First, we have a vet appointment tomorrow morning. We’ve already been once though so I want to hear some ideas to maybe discuss with my vet.
The cat is a long-haired black male, about 4 years old I believe–no older than 5, I just can’t quite remember what year we got him. Definitely adult but still young. No health issues that we know of (other than this of course). Indoor only, though he does occasionally get to go outside on a leash while I work (yes I am the kind of crazy pet owner who walks her cats :uhoh:).
It started a few weeks ago with the pad on one of his feet. It was kind of raw and inflamed, but he really likes to jump onto this high window and pull himself up and the board is really rough so I figured he’d just rubbed it. That healed up quickly with minimal first aid and didn’t seem to bother him. I’m not sure whether it is related.
Then I went out of town for the weekend and had my ranch hand feeding my cats. He didn’t notice anything but that’s not abnormal because Bagheera doesn’t like strangers and hides–he saw him occasionally (especially in the window as he walked up) but not closely. Anyway when I got back I found that Bagheera had small scratches under his left ear. They were really minor and I figured he’d been rubbing on something.
Then he developed (or I noticed, it may have happened at the same time) a small scab on his neck, same side. It was okay for a day or two and seemed to be healing but then suddenly bust open and was kind of pus-y though it just looked like good pink skin. I thought he’d just torn the scab off but to be sure I took him to the vet. The vet agreed but thought it might also be an abscess from an infected scratch and so put him on a week of antibiotics. Those just finished up. It seemed to be closing.
This morning it was suddenly huge, like twice the size it was before. It still just looks pink and raw though, not infected. He also seemed to have a few new scratches on his head. He doesn’t mind me messing with it a bit, and I can do whatever I want to the scratches on his head. It doesn’t seem to hurt but it does itch, he licks it and scratches around it.
He seems to feel okay, pretty normal amounts of cuddling and activity but instead of sleeping on the couch like he usually does he’s been sleeping in the litter box which I know is a sign he’s not feeling good. Appetite, drinking, and other bodily functions are normal. He’s just got this huge sore on his neck.
I’m wondering if it might be an insect bite or something and he’s causing the irritation by itching at it. There’s something that has occasionally bitten me in my sleep this summer and it leaves huge impossibly itchy welts that itch so bad I’ve literally woken up scratching them raw. No idea what it is. The animals are all treated for fleas but I know there have been some issues with resistance in our area so I wonder if that might be a possibility. I haven’t seen any but they’re so tiny I could have missed a relatively mild infestation. I do have another cat that isn’t affected but I also notice that the dogs seem a little itchier recently…
Anyway, what do you guys think? I’d like to have some informed ideas to talk to my vet about if possible rather than just going there with, “My kitty isn’t feeling good 
.” Sorry for the novel here but I’m worried and I tend to ramble when that’s the case.
