Injured Cat

Something different for this week.

We have a cat who keeps me company during the daytime when I’m writing.  Unfortunately as of the weekend he’s been quite badly hurt.  We came downstairs in the morning to find him unable to walk properly, and when we took him to the vet they X-rayed him and told us that his pelvis is fractured in several places.  

The good news is that the vets don’t think it requires surgery – the fractures aren’t on load-bearing parts of the pelvis, so if it’s left alone it ought to heal.  The bad news is that this requires for him to move as little as possible, so he’s been put on cage rest.  

Which he is thoroughly unimpressed about.  

Apparently cage rest is the standard treatment for cats with these sorts of injuries – the vet told me you can’t put them in a cast or they’ll do their best to scratch it off and cause more problems, so the best you can do is leave them to heal naturally and stop them jumping around.  The normal time for these sorts of injuries is six to eight weeks, so this is going to be a long haul.  

I know a fair few of my readers are pet owners, so if anyone has any experience/advice with injured cats on cage rest, leave a comment below!  So far he seems to be adapting as well as can be expected (if a bit bored), but let me know if there’s anything I should watch out for.  

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6 Responses to Injured Cat

  1. James says:

    Im sorry to hear that, wishing your cat buddy a speedy recovery !

  2. Sharon says:

    Poor little man! I wish him the best. Whilst not the same, we found our Dora unable to walk a few years ago, and it turned out she had broken her back right leg very badly, resulting in amputation. She has recovered wonderfully, she limps whilst walking, but when she runs you wouldn’t know she was any different to before.

  3. Alicia says:

    That poor little guy! I hope he recovers quickly!

  4. Syzygy says:

    It can be helpful if your cat has something interesting to watch – a window with a bird feeder outside can provide hours of amusement. Some cats will settle for a DVD of birds (there are some made especially for animals.) Hope your little friend recovers quickly!

  5. Kevin says:

    All cats are different so if your cat has a prickly temperament this may not apply but my cat was very friendly and when he was sick he knew his body had to heal and trusted us to help him with it. So as others have suggested give him things to do like watching what is outdoors, listen to birds, etc… and just keep a close eye on him and your cat should be healed in no time.

  6. Mara says:

    Even though cats tend to sleep a lot during the day, cage rest is BORING. Spend plenty of time talking to your cat and petting him. My cat was happy when I put my pet mouse’s cage on the floor (securely fastened so the other cat couldn’t pop the lid). She spent hours watching that mouse run on the wheel.
    It doesn’t sound as if your cat is suffering from incontinence which is good, but it is a good idea to monitor his bowel movements. Constipation is a concern, so notify your vet if this is a problem. A stool softener may be prescribed. I your cat will allow it, brush him daily to reduce the chance of hairballs.
    Feed your cat twice a day so that he will eat readily when hungry, and if he is on any meds, if you are lucky,he may eat them.
    Cats are more active at night, so if the cage can be moved easily, you may want to bring it to your bedroom for better monitoring.
    After a few weeks, ask the vet if your cat can come out of his cage for a VERY short time for some closely monitored exercise. No jumping or climbing! He may require some physiotherapy at the end of his cage rest since his muscles will be weakened. You may decide to make him a strictly indoor cat from now on, the most common reason for pelvic injuries is from cars, especially at night.
    I wish your kitty a speedy recovery and a return to full health. Take care.

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