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My cat has a leg wound with yellow ooze. Is it infected? Vet needed?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 1 year and 9 months old | 7 lbs

Hello. We just discovered this wound on our cat’s leg. The blood is dried but we are concerned about the yellowish color. I touched the wound and came away with a bit of ooze or something. He does not seem to be in pain and does not feel hot. He is otherwise normal but he is licking the wound. We believe he injured himself at some point within the past 12 hours trying to hide in a narrow spot in our apartment. Should we take him to the vet just to confirm there is not an infection? Thank you.

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on July 28th, 2022

Poor Luka! From the picture you have provided, the edges of the wound make it appear to be an older wound, not a fresh new one, and it appears to be healing. That being said, I cannot rule out any additional wounds or any infection without seeing him in person, and it is a pretty good size wound. To be safe, yes I would take him into the vet just to get it checked out and to make sure there aren't any other problems. I hope this helps!

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