Cat injured

Question
My cat, Penelope (inside cat) recently escaped from my apartment and got into a fight with another cat.  It appears that she was cut on her leg and one of her back claws looks like it was hurt as well.  She has been picking at the scab on her side and I have been finding blood on the spot that she likes to sit on.  The other cat also urinated on her, so I have washed her with waterless wipes.  What should I do about the cut and to keep her from taking the scab off?

Answer
It's estimated that 90% of cat bites become infected and need antibiotics to cure.  So if this is a puncture wound, I strongly recommend getting Penelope to the vet.  One of my cats just saw the vet Tuesday for a bite, and the vet fears the infection has spread to the bone.  He may require major surgery and a hospital stay.  Any infection that isn't treated can also lead to infection and failure of the heart, liver and kidneys, so it's definitely important to treat bite wounds seriously.

Bite wounds do need to be kept open so that bacteria, blood and pus are able to exit.  If the wound scabs over, these things are trapped under the skin and cause a pocket of infection called an abscess.  These are dangerous and often require a vet to lance the abscess and drain it under anesthesia, and sometimes even implant shunts.

If it's more like a superficial scratch, you can rinse the wound with Chlorhexiderm wash, available at pet stores, and then apply a triple antibiotic ointment.  This should be done 2-3 times daily.  Don't use peroxide on cats unless advised to by a vet, and never use it on puncture wounds.  Peroxide delays healing in cats, and the reaction with the flesh causes heat, which leads to serious pain and inflammation of the area.

If she's constantly picking at it, she's going to need to wear an Elizabethan collar (e-collar), which looks like a lampshade that fits around the neck.  You can get them at most pet stores.  She's going to hate wearing it, but this is the only way you can stop her from bothering her wound.