins, is as close to his natural diet as possible. He nibbles at a few biscuits and a little tuna now and then, but ignores most everything unless it's tilapia in my fish-burger, then he's starving.

So, any advice on how to encourage this scabby wound to heal fast would be appreciated! :worship:

Keep in mind with any suggestions that while there are more pet products to be found in rural Paraguay than on the Moon, that's not really saying much!;)

Boy Boy wound 2.jpg

Boy Boy wound 1.jpg
Boy Boy wound.jpg
Boy Boy Cat Bathrrom Hospital.jpg
 

di and bob

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That wound is HUGE and will take a long time to heal. Any kind of antibiotic salve/cream would be good, there are antiseptic sprays, etc. available on the internet specifically for cat wounds. I would advise soaking a cotton ball to apply it, most semi-feral cats hate the sound the spray makes. Has he had any kind of oral antibiotic? Can you get a liquid antibiotic to give him in a small amount of tuna juice or a small amount of whatever he likes to eat. It looks like an abscess that he got from fighting, I have seen several of my feral get those, some that big. It took many months for them to heal, as long as six months. As long as it looks dry and is not leaking a white /yellow/green drainage it is healing. I'm sure it is itching and bothering him, you are doing a very good job in helping him. Thank goodness you got him neutered, that should cut down on the fighting.
 
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Carolina SA

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I never thought to use a spray on cotton wool... that will make life so much easier as I do not want to get spray in his eyes! Thank you.

It is not one wound, it is multiple scratches bleeding and fusing together - I think that area has very weak skin from past injuries not healing properly. When we trapped him previously the wound in that spot was very similar. The weak skin worries me!
 

fionasmom

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You are really trying to help this boy, but I agree that it might need an oral antibiotic if you can get it.
 

Rowen

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Hi All, Nice to find this website!

BoyBoy is a stray cat we trapped and castrated a few months ago. He had some severe scratches on his face so I kept him in a catio for 5 weeks and released him when he was 95% perfect. I wish I'd kept him longer! I released him with the very last of almost a dozen deep scratch wounds not fully healed. There was a slight scab and trace of the last scratch and the hair had not regrown. Unfortunately this area has been repeatedly scratched in the last 3-4 weeks. He visits every night for food,affection and play. A few nights ago I tricked him back into the catio as the wound/scab area was getting worse.

It is driving him and my household nuts as he wants to be free and wants constant attention. I've segregated him to my veranda catio & bathroom with a wire door blocking his entry into the main house but a view of us for company. I really would like some advice on getting these scratch wounds healed ASAP - we need sleep! My indoor cats hate him!

The white mark in the scab photo is a little of the white cream Neodermol an antiseptic/healing cream readily available where I live - rural Paraguay. I apply it twice a day and before that most nights he visited to prevent infection (hot, humid summer here).

The centre of the scab is where the months old scratch is located. Like the first time, it is surrounded by fresh scratches.

He doesn't bother with the wound excessively but enough to scrape a small bit of the scab here and there.... I'm wondering if I should upset him anymore by putting a sock on his back paw❓❓

He has other tiny scratches which are almost gone but seem to generate itchiness. I've given him his anti-parasite / flea etc treatments regularly and he mostly scratches around the head/neck area where the little scratch/scab marks are so I assume its that not a parasite.

He did lose weight but he went from living in a catio with breakfast in bed to hiding in the forest and visiting for dinner. However, his face and neck are thinner and less fluffy❓ The scratched areas lose fur so maybe that's all it is❓

Of all the food I offer him he basically only likes my chicken raw food mix, which with the added vitamins, is as close to his natural diet as possible. He nibbles at a few biscuits and a little tuna now and then, but ignores most everything unless it's tilapia in my fish-burger, then he's starving.

So, any advice on how to encourage this scabby wound to heal fast would be appreciated! :worship:

Keep in mind with any suggestions that while there are more pet products to be found in rural Paraguay than on the Moon, that's not really saying much!;)

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Hi, I thought I'd pass this on in case you want to look into it-I was on the facebook page of Felines and Canines Inc- in Chicago- an animal shelter- and they had a post about a cream that was used on a cat that had been scalded- and a dog that had burns on its face. They used a product from ResQ Organics- they have a website- and it healed the burns. I ended up buying it when I adopted my kitten from another shelter and she had a spot she kept scratching- couldnt get into the vet until 3 weeks later so I had to do something. She had scratched it until it bled- I used the cream and it was gone by the time the vet visit came up. they also sell for humans and I got some just for skin lotion.
 
