Cat hit by car

[liviadrusilla]

My beautiful cat was hit by a car on Tuesday. She came to our garden and we took her to the emergency vets, we didn’t think she was too badly hurt at first (we didn’t even realise it was a car, thought a cat fight but took her in as a precaution) but she has a very bad tail pull injury and has dislocated and fractured her tail. Apparently this damages lots of nerves and can lead to cats being totally incontinent. She’s staying at the vets and has just started eating and seems comfortable but isn’t showing any sign of going to the loo on her own - I’m so worried she’s not going to recover her functions and they’ll recommend she is pts. We have to give it time at the moment but I’m pretty much in bits. She’s gone from being totally fine one minute to suddenly having a not great prognosis, but in most respects still seems like herself (just grumpy not being at home) - I just can’t believe it. She is the sweetest, most affectionate and playful girl, and so cautious around cars. Not really sure why I’m posting, I guess hoping someone has had a similar experience with a good outcome.

Just to give a mini update, she's been home with us for over a week now and is mostly confined to one room; we are expressing her bladder twice daily (my amazing husband is doing the hard bit of this while I distract her with treats) with varying degrees of success. When we can't manage a good amount we've been taking her in to the vets (mostly every other day but recently daily) and they've expressed her for us. Still no peeing on her own, but apparently her bladder, which was totally flaccid, now feels normal and she's doing a bit of scratching in the litter tray. Positive signs but no guarantees about any return to function so trying not to get our hopes up too much. Other that this she is her normal self and it's lovely to have her back, though we're very tired from getting up super early to express her and frequent vet trips and there is a lot of cleaning to do because she is a bit leaky.

Your doing so well with her though, it must be like having a baby!.

If the bladder is feeling normal that’s got to be a good sign. We buy vet fleece for the dog. The company also does washable pet incontinence pads if you wanted to line a small area? Good luck.

Wasn't sure I would post again but got such support I wanted to give an update. Unfortunately it's not a good one. We are now two weeks past the 30 days with no improvement. Her bladder tone returning (but not her nerve function) means that we cannot express her at home and so have been taking her to the vets every evening, but they are finding it harder to do as well (because she knows what's coming and can be a bit resistant). She cannot control when she releases her poos and has some skin irritation from leaking urine. Our vet talked to us about euthanasia, but also referred us to a specialist clinic to see if there was anything else that could be done. There was the option of installing a sort of tube into her bladder that could replace the expressing, but it would need to be emptied 6 times a day initially and 3 times a day for the rest of her life, and would not address the other issues. It also would lead to complications such as UTIs and we don't know how well she would tolerate the tube, or if it would be able to be a long term option. We have made the decision to PTS but are finding it really hard because, aside from the continence issues, she still seems very herself and she's still young. It feels awful.

I’m so very sorry. But she wouldn’t be herself with recurring UTI and skin issues and all the other potential problems such a tube could cause.
I’m so so very sorry. But I think you’re putting her quality of life above your own desires. And that’s brave.

She can’t carry on like that and the tube sounds awful so you are doing the right thing for her. You’ve tried for her.

I'm sorry to read your update. I think it's definitely the right decision. You can't let him go on like that. And daily visits to the vets are just not practical.

Thank you for your kind words, it makes me feel slightly better that others think we are doing the right thing. It is so hard because as long as she keeps going to the vets every day, she could basically go on indefinitely - but she's really struggling against getting into her travel cage now and clearly doesn't like the trips. It's also really awful timing because I'm 3 weeks away from having my first baby and so having cat wee and poo in the house is not sustainable. We're trying to spend lots of time with her - we're playing with Da Bird right now and she's having lots of chicken treats. But I feel like we're letting her down and betraying her trust. She's a bengal so has so much personality and is so loving and affectionate, as well as being a lovely friend to our other cat.

Oh that is such a shame, but there is no way you are letting her down by euthanising. A tube is no quality of life for her and I'm sure she'd end up miserable. You are doing the right thing for her, and she trusts you to do that, so please don't feel guilty, although we all do, it's human nature.

She has been lucky to have a loving home, and that is what is important to remember.

I hope your new arrival will help to ease the loss a little.

Mines a Bengal too. It’s pure bad luck that this has happened. All of us with cats allowed out run this risk.

Do you let yours out fluffy? I don’t know any other Bengal owners, the rspca often say the ones for homing need access to outside but some of the breed forums say to keep in (though they are often is based and I think it’s the norm there) We have let all of ours out because they enjoy it so much, but now I’m blaming myself for it. Thought this one would be ok because we kept her in for a year (which is meant to be when they are most likely to be in an accident) and she is incredibly cautious, but obviously anything can happen.

He was out after about 6 months of age, he loves it so much.

Yes, so do ours - she would have to be an indoor cat if we had tried the tube and I think that would have made her sad too. She's been in for almost all of the last 6 weeks (because if she went missing her bladder would very quickly become fatal) but we've been taking her out for the last few days and she's loved it.

I'm sorry to read your update. As hard as it is PTS is the kindest option. You gave her time and treatment but it sounds like her quality of life won't be good so give her lots of love before you say goodbye

So sorry you are in this awful position.

Hi, just wanted give sympathy, we are in the same situation, 7 month old kitten with same injury, just back from vets with her, they've had very little luck expressing her and she's very resistant, plus there's blood coming from somewhere they're concerned about. Currently keepong her here for a few hours just to give her a calm afternoon, then probably back to the vets to be pts. As with your cat she's happy, eating, acting normally... Its just so hard.

I'm so sorry Danielracliffe, it really is an awful situation. Our vet, who has been absolutely wonderful, was so sympathetic to us and said it's such a hard situation because there are few injuries they can't really do anything about but these type of spinal injuries are one of them. It's awful when they're young and otherwise happy too. We gave our girl a lovely last few days and took lots of photos and videos of her, hurts too much to look at them now but hopefully will be some comfort later. Thinking of you.