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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think cat needs to go to the vet???

28 replies

umbrelladeight13 · 05/08/2018 17:50

Cat has just come in. At first seemed to be walking very slowly but then noticed he wasn’t putting weight on his back left leg.

He will sit on it but when walking round he just won’t put weight on it and it’s right by his side

Mother is refusing to take to the vet because it will cost £400 to calll them out on a Sunday apparently

OP posts:

Sweetcarrielynne · 05/08/2018 17:53

Do you have pet insurance?

How does the cat seem? Is he eating? Does he seem subdued? If he seems well in himself and has just hurt his leg I would be tempted to just keep an eye on it for now and see how he goes. If it worsens or swells up then you could take him down, but it might just be a twisted paw that settles on its own.

BiteyShark · 05/08/2018 17:55

My emergency vets charge £150 for ooh consultations then any medication etc is extra. That is for a dog but I can't see it being much different to a cat.

However, I can't bear to see my dog in a any pain so if I think he needs the vets at the weekend he goes.

Eifla · 05/08/2018 17:55

VetsNow emergency fee (depending on where you are in the country) is around £120 and then you have any treatment on top.

Of course, if you have a pet, then you need to be prepared/willing to pay out for these things.

That said however, if the cat is able to rest peacefully, is not bleeding or doesn’t protest to gentle handling of the area - and the only problem being refusal to weight bear - then I think I would be inclined to keep the cat indoors and quiet this evening, with vets first thing in the morning.

Glumglowworm · 05/08/2018 17:56

If he’s eating and drinking and interacting normally then I’d probably leave it til tomorrow morning. It’s only about 15 hours til the vet will be open anyway.

I’m not an expert though.

NameChangingParanoid · 05/08/2018 18:01

If he wasn’t in obvious discomfort whilst resting & is eating & drinking ok, I’d see how he was in the morning, he might have just sprained it & a bit of rest could do the trick?

ToadOfSadness · 05/08/2018 18:21

Cats hide pain so I would assume it is worse than it looks. It might just be something in the paw though, a splinter or a bite.

I would have a close look first but have been to OOH for much less in the past because you never know if it is serious and sometimes fast treatment saves a lot of problems later on, ie: hit by a car, broken leg, bitten by a dog or another cat and resulting in blood poisoning.

fantasmasgoria1 · 05/08/2018 18:28

One of my old cats came in limping but managed to sleep ok. Next day he was right as rain! He did this a few times and I wonder if he jumped from somewhere a little too high! It’s a good idea to try and get a look because he could have been bitten. My other cat had a small hole and a piece of gravel in it . I cleaned it twice a day and within a week it was healed!

FASH84 · 05/08/2018 18:28

Ours did this but front paw a few weeks ago, it was a weekday called the vet at 8am they said they couldn't fit him in until 5:30 , spoke to the vet who said to keep him in, and that cats are quite sensible about these things and not to worry if we could see no wound. Turned out he'd sprained his paw.... Vet have him anti-inflammatory painkillers and he was belting around again within a day or two. So between now and tomorrow morning isn't much difference time wise as long as he seems otherwise fine. Make sure he goes first thing tomorrow

GoldenGumballs · 05/08/2018 18:32

Ring round as some vets keep fees same all 24hrs. If eating acting normalish keep quiet & get seen in morning ( don’t give brekkie in case they need to X-ray) Could be anything from cat bite abscess to fracture. If cat miserable get him to a vets for pain relief it’s only fair ( don’t give anything at home may be fatal)

Upsy1981 · 05/08/2018 18:36

Try and see if obvious wound or abscess. If abscess I would be more inclined to see vet urgently. If normal wound is visible I would clean it with some cooled boiled water with plenty of salt in (try not to let cat lick this!)

See if you can feel anything on the leg e.g. lumps or bumps. Feel their ears or the skin on their stomach to see if they feel like they have a temp which might signal signs of infection.

