Jumpy cuddled up on my lap tonight for about 20 mins, during which time I noticed a small lump on his spine. I know kittens can be quite bony but this seemed soft to touch. He didn't seem to find it painful, but perhaps a bit irritating. There seemed to be a slight scratch nearby, but all looked healed. I'm just wondering if it's an abscess from when they were playfighting the other night, it was quite a rough game?

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RIP Charcoal my shy girl 1987-2000, Patch the wanderer 1987-?, Tabby my darling fluffball 1988-2002 & Panda the rascal 1988-2008

I'm a bit worried as I read it can be serious, but it doesn't seem to be at the moment. He's very happy and relaxed and I'd hate to have to rush him to the vet tonight. I'd rather see what it's like in the morning. I'm going to put a piece of tissue dipped in warm salt water against it.

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RIP Charcoal my shy girl 1987-2000, Patch the wanderer 1987-?, Tabby my darling fluffball 1988-2002 & Panda the rascal 1988-2008

I soak abscesses in warm salty water until they rupture then I keep flushing them out twice a day until it has healed. This stops it healing over and trapping any infection which could cause a reoccurance.

This is what I do for rats. They are pretty amazing at walling off any infection so they usually don't need antibiotics. I'm fairly sure it's recommended to give cats antibiotics to healp heal an abscess.

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Cara,
Owned by Fern, Heidi, Asteroid, Bubbles & Fizz
Missing Snippet, Frost, Willow & Nix


Opinions are like armpits. Everyone has them, and some stink.

Raffles has just had an abscess on his cheek and because he has thick fur, we didn't notice until was obviously feeling quite poorly. He wasn't eating properly and moping about the place.

The previous weekend we had seen a slight scratch on him, bathed the blood away to clean it and thought he would be OK. When we realised he wasn't feeling himself we looked him over and noticed his cheek was swollen. The vet drained it by scratching a scab off with her nail (yuck) and he obviously felt relief immediately. An antibiotic jab had him back to normal in a couple of days.

If he seems quite happy I would think he'll be OK until tomorrow. Abscesses eventually make them feel quite ill because of the infection but if he's eating OK, and appears lively and happy it doesn't sound like an emergency, but I'd get him to a vet tomorrow.

I bathed it with warm salty water last night (tried to!) and then took him to the vet this morning. He's fine in himself, but they shaved some fur and saw a wound nearby which has healed over, however they couldn't drain the abscess! They took his temperature which was a bit high, 103, and should be no more than 102. So they injected an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory (which cost me £120!!!!!! ) and said to see how he goes by tomorrow, as the abscess seemed to be going down towards his spine, and they may need to sedate him to get a better look. So I said I'd bring him back tomorrow morning after dropping Treacle off (at my other vet) for neutering...! I am now quite concerned, I hope they can get the abscess drained.

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RIP Charcoal my shy girl 1987-2000, Patch the wanderer 1987-?, Tabby my darling fluffball 1988-2002 & Panda the rascal 1988-2008

Abscesses need to be encouraged to rupture. Normally this takes up to a week of soaking with warm salty water to bring the infection the the surface. The skin will then start to go black and turn into a scab which can then be picked or soaked off to release the pus.

EDIT: Don't be tempted to squeeze it. This can drive the infection deeper.

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Cara,
Owned by Fern, Heidi, Asteroid, Bubbles & Fizz
Missing Snippet, Frost, Willow & Nix


Opinions are like armpits. Everyone has them, and some stink.

I will try bathing it again now that the fur has been clipped back, that's the best I can do until I can get him back to the vet tomorrow

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RIP Charcoal my shy girl 1987-2000, Patch the wanderer 1987-?, Tabby my darling fluffball 1988-2002 & Panda the rascal 1988-2008

That's a good idea. If it won't pop by itself then the vet can lance it.

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Cara,
Owned by Fern, Heidi, Asteroid, Bubbles & Fizz
Missing Snippet, Frost, Willow & Nix


Opinions are like armpits. Everyone has them, and some stink.

Well she tried to lance it this morning and it wouldn't drain, which she said was quite unusual, that's why I;m worried. It was quite squishy so I'm sure it's not a tumour, but why would it not drain out by needle?

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RIP Charcoal my shy girl 1987-2000, Patch the wanderer 1987-?, Tabby my darling fluffball 1988-2002 & Panda the rascal 1988-2008

Maybe it's not very full yet? Abscesses that are ready to pop are usually very hard and sore. It might just be that there isn't much pus in it a the moment so they can't get any of it out.

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Cara,
Owned by Fern, Heidi, Asteroid, Bubbles & Fizz
Missing Snippet, Frost, Willow & Nix


Opinions are like armpits. Everyone has them, and some stink.