My indoor cat has a face scratch. When is a vet visit needed?

No need to rush Sheru into a vet now. I would gently clean his wound with warm water and antiseptic soap. Keep the wound clean and dry, and monitor it for signs of infection. If you see redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, or pus, then it is infected and he will need to see the vet for antibiotics to treat it. I hope this helps!

Having the scratch on the face means he won! I would monitor the scratch, maybe clean it and put some antibiotic ointment on it for a few days. Should Dominick's face start to swell under the scratch, or should the skin get really red and painful , or both, then take him to a veterinarian for an exam. He will then likely have a cat bite abscess that may need to be lanced. Apart from that, he should be fine.

I'm sorry to hear that your cats are not getting along. That can be very frustrating. You may want to try adding ia pheromone diffuser, like Feliway, to your home because these can help ease some of your cat's anxiety. You may also want to consider talking to your vet about getting your more aggressive cat on anxiety medication. This may help make things easier between the cats so you don't have to worry about them fighting all the time. As far as taking care of Winston, keep a close eye on him for now. Make sure he is continuing to eat and drink. And also, it goes without saying, keep him separated from the other cat. Look for any lumps or swelling that could indicate an abscess forming. If Winston stops eating, becomes lethargic, or you noticed a swelling, then you should definitely take him to the vet. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

There is a photo attached this time, thank you! Yes, the wound looks serious enough to warrant a vet visit. That looks like it could use stitches to close, and Kiyo will need antibiotics to prevent infection. I would take him into the vet first thing in the morning. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Keep an eye on it and if it does not look better by tomorrow, or if he starts to scratch at it or rub his face, then get him seen by your vet as soon as possible. The worry is that if he starts rubbing or scratching, that he'll injure the eye itself and that will require more intensive treatment than a simple scratch or mild eye infection.

Hello. I am so sorry for Minkah's run-in with the other cat. You are right on target watching for any redness, swelling or discharge from the scratches that might indicate some infection. You might just lightly dab the scratches with a little peroxide just to keep things clean. It is very unlikely that you have to worry about anything significant, especially rabies, since this was just a scratch & the other cat is primarily an indoor cat. So, if the scratches begin to look worrisome, or Minkah acts painful or uncomfortable ( which is pretty unlikely ), do contact your veterinarian for further treatment. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

That looks to be a cat bite abscess (an infection from another cat biting him). He will definitely need antibiotics so yes, you need to get him to a vet. ( https://www.petcoach.co/article/cat-bite-infections-wounds-and-abscesses/ ) As a side note, if he is not neutered please get that done. Intact male cats are more prone to fighting; not to mention we don't need him running the neighborhood making kittens.