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Original poster

Keeping a hurt cat happy

22 replies

IdaShaggim · 04/04/2016 19:07

My poor cat has been badly hurt in an accident... Severe cut to back of leg, down to bone, all tendons severed. Vet has said she may yet have to have her leg amputated Sad She will have to be inside for at least a month, and is currently very miserable about life. Anyone got any tips on how to keep an injured housebound cat happy?!

Keeping a hurt cat happy
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MrsBertMacklin · 04/04/2016 19:16

Not enough Sad Sad Sad Sad Sad Sad Sad Sad to express how that photo makes me feel.

Poor mite. All I can advise is as many treats and nice things as possible.

Original poster
IdaShaggim · 04/04/2016 19:29

To add to the many issues she has, she is currently overweight (long story, but not my doing!) so I can't give her treats... She was on a diet anyway, and now she won't be able to get any exercise at all I'll have to be even stricter SadSadSad Honestly I just want to be able to fast forward the next month for her. Hopeful that the collar will be able to come off tomorrow, which will help.

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afterthegoldrush · 04/04/2016 19:45

Tuna fish and prawns - jumbo ones! My twenty year old girl would sell her paws for some of that!

Fluffycloudland77 · 04/04/2016 19:49

Oh that poor girl. No treats but she could have meals of naice food.

Do you think she has enough pain relief?.

Original poster
IdaShaggim · 04/04/2016 19:52

Yes have succumbed to some gourmet cat food! And she is having bits of tuna to get the antibiotics down her. Any ideas for keeping her mentally stimulated that don't involve masses of exercise?

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pterobore · 04/04/2016 19:53

Oh her terribly sad face :(

My cat had a terrible accident a couple of years ago where he got his toe stuck in the top of a barbed wire fence. He was hanging upside down from his trapped toe it was horrible. Unbelievably he came away with just losing a toe but in order for his hyper extended tendons to recover he was in cage rest for two months and miserable as sin.
The things I found cheered him up were taking his collar/cone off when I was with him. He was on cage rest but I let him out to sleep on the bed if I was supervising him. Just a lot of company helped him too along with a rescue remedy plug in.

We were not sure too if he would lose his leg but thankfully he recovered really well.

Original poster
IdaShaggim · 04/04/2016 19:56

Fluffy was given some at the vets, but I wasn't given any to take home with me. She is back in tomorrow for a bandage change and wound assessment, first of many hurdles to jump if she is to keep the leg. I think the main issue right now is the collar, I'm hoping they agree to let me leave it off from tomorrow. She is such a happy friendly good natured cat normally, and she's just hunched in the corner of the room Sad Will be able to get her on my lap for the evening when bed time routines are over, she'll be happier then.

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Original poster
IdaShaggim · 04/04/2016 20:01

ptero I know, it's breaking my heart Sad Vet thinks she jumped past glass then put her weight on it somehow. She bled soooo much, was very lucky to make it home and to the vets.

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PeaceOfWildThings · 04/04/2016 20:01

Poor thing! :(
My cat loved to snuggle a hot water bottle wrapped in a fleecy blanket when she was recovering from stitches in her leg. She also liked the electric blanket on for her, on my bed. I'm wondering if you could get a small one to put on the floor, under a blanket?
Plenty to drink.

Easy access to clean litter tray.

Peaceful and quiet company.
A tablet with videos of fish? There might be apps of cat games for tablets/ipads!

cozietoesie · 04/04/2016 20:43

Poor, poor lass.

By the way, I think other posters might comment on having cats who are tripods or had to have an amputation. It's not a walk in the park - like any large op - but neither is it all doom and gloom.

Just to give you some perspective.

Fluffycloudland77 · 04/04/2016 20:44

Ask the vet about pain relief, it must her.

Ours gets pain relief to take home for fight wounds no where near as bad as that.

Vinorosso74 · 04/04/2016 20:58

No advice I'm afraid but I hope she recovers soon. She looks so sad bless her.

pterobore · 05/04/2016 09:48

How is she this morning? I hope she had a settled night

Original poster
IdaShaggim · 09/04/2016 08:57

This is her this morning... And she is much happier and more settled, it was definitely the funnel collar that was the main problem. And she needs less entertainment than I thought, she is pretty happy just stretched out on the sofa most of the time. So now the next hurdle is seeing if she has any use of her paw once it's healed for another week... She's starting to put a small amount of weight on it so I'm cautiously optimistic!

Keeping a hurt cat happy
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cozietoesie · 09/04/2016 10:20

My Siamese boys have always regarded cones as a resignation issue.

Glad she's happier and all the best to her. Smile

TheSpottedZebra · 09/04/2016 10:28

Aww, she looks so happy there! I think the cones, as well as being deeply embarrassing, make a cat feel so much less secure. They can't hear properly, they can't see all round them, they are more conspicuous and don't fit in small spaces, so they are much easier for predators to get. So its intrinsically wrong. But of course, vital to keep the wound safe.

I had a 3-legged cat as a child. He lost a leg at about 10yo. It did change his life a bit as he went from a tree climbing, hunting beast, to a more garden based cat. But he was fine, and really really happy and lived another 9-10 years. We did make lots of adaptations for him, but thinking back, maybe that was more about us liking to 'help' him than what he actually needed Blush

Eg we made him lots and lots of steps as he couldn't climb and jump as well as he used to.

TheSpottedZebra · 09/04/2016 10:30

Oops, posted too soon. We had to pay attention to his claws which didn't wear down as they used to, and we at first had to raise up his food bowls a bit as he struggled to balance to eat. But he was fine!

So, even if it does come to the worst, it will be fine.

For now - more cuddles! Maybe more supervised collar-off time, as you're doing. Maybe Feliway if he's super-stressed? And maybe make a safe space for him where he feels safe and can hide if it all gets a bit noisy.

cozietoesie · 09/04/2016 10:34

Sometimes steps work and sometimes not, I guess. I arranged things for Seniorboy when his arthritis became really bad but they didn't seem to accord with what his idea of being a cat was and were mostly ignored.

Perhaps if he'd been a little younger?........ (Or more amenable to change.Wink)

cozietoesie · 09/04/2016 10:36

The big exception has been his heated safe place. That's been a massive success. Smile

MilkTwoSugarsThanks · 09/04/2016 10:38

Cuddles, cuddles, cuddles, cuddles and more cuddles. And company.

(And a little cuddle from me please - she's beautiful.)

Sending good luck vibes your way.

Original poster
IdaShaggim · 09/04/2016 10:42

She doesn't have to wear her collar at all any more, it was just the first couple of days. She has lots of cardboard boxes around the house (decimates them for fun, scattering small pieces of partially chewed cardboard artistically around the house as a bonus!) and she seems to be fairly happy... Caught her jumping up on the bannister this morning, which is quite high and requires a precision landing, so she's much better in herself Smile

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Original poster
IdaShaggim · 09/04/2016 10:43

Thanks Milk - she is super cuddly so will have them from anyone and everyone, quite happily!

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