Antibiotic Ointments

[Pat S.]

Excuse my dropping in after a long absence. Cats and kittens have more or less sorted themselves out, although I ended up "stuck with" and falling in love with one of the foster kittens. I'm still caring for Grace, the mom cat who technically belongs to the neighbors across the street, and she's been vaccinated and spayed (they still have kittens from their last litter...sigh....).

Norman, the father of ALL the kittens, technically belongs to the neighbors next door. They actually did have him tested and vaccinated, and had an abcessed paw treated (I did all of the same, not knowing that they had done it, but I also had him neutered). However, because he (still) sprays, they obviously plan to make him an outdoor cat.

To try to make this long story short, Norman's other front paw does not look good, and he sometimes limps. The paw itself (but not the leg) is enlarged, and there appears to be some bleeding under or around the pads. I see him about once a day, and would say that it's not getting any better or any worse.

I have used up the last of the ointment the vet gave me when I had his other paw treated (Animax). It seemed to help. I literally do not have any more money right now that I can spend on the neighbors' cats (Uncle Sam wants a few thousand that I don't have), and the neighbors are not shouldering the responsibility.

In lieu of *no treatment at all*, is there some kind of over the counter antibiotic ointment that is safe for use on a cat? I know he needs a vet visit, but I need a crown on a tooth, too...neither one will happen anytime soon.

[Traci]

There is no such thing as an over-the-counter antibiotic, and should you find one, promptly put it back on the shelf and leave. Antibiotics are by prescription only, for good reason, they can be abused and misused in the wrong hands. (and yes, anaphylactic reactions can occur with any antibiotic)

Without seeing him and judging by your post, it sounds like his paw is seriously infected, abcessed and may have a sliver or some other foreign body embedded in it. This necessitates a vet visit, cleaning the wound, removing any foreign bodies, prescribing antibiotics. No way to tell how serious this is without seeing it, but left undetected, the problem is only going to get worse. The paw is a prime area to collect dirt, bacteria and worsen an open wound with infection.

The only home treatment I will suggest is soaking the paw pad in a solution of betadine and warm water (weak tea-colored solution), and if the bleeding has stopped, may apply polysporin ointment (mild type, NOT extra-strength). But, none of this is going to help if there is an object embedded deep within the wound. If it is severely abcessed, do NOT apply polysporin, it needs to drain and heal from the inside out (which of course is the purpose of antibiotics)

If the neighbor claims him as theirs, it is their responsibility to get him seen and treated. Funny how they can afford to test and vaccinate, and treat an abcess, yet they can't follow up on his care, and get him neutered? If you're in the position to do so, tell them antibiotics are reasonably cheap, and will prevent worsening infection, and might want to tell them that without, that wound is only going to get more severe, possibly ending up losing his paw or leg if infection gets necrotic.

[Pat S.]

Hi, Traci,

I guess I was thinking of something like Neosporin ointment.

This is neither here nor there, but I have always thought Norman was part of the cat colony across the street. He looks so much like Grace (his girlfriend), I assumed they were siblings.

I spent close to $1,000 on Grace, Norman, and the kittens from April through June. I tried a new vet who is closer to home, and found that they don't work much with cats. Norman's *first* bill was $385, and I had to take him back for a second visit and a second round of antibiotics because of his left front paw.

It was only when I asked my next door neighbors if they would consider feeding him while I went to Oregon for a funeral that I found out that the "little" cat they'd adopted months ago was the same cat! I had pictured a little female cat, and was shocked to find out that it was the big lug! They have never had a cat before and, although they took him one time to get his shots and have his paw treated, when they discovered he sprayed, they just put him out and were done with him. That must have been around January, when I started giving him shelter in my carport and feeding him.

When I got back from Oregon, it was their six year old son who told me that Norman was not from the group across the street - his sister found him elsewhere and brought him home! His mother never told me that!

So, he really is their cat, just as Grace and her daughter and sons and grandchildren are the other neighbors' cats. I'll probably end up taking him to the vet and putting it on a credit card. I just don't know how long I can keep doing this. He and Grace won't have any more kittens, but there's a new batch across the street!