Cat acting strange after fight

by Emma
(UK)

My 2-year-old timid cat recently got beat up real bad by a neighbor's cat. The minute we got home, he has since clawed at the doors to get out of the house in a frenzy. You would think he would stay in and hide.

We have a new puppy also and not a fan but he was fine with the puppy we got last year. He has run off and only comes home for food around every 3 days or so. I figured he has moved in with a neighbor as he is getting fatter.

He is now constantly meowing really bad when home and will not come in. He had a bloodshot eye today. We managed to grab him and the vet said he has had a bump on the head. He runs away from us when we approach him.

I’m thinking has someone hurt him? We have locked the puppy away from him and he just meows constantly and claws to get out when we coax him to the door.

Any ideas? He has lived with dogs since a tiny kitten so not usually scared. Any suggestions of why he is acting so strangely?