What can I do about an infected spot in my cats mouth?

If it’s infected the cat needs antibiotics. There is nothing else you can do but keep cleaning it and hope it goes away. Part of having a pet is being able to provide for it when it is sick.

@psychocandy , yes I know that part of having a pet is being able to provide for it when it is sick, but when you dont have the money, you don’t have it. I am going to keep cleaning it though. Thanks for the help.

Tea Tree oil. A drop in some water and cottonball to mouth. That’s healed big wounds on my old fighter cat- no more money in the \kitty tp buy treatment

@faye So I just put some straight on to a cotton ball and put it on her mouth?

No, put a few dtops in a small bowl of water first. She’s not going to like it and will probably froth some. You maybe will only have do it that 2 times a day. Ihada cat diagnosed with fungal infection on his mouth. It was five doses of his which after 2 days showed no improvement or tea tree oil which did work, in 2 dose one day and 1 the next.

Okay, sounds great! Thank you for the help!

Peroxide isn’t a good idea. Peroxide prevents wounds from healing on a cat. In fact, you use peroxide to treat an abscess on a cat so that it won’t heal up and trap the pus inside.

Not sure what to recommend alternatively, though, I’m curious to know how the infection got there in the first place. Does your cat go outdoors? How old is she? Has she been tested for autoimmune disorders like feline leukemia or feline AIDS?

@TheOnlyNeffie , she is almost a year now. She goes outside on a regular basis, but stays in at night. If I had to guess as to where she got it I’d have to say one of the other animals scratched her. As weird as it is, all of our cats rub their mouths on the corner of things. As far as being tested, no she has not. I’ve never seen anything like that, but I dont think its anything that serious. I sure hope not.

@TheOnlyNeffie , I just googled pictures of feline AIDS, and the pictures that popped up looked nothing like what she has.

It isn’t weird to rub her mouth on the corner of things, she is marking it.

FIV and FeLV may have no symptoms at all. They are autoimmune disorders… they just affect your cat’s ability to fight infection.

@TheOnlyNeffie, okay, I see. Do you that the Tea Tree Oil that @faye suggested is a bad idea?

@Rayvin14 I don’t want to say yes, only because there are some cats that can’t tolerate tea tree oil. Sometimes it causes an adverse reaction, particularly if there is a chance that your cat may have an autoimmune disorder. Since she hasn’t been tested, there is no way to know for sure. Other than that, it could work. I just worry since the injury is literally in her mouth.
Where did you get the cat?

@TheOnlyNeffie, a stray cat had kittens, so no certain place. We have taken her to the vet to get her fixed a while back, but not sure about anything else.

If the infection does not go away soon….

I’m not saying your cat needs Clindamycin (I’m unqualified to say that.)
But I will say that Clindamycin (also known as Antirobe, or Cleocin) is in the lincosamide class of antibiotics. It is used most often for oral infections, dental disease, abscesses, deep wounds, and bone infections. I copied that last sentence from peteducation.com, by the way.

Here’s lots of good information about Clindamycin.

And here’s the first place I found that sells it, but Buyer Beware… I’ve never used this pharmacy before (but I’ve used similar others to great success): http://www.canamericaglobal.com/products/Antirobe_Aquadrops/25/

If you ever take antibiotics for yourself or give them to a dependent…. make sure that the therapy is continued every single day for 10 days (more or less, but that’s about right for this particular drug), even if symptoms disappear. This is so dangerous to not remember. Ending antibiotic therapy early is a huge mistake.

Taking the cat to the vet, if possible, is obvious. But I realize there’s something called reality, too.

Ah, well if she was taken in as a stray, then she most likely has never been tested. I only asked because if you had possibly gotten her from a shelter or rescue, testing for those things is pretty standard.

If you really do something like what @Kraigmo is suggesting, and attempt to purchase your own antibiotics – please make sure to offer your cat some plain yogurt with the medication. Antibiotics will upset your kitty’s stomach, and most likely give her diarrhea. I really think you should talk to your parents about a vet visit, though. Call around, sometimes it is cheap to have a vet just take a look for you.

@TheOnlyNeffie, okay! you have been a major help! thank you!
@Kraigmo, I’m going to show my mother and see what she thinks about it, thanks alot!

I don’t want to argue with anyone who knows more than me. Tea Tree oil is an antibacterial agent- means it works like an antibiotic. I’ve used it on 3 cats, 2 dogs and a few humans with good results. My supposition is that your cat has a fungal infection which gives them sores. Tea Tree oil is an antifungal as well. If you do one mild treatment and your cat is unhappy after she calms down, then stop.

@faye did you use it on or in the cats’ mouths at any point?
I’m not arguing with you, by the way, I really have no experience with treating a cat with tea tree. Just curious.

Antibiotics would be ideal but I don’t think you can buy Clindadrops without a prescription, even from an internet pharmacy.

It’s very difficult to recommend treatment because, of course, any living creature could react badly to anything. Keeping it clean is a good start and I have plenty of friends with field working dogs who swear the sun rises and sets around tea tree oil. Do dilute it before applying to the mouth.

Keep a close eye on the sore and if it spreads, swells, has an adverse effect on kitty’s ability to eat or if you see lethargy, vomiting and/or diarrhea, stop your home treatments and call around to find low cost vets.

It is uncertain if ssential oils with phenols in them might be toxic to cats. They do not metabolize them the same as other mammals do, but if you are very careful not to use more than a tiny bit, it might work.

Another alternative is to give a tincture of goldenseal and echinacea by mouth. Echinacea pushes the immune system and goldenseal is antibacterial, and both herbs are safe to use on cats. Here is one product that is available. I suppose you might also use a tincture designed for people, but the dosage might be different.
http://shop.robbinspetcare.com/echinacea-goldenseal-blend.html

This thread is so irresponsible. No one here is a vet and you are recommending herbal treatments (most herbs have an adverse effect on cats) and advocating using antibiotics without a doctor’s okay.

Hopefully nothing bad happens to your cat. Maybe you can forego a Christmas present to pay a vet instead. A vet visit and antibiotics will probably be less than $100.

I am stepping in a bit late here, but you need to see a vet.

Such sores can be caused by an autoimmune disorder and antibiotics alone won’t help if that’s the case.

I had a cat with a fungal infection on his mouth. We bought the medicine from the vet. We had to apply it 5 times a day. We were nicely scratched up and the sore was still there days later so I tried my tea tree oil. Maybe 3 treatments and he healed up. you dilute it a lot, a few drops in a small bowl of water. @TheOnlyNeffie you go ahead and get your say in! I need to learn every day and am glad to.

@faye Yup. That’s been my experience in many instances (not all by any means). Go with what works. You take your chances too, but you take ‘em with a vet many times too, as you so well described.

Irresponsible or not, you have to do what’s right for you. If you cannot afford a vet, there ARE ways to educate yourself to do many things on your own.

@psychocandy,I actually find the thread very helpful. It may be a little irresponsible but @faye seems to know what she is talking about. I will do what I need to so my cat can go to the vet, but I was wondering if there were any other options, which I got. So thanks for your help.