Mastitis Is A Painful Infection In A Cat'S Breast

Mastitis is a painful infection in one or more of a cat's breasts. It is most often seen in female cats nursing babies. If left untreated, mastitis can become worse. The cat's teats can become ulcerated. Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast caused by a bacterial infection. It can occur in any animal that nurses its young. It also occurs in humans, dogs, and cats. Inflammation causes redness, pain, and swelling to the affected breast. It's not contagious to other animals. Kittens push and climb on the mother cat's breast while they nurse. Their tiny claws can carry bacteria from feces that then enter the teat through tiny breaks in the skin. Your vet may examine a few drops of milk under a microscope to check for bacteria or fungi. The milk will be sent to the lab to be tested. This means placing the milk sample on a special growth medium. It lets it grow for a day or two. Cabbage leaf compression is also recommended to treat mastitis in cats. This is done by taking a cabbage leaf, applying it to the inflamed teat, and leaving it there for three hours at a time. A bandage or small t-shirt is often used to hold the leaf in place. Most cats recover from mastitis within a few weeks. Washing the bedding and nursing box is the best way to ward off trouble. Make sure the cats are nursing from all of the teats and not just a few of them. . . .