Q&A The Yorkshire Vet

QI think my cat may have got into a fight – she is limping and has a scratch on her face. Are there any signs to indicate whether she had or not? Cat fights are common as cats are territorial. Their teeth harbour many virulent bacteria, including Pasteurella species, which can cause infection, pain and damage to body tissues when ‘injected’ into the body by a bite during a fight. Severe infections from cat bites will cause pain and a temperature, both of which usually stop them eating. While superficial wounds may heal unassisted, many cat bites will form abscesses that must be lanced and drained.

Vet Peter Wright works at Skeldale Veterinary Centre, the original James Herriot practice in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, and he’s also star of TV’S The Yorkshire Vet which is on Tuesdays at 8pm on Channel 5.