I hurt my cat this evening...so upset!

My gray male Maine Coon cat, long hair, had debris stuck all around his butt. Big globs of grass, sticks and probably poop! I had already cut big clumps away from the yellow coon cat's fur with no problem, being very careful to not cut his skin. He is so laid back, he just rolled over and let me work on him. The gray is skittish, and I knew it would be a challenge. I got hold of the biggest clump and attempted to cut it loose with the scissors, and he jerked away, as I managed to cut it loose, only to discover I had cut some of his skin away as well. It did bleed and looks like a long bloody gash on the back of his leg under the rump. I am sick that this happened...truly! I wouldn't hurt my animals for the world, and tried to comfort him, and also managed to put some Neosporin on it, much to his dislike as he is running from me now when I approach him. He doesn't seem to be in much pain, but I know I hurt him. It's no longer bleeding but is a raw firey red area. I did manage also to pet him a couple of times. He wants outside badly now, but I'm keeping him in for the night. I'm just sick that this happened!'
Patty

it will heal. it happens to everyone. a trick you might try is if you have to clean out a "back end" again, take a warm, soapy washcloth and hold it over the area that is stuck. you'll have to really hold the cat, but it can be done. it will loosen up the debri and be much easier to see and to manipulate to cut.......

keep him in and he'll be fine......i used to cut my little J.J. sometimes when i gave him his trim. xoxoxo pat

Oh dear (((((((((((((((((seeker))))))))))))))))))

I'm so sorry this happened for both you and your beloved cat. It will be ok and soon he will forget and be your bud again. He will heal and he will keep it clean as best he can. He knows you were only trying to help and it wasn't done intentionally.

Not to worry hon....he'll be fine and so will you.

Hugssss

J

Thanks, Pat. That is comforting to know I am not the only one who has goofed in such efforts! I hate to keep the gray in tonight as he is very upset, but he has quieted down now in the garage, and I'll check on him in the morning.
I know a lot of cat owners who keep their cats inside 100% of the time, but these cats love to go out and get rowdy and destructive if they are confined inside. I do worry about letting them out, but my objective in buying this little house last summer was to find a quiet area with little traffic where they could continue to go out as they did at my previous residence which was on a dead-end street near woods.
I'm going to keep the gray in for a day or so to make sure he's healed.
Love
Patty

Thanks, Sab!
It really just amounts to a scrape, I guess, but it just made me sick to know I did such a thing to him since he's already so skittish! Still having a lot of clumps of stuff on his rump, I managed to just pull some of it away later this evening, making him even more unhappy, but I was worried about germs and infection on the injury.
I'm going to try Pat's suggestion of moistening the areas that are left.
One friend has her cat shaved! LOL...The gray would never stand for that unless anesthetized!
Patty

you need to take your cat to the Vet clinic asap.

Zen...you think I should?
I thought of doing this immediately after it happened, but it would mean driving a long distance to emergency vet clinic, the only one open at this hour of the evening. I will, of course, look at the cat tomorrow and if it looks like it's not going to heal, I'll take him after work tomorrow.
Thanks,
Patty

I don't think he needs to go to the vet if the wound is not infected and it's stopped bleeding. Just keep it clean. It'll heal on it's own.
I accidently cut my dog, Aggie, when I was trying to shave her hair off. She survived. I put some medicine on it and she was fine.
Don't feel bad, it happens. ((((((((Patty)))))))))))

Washing a cat is a hard thing to do. My cat hates it when I come at her with a pair of scissers. I have been lucky because my cat is relatively easy to keep still for short periods of time. My vet was somewhat uncomfortable when I admitted that I do this. She felt that I might accidently hurt the cat. I told her that I can't be by her with her butt smelling like that. If she is going to live with me, I have to clean her butt sometimes for her. I suspect you feel the same way.
I think the idea of checking her in the morning and taking her in if it looks bad is a good idea. I can't rush my cat to the vet anyways because I don't drive. It's probably just a simple cut and will heal quickly. I hope it works out very quickly for you and your cat.

Thanks, Hopefull and Pickle...
I knew it would be a challenge getting to this cat's butt with scissors. Wish I had tried moistening it or soaking it first, but the cat would have been having a fit at being wet as well and the other cat was so easy. They are brothers and so different in personality. My old kitty is rangy and really needs a bath. I may just give him one this week. Pets!
Love
Patty

the wet, warm washcloth really works!!! he's going to be be okay. i don't think he needs to go to the vet, from your description of the injury. just keep him in and watch the cut. he'll groom it a lot........xoxoxo pat

((((((((((((((((( Seeker ))))))))))))))))))

It does happen to all of us,,,in my case a doggie, I didn't figure out the moisten till much later... and your kitty will trust you again....(((huggs)) freewill

I have done it while grooming angora bunnies and it does heal quickly. I have a dog whose butt gets like that. It is a hard job but the hair and poo must be clipped. I try to clip the butt of all hair to avoid the problem but am not always successful. When you make them bleed it makes you feel like a monster because they love us and depend on us for their care. Give him treats and love, he will forget. Keep the neosporin handy, or bagbalm, whatever.

I can understand why you are upset. But do remember that it happened because you were trying to help your pet -- you weren't drop-kicking it against the wall. Even surgeons make mistakes, like leave instruments inside the patient.

Like Pat said, the wet cloth works wonder on these messes (but be prepared for odor if there is anything nasty stuck there).

here's the visual.........tons of crazy middle-aged/elderly women, holding a wet and warm washcloth to an animal's butt and the look on the pet's face is this........ and it takes a lot of this at times to get it done and now Wants had to bring the odor in........

J.J. was a little "Benjie" dog that i found and for 17 years he and i did the butt wrassle...........i kept him clipped pretty good but if i got distracted, he would be in a mess. and when i bathed him, he carried on as if i was cutting off a leg. one time he stayed with my sister and got seed ticks.....300+ of them. i did not think he would ever forgive me for that night. took me til 3 a.m. to get them all off and him bathed and annointed, etc.......(tweezers and the whole ordeal........)