Bleeding back leg, v timid cat, what can i do?

[earlyriser]

Cat keeps grazing her back leg at the knee. It clears up then starts again. Bleeding is quite bad just now and she is dripping on the floor, leaving patches of blood where she sits etc. I try and bathe with salt water, but she is very easily scared and under no circumstances can she be picked up. No idea how on earth I'd get her in a basket to take to the vets. Can I do anything at home?

I'd vet her directly - if only to find out how it keeps happening. How old is she and have you ever managed to get her in a carrier? (I'm wondering whether you could try one of those humane traps that they go in because of the food bait. You should be able to borrow one from your vet or local CPL.)

Oh - and warn the vet that you have a super-anxious one coming in. Giving her a full health check would be no bad thing in any case.

Thank you, will try on Monday when vets are open again. She was last in a carrier 2 years ago (fish hook stuck in mouth!). She is 5 years old, she will come and sit on my knee but is always ready to scraper at the slightest noise/movement.

Any idea why it might be happening?

Is it possible she is overgrooming? Nervous cats are quite prone to this - licking a certain spot or spots until they make it bleed. They usually go for their bellies and/or inner thighs but it can be anywhere. Flea allergy can cause it too. Good luck at the vets.

You could try leaving the carrier out and open between now and then, and putting treats in it to encourage her to go in - might not be enough time for her to get used to it though.

I would be very surprised if it were over grooming as I actually very rarely see her groom at all, and when her brother tries to wash her he gets short shrift. Again, fleas have never been a problem. It is specifically on her back legs at the joints, DH thinks she is scraping it on the cat flap as she makes a swift exit, but I can't see any blood on it.
Hopefully the vet can give a longer term solution. And thank you, I will dig the carrier out and hope she doesn't remember what it is for!

When I put our cat into the carrier I take him into the ensuite, small room so no escape, and corner him with the basket open. When he's been scooped in I put the door on and lock it.

Thanks for all the advice. Will have to wait patiently til she comes onto my knee and do the towel trick. (Except she won't actually sit on the towel, will have to wrap from above!)
I may well end up looking like I've had an altercation with Edward Scissorhands by the end of it

Thanks for all the advice. Will have to wait patiently til she comes onto my knee and do the towel trick. (Except she won't actually sit on the towel, will have to wrap from above!)
I may well end up looking like I've had an altercation with Edward Scissorhands by the end of it

Well did she not just climb into the cage all by herself (ok with only a little shove at the rear end)! Then yowled all the way to the vets. He said that there was nothing much that could be done, and to just bathe it with a 'cosy cloth' from time to time then gave her an antibiotic jab. It wasn't infected and didn't seem to be causing her pain. Felt a bit shallow thinking of all the washing i had to do from where she has bled!

But at least it's nothing serious and you won't worry about it.

Exactly, it was worth it for the peace of mind next time she has the same thing.

Exactly, it was worth it for the peace of mind next time she has the same thing.

I'm glad the vet found nothing physically wrong but I'd keep a weather eye on her movements and any recurrences if I were you. Cats don't keep cutting themselves and bleeding - unless, just possibly, she had one baddish scrape which keeps opening up again. Is she a very active girl?

(Love that she got into the cage by herself after all your worries!)

I think her terror of anything loud or too close (or her brother) means she is often scampering up fences, running fast through the catflap etc. Vet didn't seem concerned when I said it was recurring. Will keep an eye on her though.
Best bit was when she meekly went back in her cage again after the injection,completely of her own accord.

I've found that with Seniorboy. From being vet-phobic when he came to me, he's now resignedly OK with it. As soon as he gets out of his box and on to the vet's table he relaxes - and positively scampers back into his box when invited to do so - because he knows nowadays that that means he's going back home. Maybe she's made the connection as well?