My cat has some clumped/matted fur. Tonight I was trimming some with scissors. I thought one particular clump was far enough from the skin, but she suddenly gave a painful meow as I got some skin. The wound is circular, about 1 inch (2 cm) in diameter. The fur layer is removed, and part of that area has a deeper layer exposed. At first, there was absolutely no bleeding. She licked it, and when I checked again, there was a small amount of blood.
I followed the advice I found on various websites. I cleaned it with a paper towel and warm soapy water, then rinsed the soap away with more warm water on a paper towel. Then I applied some triple-antibiotic ointment, which I guess I should do at regular intervals. The cleaning freaked her out and probably hurt a little, but she seemed fine once I let her go.
Have I done the right thing? Should I be taking her to a vet? I can't exactly go right now, it's 3am (I work nights and this is my weekend). Is it dangerous for her to lick the antibiotic ointment?
I feel horrible. She wouldn't have matted fur if I brushed her more often. I should probably just get her shaved by a professional, but I'm worried that she'd get traumatized because she doesn't do well with strangers, loud noises, and people doing stuff to her.
I'll upload a picture when I can get her out from under the bed.
I followed the advice I found on various websites. I cleaned it with a paper towel and warm soapy water, then rinsed the soap away with more warm water on a paper towel. Then I applied some triple-antibiotic ointment, which I guess I should do at regular intervals. The cleaning freaked her out and probably hurt a little, but she seemed fine once I let her go.
Have I done the right thing? Should I be taking her to a vet? I can't exactly go right now, it's 3am (I work nights and this is my weekend). Is it dangerous for her to lick the antibiotic ointment?
I feel horrible. She wouldn't have matted fur if I brushed her more often. I should probably just get her shaved by a professional, but I'm worried that she'd get traumatized because she doesn't do well with strangers, loud noises, and people doing stuff to her.
I'll upload a picture when I can get her out from under the bed.