All Things Pets

What To Do If Your Cat Gets Attacked By Another Cat

by Dean Oliver

Cat fights happen, especially when one or both cats aren't neutered or spayed. While there's a big difference between a play fight tussle and a genuine fight, genuine fights can expose your cat to significant damage and health threats. If your cat has recently been in a fight, here's what you need to do for their health.

Step 1: Stop Bleeding

If your kitty is bleeding, you'll want to stop that as soon as possible. It's unlikely to be severe bleeding if your cat was fighting with another housecat or stray cat, but it's nonetheless important to stop it as soon as you can.

To do this, use cotton balls or gauze to apply pressure to the wound. Keep in mind that your cat may not care for this at all, so you may want to have a second person restrain your kitty while you work on stopping the bleeding. If need be, you can use paper tape or a fabric bandage to affix the gauze to the wound to help continuously apply pressure. Avoid standard sticky bandages as they can potentially damage the wound further.

Step 2: Get to Vet Hospital

Next, you need to get treatment from a vet. There are no two ways around this. Cat bites and scratches are very dangerous, especially when they penetrate deeply. The bacteria found on cats' claws and in their mouths can quickly induce an infection that can put a cat's entire health at risk. So, get in touch with your local vet hospital and arrange to be seen on an emergency basis. 

Step 3: Treatment

Your vet will immediately get to work on your kitty. If they're still bleeding, they'll likely take your cat in for surgery to thoroughly clean out the wound, remove any damaged or infected tissues, and then suture it closed again. This will stop the bleeding and ensure that any infection that was developing has less of a chance of spreading to other parts of the body.

From there, your cat will need antibiotics. If they lost a lot of blood, they may also need iron injections or a blood transfusion from a donor cat. Whether your cat needs this will be determined with a blood test.

Depending on the severity and number of wounds, your cat may be able to return home the same day or may need to spend some time in the hospital recovering. Expect your cat to wear an e-collar for a few days to prevent them from cleaning their wounds and potentially making them worse. Follow your vet's directions for giving your cat antibiotics and make sure to not miss the return appointment for your cat to be examined and their sutures taken out.

For more information, reach out to a veterinarian hospital in your area.

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