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Cats/My cat has been attacked :(

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Expert: - 4/22/2011


Question
I have a cat who is a British short-hair, aged 1 and three months, but he is very big in size. Anyway, he is always out in the garden, and has regular fights with other cats naturally but mostly with this other ginger cat. However, one day, my cat was out for about 7 hours, although he stays for about 2 hours maximum, feels hungry and comes home. This time, he came hours later looking very upset and ill. I observed him for a while then realised that all four of his paws had their nails snipped from the red part, where the nerve is. I usually cut my cat's nails every 3 weeks from the curved thin part, but I was immensely shocked and upset when I saw this had happened to my cat. He is in so much pain, and does not run around like he used to. I could not imagine that he had lost them during a fight or perhaps damaged them some how, because they were all clean cut. I wiped his fur with a damp cloth because he seemed hot and on the fur was unusual black dust which I had never seen on him before. I was thinking perhaps the owner of the ginger cat that my cat had a fight with (my cat is wayyyy stronger and tougher than the ginger cat) has sought to seek revenge on my poor kitty? I am so heart broken and worried about him.. Also, I noticed the tip of his tongue has gone redder than his usual peachy pink colour-maybe because he has a fever? Anyway, if you have any advise I would extremely appreciate it as I am so worried.
Many thanks

Answer
Katherine,

Get your cat to your vet immediately!!!!!!!!! He must be tended to to prevent infection and you can inquire whether the claws will grow back.  You can also inquire if this might have been a freak accident or your cat was attacked by an abusive, evil human!!!!!!!!!!  Your vet can also check out his tongue, but I would guess it is from trying to lick and clean his own wounds.

Please let me know what your veterinarian says.

Shocked & concerned regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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