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Cats/mysterious cat fight in apartment

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Expert: - 4/19/2011


Question
I have a 8 month old male not yet neutered and we live in an apartment on the 5th floor.
I came home with my cat lying in the corner his fur matted and covered in feces. There was a fowl smelling stench throughout my living room. There was feces smeared on the wall and even a little on the ceiling. His nose is bloody and there is a wound on his left thigh. These are signs of a cat fight right? but i don't know how a cat could have gotten into my apartment. The solarium window was open but i can't see how a cat could get in or out when we are in the 5th floor. I'm so confused as how my cat got injured. Any idea?

Answer
Nancy,

I have absolutely no idea how your cat was injured but it does sound like he needs fairly urgent medical attention to prevent him from getting abscesses in his open wounds. I would also recommend neutering him as soon as possible just in case this is a result of him wandering out somehow to mate with an intact female, getting into a fight and somehow getting back into the apartment. The foul smell is likely from a discharge of your cat's anal glands (they have scent glands on either side of their anus that contain a foul smelling discharge and they will often release these when they're very frightened).

This is a very odd situation and I really have some serious doubts that another cat caused the injuries to your cat. I would check around your home for signs of a break in and/or ask management if they had occasion to enter your apartment just in case these injuries were caused by a human being's act of cruelty, your vet can offer an opinion on the cause of the injuries. Some cats have been known to be quite territorial when it comes to protecting their human caregiver's home from burglars or people they aren't familiar with and feces on the ceiling sounds a little out there for a straight forward cat fight.

If you have any further cat related questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact me again, I'm more than happy to help in any way that I can.

Kind regards,

Ali

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Ali

Expertise

I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.

Experience

I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.

Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.

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