We got home from shopping this afternoon and Lily has somehow got a small wound on the outside of her rear foot and a slightly bigger one on the inside on the other leg. Neither are dripping with blood, just a bit red and missing some fur. I'm not sure if this is an outside/inside injury from jumping and catching herself on something or the result of a fight with her mother/brother. She will come running for treats and leap about after the carrot and no limping or crying or anything. We've tried to keep her still and wash both wounds with some very slightly salty, cooled, boiled water, although most of this was spent chasing her round the house to try and catch her and then a lot of wriggling!! I've shut the catflap for now so she can't go outside and get anything in the wounds. Obviously it's Saturday evening and I'm not sure it's serious enough for emergency vet, and getting there in the snow could be interesting. What do you normally do in this situation?

Edit: Yes, I know a picture would help but we had enough trouble trying to get water on them let alone still enough for a picture! We don't have magic cat handling skills yet!

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Our lovely cat family: Zarco, Lily and their mum, Jess.

If the wounds arent gaping or bleeding and she is walking ok, Im sure it does not need a vet tonight. Keep an eye on it and try to keep bathing it. If if starts weeping, or swelling (abscess) perhaps a ring to the vet on monday.

^^^^ What Rose says.If she isnt bothered and it is clean and not bleeding I would just keep an eye on it and phone your vet if your worried in the morning.I would try to keep her in though until you are sure it has scabbed over and not at risk of infection.Hope she is okay.

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It could possibly be a puncture wound from a incisor perhaps, if you do get a look at it, and its a tiny quite deep puncture about the size of a cat incisor that could be your problem. If it does prove to be that if not kept clean and flushed out with the saline and they start to seal and heal too quickly they can be prime places for abcesses to form. Best thing I found if you find them quick enough is to keep irrigating them for a day or two 3/4 times a day and then let them heal, that way it does often heal without an abcess forming.
to be 100% sure you should/could get antibiotics as well really.

Either way if you can continue to bathe it until you get to the vets it should be OK.

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Thanks everyone, I'm much more stressed about it than she is (relatively new cat slave!). I'm not sure we can get close enough to get a proper look. Lily is sulking currently after we got her long enough to soak them, although happy enough to play a bit. She's only licked the small wound once that I've seen. As it's small it makes it harder to know what to do, as I don't know if I'm over reacting or not. As there are two wounds on different legs, does that make it more or less likely to have been from a fight or a leaping incident?

Thanks again for calming me down a bit!

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Our lovely cat family: Zarco, Lily and their mum, Jess.

Lily is still wandering around with no problems, but as these guys are my first cats I'm going to go and see the vet just in case, and maybe for some tips on how to hold her when something like this does happen as she's a wriggly little darling. We still can't work how she managed to get so many little injuries. I hope she forgives me afterwards, might need to invest in a roast chicken! I've got some Feliway, *fingers crossed* for the bus trip!

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Our lovely cat family: Zarco, Lily and their mum, Jess.

Hope all is well,paws crossed for an uneventful bus trip.Please let us know how it goes at the vets

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Thanks, will do. I keep imagining Lily managing to escape from the carrier and charging around the bus! It's only 10 minutes though.

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Our lovely cat family: Zarco, Lily and their mum, Jess.

Getting in the carrier: Both were out and I put the nice blanket they sometimes sleep on and some Feliway in the posh one, but she goes and sits herself down in the other one, with the blanket her mum came home from the rescue in. Somehow, I don't think she'll make that mistake next time...

The bus trip: Meeeeooowww. Meeeeooowww. Meeeeooowww. Meeeeooowww. Meeeeooowww. Meeeeeeeeeooooooooowww!

The vet: Turned up early (3.30 and they re-open at 4) and thanks to a certain little madam making such a racket outside the door, they let me in early The vet said it was a cat bite and that she had a temperature, so was given some antibiotics. Very pleased to know I wasn't overreacting and it was just a matter of time until it went really nasty.

Since we got home, Lily has scoffed most of a tin of Applaws, and I am now recovering from the trauma of my first real vet visit. Definitely time for a cuppa...

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Our lovely cat family: Zarco, Lily and their mum, Jess.

Good to read that it was indeed worth the hassle,so often small things can lead to problems if not treated early.Treats for Lily and a "well done"to her slave for her prompt action and of course a cup of something hot

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