Hi there,
Welcome to our first installment of what will be a regular update on animal matters relevant for the time.

Cat fight abscesses

Cats are territorial animals and will fight with other cats to establish territory or to defend existing territory. As a result, fight wounds are common in cats. These wounds frequently result in an infection that can make your cat very sick, especially if left untreated.
Which cats are most likely to fight?
Fight wounds occur more commonly in male cats than female cats. Any cat will protect its own areas and neutering makes these territorial areas smaller. Situations in which many cats live in the same location usually result in increased territorial struggles and fighting.
What happens?

The bacteria which are trapped under the skin following a bite wound can multiply for several days before any signs of infection become apparent.Swelling and pain at the puncture site are the most common signs of infection; many times, the cat will also run a fever. If loose skin is present around the puncture sites, a pocket of pus, called an abscess, will form. If the skin is not loose, such as on a foot or the tail, the infection spreads throughout the tissues, but the swelling may be less apparent than with an abscess; this type of infection is called cellulitis.With both an abscess and cellulitis, trapped pus can make the cat quite toxic and extremely ill.
The most frequent sites for bite wounds are the face, legs, back, tail and over the rump.

How do these infections develop?
When a dog inflicts a bite, it clamps its teeth shut in the skin, and shakes its head.Usually the skin of the victim tears, leaving a large laceration. However, when a cat bites, the teeth go through the skin, and then it releases quickly. This results in small puncture wounds in the skin, with holes about the same diameter as the cat's teeth. These holes seal and virtually disappear within hours, trapping bacteria from the cat's mouth under the skin of the victim. The type of bacteria which live in the cat’s mouth thrive in an environment where the oxygen concentration is low.Once the wound seals shut, bacteria can begin to multiply at a rapid rate therefore forming an abscess.
Will my cat recover?
Bite wounds which receive proper veterinary care usually heal without complication.

If a bite wound infection does not heal within a few days, it often becomes necessary to look for an underlying cause. Certain viruses, including the feline leukemia virus and the feline immunodeficiency virus, suppress the immune system and complicate the cat's recovery from infections. A blood test should be performed for the leukemia virus and the feline immunodeficiency virus; if these are negative, other tests may be needed to look for possible explanations.
During the autumn and winter, wild cats move closer to civilisation to follow their food source and this means their travels will cross into domestic cats' territory. This leads to fights as domestic cats protect their territory.

Now is the time to watch and listen out for cat fights and check your cat hasn't been injured. More fights happen at night so you can keep your cat inside at night to help reduce chances of injury.