Recognition

• The first step to treating your cat's abscess is to recognize what is wrong with her by being knowledgeable about the symptoms of an abscess. The abscess if often accompanied by a foul odor. Some cats will become apathetic about grooming and eating. They may be listless and quiet. The area where the abscess is actually located will be painful to the touch and will sometimes be oozing with pus. Abscesses are most often found on the cat's face, neck, tail, back or legs.
  
  

Surgery

• A simple surgery is most often performed to treat the abscess. The veterinarian will anesthetize your cat and make a small incision in the abscess to lance it. The pus and infection is flushed from the abscess using an antibacterial solution. If the abscess if caught early, this may be all that is required. In some cases, sutures are required to close the incision because the infection has become advanced. In even more serious cases, a type of reconstructive surgery is necessary because dead and diseased tissue had to be removed during the surgery.
  
  

Antibiotics

• The surgery is most often followed with a course of antibiotics that the cat receives for five to 10 days. In some instances the infection doesn't respond to the first course of antibiotics and may require a second course to treat the infection. Be sure to administer the antibiotics as instructed by your veterinarian and not to stop the medication just because you think your cat is better. It is imperative that your cat finish the entire course prescribed to ensure that the infection does not return.
  
  

Home Care

• Your veterinarian will give you specific instructions about how to care for your cat at a home following treatment for her abscess. Common care given for a cat recovering from an abscess includes the application of warm compresses to the area where the abscess was located. These are often applied three to four times per day for five to 10 minutes per treatment. While the wound is healing, it should not be covered. It will continue to drain as it heals and it important that your cat not lick or chew at the wound during healing. It may be necessary to fit your pet with an Elizabethan collar if she continues to irritate the wound.