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Carolina SA

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Update: BoyBoy is in his forever home!
So I gave in (took about a week ;) ) and he is being integrated into the household. It's coming along very well, he's off the harness when free in the main house now (it slowed him down and reduced his ability to climb so my other cats were less stressed).
Being indoors and around other animals and people is a lot for him to adapt to, so its a slooow patient process.
He's now watching the other cats (when not trying to swat the poor dog) and so has discovered the world of boxes.
His wound is still not fully healed * sigh* but he's a supervised indoor cat now, so no more fights. He's generally accepted but still thinks he's gotta be a fighter now and then, so he remains fully supervised for now.
 

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Carolina SA

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BoyBoy update 2.
He is adjusting to being indoors around other animals slowly, always supervised. At night he sleeps separated (an area he sometimes choose to return to for an afternoon catnap!).
He needs a good half hour of playtime twice a day or creates chaos! I've simply accepted I have to alter my daily routine for the time being (even when I cook dinner!), and the rewards are good moments and days increasing in frequency.
He's becoming a master of playing with toys - watching him learning to play has been an absolute treat. I also make sure toys are always on hand to distract him from wrestling my feet or the other animals. I love that he choosing to play with toys my other cats rejected (LOL, we didn't waste money after all).
My dog and male cat don't understand why he tries to take a swipe at them, and my female cat thinks he should visit Mars and never come back. However, we are making great progress.
Because he was abandoned in a semi-rural environment for probably most his life, he is used to fighting cats and unleashed dogs, so I expected it to take months before we could leave him unsupervised. He's terribly sweet, he comes running when I call his name and when the "accepted" family is around and staying still, he likes to sit at their feet like a loyal dog listening to our fascinating chat.
 

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fionasmom

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That is all wonderful news! He is so lucky to have found you. I rescued my Jamie, now 3, as a dying abandoned kitten of about 4 weeks old. He had no idea how to play and for a long time he was a real ripper, shredder, biter, scratcher which were his version of play. About a year or so later I rescued two sisters, one in my avatar, and they taught him how to play. They now have great matches together with Da Bird and he has stopped most of his behaviors. This morning he did grab a 1099 though as I was going through tax materials, so I guess the IRS gets one with cat spit on it.
 
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Carolina SA

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BoyBoy update 3:
boyboy healing.jpg

After 7 months BoyBoy.... our favourite ToyToy ;) is STILL healing!
The wound is less than 20% the original size but there is still scarring up the side of his cute little face that extends to above eye level.
We gave up on any collar. Our house/window layout, catio access routes, cat tents and the potential for our rescue dog to become triggered by a panicking cat was not worth the risk; nor his misery as he adapted to indoor life.
Antiseptic creams had to be applied as sparingly and infrequently as possible because of grooming and then occasional vomiting.

BoyBoy no longer swipes at the dog but he sure believes he rules the house and her food bowl! He is learning to play like our other cats and is back on the harness for a 15-20 min "walk" each day.
I am so grateful we trapped this little man skulking around our property (TNR)... he's become an absolute joy in our home and has an endearing husky chatter.

On another great note, the vet and her dog & cat private rescue centers that we've been donating to have made a massive difference to the number of abandoned dogs/puppies and cats/kittens I am seeing. We commit to a fixed amount each month and that has helped with the cost for sterilizing street animals and those with poor owners. She sterilized over 400 last year (most without payment) and is struggling to get close to those numbers this year but striving to do so!
 

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fionasmom

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Thank you so much for posting this absolutely wonderful news. BoyBoy is happy and has a great home and other unfortunate kitties are being helped.
 

di and bob

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Thank you SO much for the update. What a long road he has had on his healing. Let's hope the healing continues.....
Your vet sounds like a wonderful person to help all these animals and their humans! I wish we could get something like that going around here, it still costs me 150.00 an animal. May God bless her for making their lives a little easier....
 
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