Words That Sound Terrible Together: Cat. Abscess. Butt. Comforter Cover.
At some point, about two weeks ago, Pinky got in a cat fight.
Um.
Okay, it’s probably more accurate to say that he was the victim of a cat mugging.
He’s so furry that not only did we not notice the bite mark on his butt (he was obviously running away from the other cat when he sustained this injury…sad), but we also didn’t notice the gigantic abscess forming under his skin because it was hidden by the surrounding butt chub.
Until the abscess ruptured.
AT THIS POINT IN TIME I SHOULD PROBABLY MENTION THAT THE NEXT PART OF THE STORY IS REALLY DISGUSTING AND ALSO CONTAINS A GRAPHIC POST SURGERY PHOTOGRAPH. IF YOU WERE THE KID WITH THE VIVID IMAGINATION WHO BARFED ON THE CLASSROOM FLOOR IN FRONT OF EVERYONE WHEN YOUR 5th GRADE TEACHER READ THE HAND BURNING SECTION OF JOHNNY TREMAIN, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY AT LEAST AVERT YOUR EYES OR POSSIBLY STOP READING NOW. However, if you are one of those people who loves squeezing blackheads and cannot stop watching zit popping videos on you tube, then by all means, follow your bliss.
We woke up to sticky, blood-tinged, pink stains all over our comforter cover. The stains were so large, that initially we fingered Pannonica for the gross discharge. We thought that she had some sort of lady cat problem associated with her recent spaying and took her to the vet.
It wasn’t until we returned home with Pannonica and $60 in non-refundable cat drugs for her imaginary urinary tract infection, that we discovered the oozing wound at the base of Pinky’s tail.
As if this story couldn’t get more awful, Pinky had to stay overnight at the animal hospital so the vet could cut open Pinky’s wound to properly debride and flush out the now empty pus sack that was a full three inches in diameter.
The cost of four stitches and a noodle-like surgical drain? $450. Ah pets. They keep you poor.
For the next week we have to put hot compresses on Pinky’s butt and “floss” the wound cavity clean by dragging the noodle drain back and forth.
popthatzit.com informs me that if the butt flossing is sufficiently horrific, I can make a cool $20 by forcing my cat to star in a zit porn video. Now there’s a silver lining if I’ve ever seen one.
One Comment
My Lester Buster is the recipient of many cat bite wounds, mostly inflicted by his brother Stanley. We have had that very same scenario but on his neck and chestal area several times. It is gross, gross, and really gross.
I have gotten in the habit when he is sitting on my lap to run my hands very carefully all over his body looking for little bite marks, scabs, any puffiness, any physical signs that he has a bite wound. He also displays lethargy, runs a fever and just generally lets you know he feels like crap. At the first sign I haul him to the vet to get things cleaned and get the antibiotics going. Those cat bites are just full of nastiness.
I am so sorry your poor kitty is having to heal from this business. And even sorrier that the innocent cat got hauled to the vet for nothing wrong with her!