If cat is eating/drinking/toileting ok, I would be inclined to wait until first thing in the morning. Cat might be ok after a restful night. Maybe try and keep in overnight if you can? Do you have a litter tray you can use indoors. Although if anything changes or you are concerned, trust your instinct.

DingDongDenny · 05/08/2018 18:38

As others have said have a look for a wound, but unless there are signs of infection I'd leave it until tomorrow and take him to the vet then. It was £300 for emergency vets on a Sunday when we took our cat - but that was life threatening

KarlDilkington · 05/08/2018 18:46

Yes the cat needs to see an emergency vet at least for pain relief. Leaving an animal 12 hours in pain just because of the cost is appalling. If you can't afford the bill and can't afford insurance then you really shouldn't own animals.

I'm a vet at the end of three days on call and my patience is worn thin, can you tell?

lljkk · 05/08/2018 18:49

For a cat not truly in distress & to avoid £400 I'd certainly wait until Monday before ringing vet. Might have to confine him to house in meantime.

MrsSFirth · 05/08/2018 19:03

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

VeryHangryCaterpillar · 05/08/2018 19:07

Your mother shouldn’t own a cat if she won’t spare the money to pay for necessary veterinary care for it.

ToadOfSadness · 05/08/2018 19:11

Just remembered, our pet insurance gave us a phone no. for advice, do you have anything like that?

BiteyShark · 05/08/2018 19:19

I think if the OPs DM is refusing to take cat to the vets as it might cost £400 I doubt they have insurance.

Lonecatwithkitten · 05/08/2018 19:22

Do not give paracetamol to Cats it is very, very toxic to them.
Unable to bear weight on the leg really needs to be seen tonight.

KnobZombie7 · 05/08/2018 19:23

Please do not give your cat paracetamol, it can be fatal. A vet can prescribe the right amount, a tiny amount , much smaller than a human dose/ tablet, if need be when you go and see them.

KnobZombie7 · 05/08/2018 19:27

And take the cat to the vet today. Poor thing.

No paracetamol!!!

crispysausagerolls · 05/08/2018 19:34

Really, an animal in pain needs the vet. My dog was acting funny one Sunday and thank goodness I trusted my gut and paid the money/drove the hour to get to the nearest 24 hour vet. Why? Turned out he had meningitis (who knew that was a thing in dogs?) and was seriously, seriously ill. That we caught it early meant he didn’t die. It presented as neck pain - who knows what limping signals? He could have really injured himself! Please get checked

Bunnyattack · 05/08/2018 21:43

This happens to my cat and the vet said on phone to see how he went overnight and come in next day if no better....they often just land funny or have a little stone etc that will be fine again by the next day.

Next morning took him vets turned out he had an abscess from another cat biting him.

I brought him home after his antibiotic injection (cost 70 punds) to find my.other cat doing the same bloody thing!
Left her till.next morning and she was absolutely fine so she had maybe landed funny jumping down from.the fence.

So it could go either way so I would also be inclined to leave it and see....that was the actual advice from.the vets I received

adoggymama · 05/08/2018 22:09

If you have pet insurance you can go to the nearest 24hr vets if yours is shut and you'll only have the pay the insurance use fee (ours is only £75).

However, from the sounds of it, a sore leg issue is not urgent. (You'd know if it was broken- can you move it? What does the cat do when you touch it/move it?)

Just go in on Monday morning for a consult :)

GoldenGumballs · 05/08/2018 22:37

Some good advice & some very dodgy advice here op. Ring the blinking vets for advice that’s what they’re there for. Don’t google Don’t ask Mumsnet RING THE VETS. love from a tired RVN.

KarlDilkington · 05/08/2018 22:56

A lot of the advice here is terrible. Don't give it paracetamol. No you can't tell if it's broken by looking at it. No you shouldn't just leave a animal to suffer with a non weight bearing injury. People shouldn't give advice without having the correct qualifications!

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