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Emergency vet or wait till tomorrow?

23 replies

JessaJess · 01/08/2021 20:03

Our DCat had a fight yesterday evening and came back over the fence in a mad rush. He looked like he slipped a little on the fence and caught his foot but it was all too quick to see. He was clearly very shocked and scared - there's a cat he keeps scrapping with, and I think they met each other unexpectedly.

We saw straight away that he had a bit of a limp, but he was fine to rush upstairs and growl at the other cat through the upstairs window! I don't know whether this was adrenaline though, because his limp has got a lot worse over today. This morning he wasn't too bad, purring and lying on his back "like a people" on the bed. Since about 2pm, though, he's gone very quiet and he's meowing / crying if we touch his leg. We rang the vet as soon as he started to go quiet and they said to bring him in tomorrow. We've also given him a little bit of his leftover metacam cat painkiller on his food.

He's definitely got worse since then, though. He's moving about a little, but with a limp and he's very quiet and sad. He's eaten, but doesn't want to move much at all and he still doesn't want us to touch his leg at all. Should we take him to an emergency vet tonight or wait until tomorrow morning's appointment?

OP posts:
iloverunningslow · 01/08/2021 20:04

I would go now. I'd rather regret wasting money on the emergency vet than regret my cat having an infection and losing the leg or something.
I hope he's better soon.

Honeyroar · 01/08/2021 20:06

Ring the vet again and tell them what’s changed since you spoke to them. They’ll help you decide what to do.

Fluffycloudland77 · 01/08/2021 20:09

I’d ring the vet too. I hope he’s ok.

GrrRightBackAtYou · 01/08/2021 20:11

Phone the Vet & explain.
Cats mask pain really well so he’s really suffering if he’s worse even after metacam.
I hope he will be okay.

DogsSausages · 01/08/2021 20:12

I would get an appointment for tonight, sending mugs lots of hugs

Theunamedcat · 01/08/2021 20:13

His leg has stiffened up my cat did this i took him in he didn't make a squeak for the vet put on a brave "four paws on the floor" limp? What limp! Im FINE! the vet tugged on both his legs found there was a definite difference and diagnosed a bad sprain metacam and rest needed i get him home he was back to howling with every movement Hmm

violetbunny · 01/08/2021 20:14

I would take him to the emergency vet.
Does he have any other injuries besides his leg? Cat bites quite nasty. If he has been in a scrap with another cat I would check him all over carefully.

JessaJess · 01/08/2021 20:25

I'm going to ring the emergency vet and see what they advise now. We'll take him in if they want to see him (why is it always Sunday night!)

He's sound asleep all stretched out. I've just gone over to stroke him and he rolled over on his back purring like a maniac. I brought him his catnip toy and he even bunny-kicked it a little with his back legs. He seems like he's a lot better from ten minutes ago, but I just can't tell! I wish they could talk Sad

OP posts:
Theunamedcat · 01/08/2021 20:27

Aww poor thing

MrsSkylerWhite · 01/08/2021 20:29

Emergency vet. Hope he’s ok 😿

felinelucky · 01/08/2021 20:54

Bearing in mind it's also stressful hauling the little chap into the vet's after the day he's had, from the sound of it maybe a good sleep is what he needs. The body language does sound encouraging...

Fluffycloudland77 · 01/08/2021 21:10

Film it if you can. I took mine once with a limp and he walked normally while he was there.

AlfonsoTheMango · 01/08/2021 21:19

How's the patient, OP?

ThreeLadsPointingAtAStar · 01/08/2021 21:26

How is he?

We once took in badly limping cat to the emergency vet - at home she'd been dragging her leg and crying.
Opened the cat carrier in the vets and she leapt out and shimmied up the Venetian blinds like a rock climber!

JessaJess · 02/08/2021 09:31

Update (it's late because I had DCat on my lap all last night and my phone out of reach).

The emergency vet said as he was eating and able to bear weight we should monitor him until tomorrow and bring him in if he started to get worse or looked distressed. Thank you to everyone who recommended the emergency vet - it was definitely the right thing to do! I felt much happier having someone on call and knowing we could take him in.

This morning he jumped on to the bed at 5am, demanded his breakfast, and trotted downstairs for it without a trace of a limp. I went into the garden with him as he prefers to use that instead of his litter tray, and I thought he might be scared of being outside by himself. In the 10 seconds it took me to nip back inside and grab my tea, he'd leapt up a five foot wall to chatter at the pigeons. I called him back and he looked embarrassed then jumped onto the neighbour's roof and trotted off amongst the rooftops.

I'm going to be taking a perfectly healthy cat to the vet later this morning, right? Grin

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 02/08/2021 09:37

Sounds like it!

AlfonsoTheMango · 02/08/2021 11:37

Hah. When I was growing up, we had an evil evil Siamese cat who frequently walked around the house with one eye closed. My parents would dutifully take her to the vet to be examined, at which point she always opened her previously-closed eye.

She also liked to fall over on to her side for no apparent reason. She was a big drama queen.

DogsSausages · 02/08/2021 11:56

Alfonso, that made me chuckle we had a Oriental who frequently suffered a limp which we couldn't fathom out until we were told about the sore paw syndrome

Fluffycloudland77 · 02/08/2021 11:58

They know perfectly well we can’t risk missing something.

AlfonsoTheMango · 02/08/2021 12:11

@DogsSausages

Alfonso, that made me chuckle we had a Oriental who frequently suffered a limp which we couldn't fathom out until we were told about the sore paw syndrome
What's Sore Paw Syndrome? Is that where a cat fakes illness / injury for sympathy?
DogsSausages · 02/08/2021 14:29

Yes, exactly that, to gain affection and attention.

DogsSausages · 02/08/2021 14:32

There is a skin condition called sore paw I think, but this is what our vet called it, maybe limp law is more accurate. Although obviously this is after any cause has been investigated.

AlfonsoTheMango · 02/08/2021 14:38

Poor animals who have a real Sore / Limp Paw Syndrome. To the hypochondriacs - naughty!

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