Okay - today around dawn we doused a small wasps nest (golf ball size? Egg at most... yellowjackets I think - striped and lean and mean bright yellow and black) with pesticide for such purpose because the buggers chose a spot igrht by the back gate that both we and the cat pass by several times daily. While it appeared to kill the ones we could see fairly immediately I don't know how many may be inside or still out on their rounds that may have escaped my wrath. I do know I've seen at least one of the bastards still out on rounds, though I don't know if its from the same nest.
Just about a half hour ago my cat came in for lunch and I noticed a swollen bump on his ear that was no larger than dime size diameter, which at first looked like had smaller bubbles/lumps on it until I saw that it was a ball of clear liquid probably draining from the bump. He was not acting particularly distressed about anything, purring as par usual, and ate while I went to move my car out of the driveway for so Chad could get out of the carport, and now I am not sure where the cat has gone. Outside at the car a bee was obviously in some kind of ill health as it appeared to be flying/stumbling erratically into the side of my vehicle, also near the nest we had poisoned this morning.
Phantom is a tough guy and a pretty hardy beast that only had to visit the vet for one emergency (he found some kind of infected abscess on the leg, but I never saw any wound at all) in thirteen years or so, and has a habit of toying with smaller creatures. I am worried though since that single time he chose to hide in the nook under the coffee table and I had to drag him out though he normally comes when called, much like a dog will, unless he is out of earshot or too involved in his adventures (though I know not where he goes or what he does when he isn't returning when I call.)
I am worried about him since I can't keep an eye on whatever that was I saw just before going to move my car, especially if it was a new sting and hadn't had time to cause a bad reaction yet or something. Anybody have experience with this or know what wasp/bee sting would look like on shorthaired cat ear? Should I start looking under the furniture to make sure he hasn't collapsed from anaphalactic shock or is he most likely trying to find the (humming?) birds that apparently were dumb enough to build a nest under the eaves next door to the wasps (acorn size and originally mistaken for another wasp dwelling until closer scrutiny which revealed that the grey color was due to the fact it had been constructed largely of my dog's recently discarded undercoat- discovered it just now when I went to see if the wasps were all dead or if they've been attacking my cat).
It didn't appear that he'd been stung more than once, or at least not in more than one spot, and he is quick enough that he would have been able to escape an angry insect fairly easily unless trapped somehow. Should I be worried about him? I remember my mom got stung and her entire leg swelled up, but I don't have any other references. Never stung by a bee or a wasp (Knock on wood) myself, but if a wasp did that to my mom, how could kitty have a little lump unless it JUST happened? I think I'd feel better about it if I knew it was the bee or what to do in either case. Someone please tell me he's probably fine and I have nothing to worry about?
