Never rains but it pours ... now my other cat has injured tail and might lose it.

[SorePawBoy]

Just wanted to vent - I'm pretty upset. After two weeks of his big dumb (but gorgeous and lovely) brother being kept indoors for a foot injury, he finally goes out, and two days later his tiny brother comes in with his tail kinked and limp that was Sunday afternoon, and he seemed ok in himself yesterday and not in pain, so we decided to ring the vet first thing this morning.

It's very close to the base so after reading some old 'help my cat's tail's injured' threads on here, now I'm worried he's at risk of spinal damage, and I'm not entirely sure he's been to the loo since it happened yesterday - I think so, though. I know a few cats do end up being PTS if they have bad spinal damage and incontinence.

We saw the vet today and though at first she thought maybe waiting and watching with pain meds might be an option, after observing him she does think it's more likely a break than a bite. He wouldn't let her shave it enough to look at the area, and he definitely has sensation all the way to the tip (she had to pinch his tail tip!) but very little control over it past the kinked bit. So she thinks examination under sedation tomorrow, x-ray if they can't determine what's going on by looking, and if x-ray shows a break, then they'll take it off then and there. I know it's for the best but I'm a bit heartbroken!

Distressingly, his big brother has been nosing at his bum/the bent bit of the tail since it happened (which did make me wonder if there was a bite there he could smell) and that obviously upsets him. We have to keep them apart in this not-large house, somehow! And dumb big brother has managed to bust his foot wound open through frolicking around outside today so he's in for another day or so too.

I've got to take the little one to the vet first thing (he's nil by mouth from midnight). I've read a lot of positive stories on here about cats bouncing back well, but I'm bricking it about possible further damage. And he's so sorry for himself - not really getting comfortable and hisses if we touch anywhere near that part of his tail. (yes he's had his Loxicom!) He's only about 18 months old, poor lad.

Poor boys - and poor you!

Cat is probably at the vets being checked right now, but just wanted to reassure you that usually cats manage perfectly well with most of their tail amputated, just takes them a while to work out balancing without them.

May be time to consider a catio for them or at least cat proofing the garden, to reduce the chance of them getting into more scrapes.

Thanks for your kind comment. Just dropped him off but apparently he won't get sedated until after lunch as they have a busy morning of ops. Poor boy! They put them into little cattery cubicles rather than small cages so that's something.

He was holding his tail up a bit yesterday without that kink evident in it so I'm still holding out hope that it's just a bite that's really sore.

We live in as safe an area as we could really - set back from the road, a meadow behind the house, everyone has long gardens. I've always thought that cats do need to roam and I think cat-proofing our garden is going to be impossible due to the trees, length etc, but I was giving some thought to some sort of huge fruit cage in the garden! But they will absolutely hate it. They've been free and happily roaming for the last year.

At least that sounds positive, him holding his tail up. Fingers crossed for him this afternoon.

Photo for cat tax! How could I forget? 😊
Small and Sad cat is back home ... with his tail!! Thank goodness, it's a deep bite and abscess rather than a break. They x-rayed to make sure there wasn't a tooth broken off in there 😮but it's ok. He's on antibiotics and pain meds, and is very, very stoned right now.

Oh what a relief! You're going to have to keep him in for a few days I guess, to prevent too much stuff getting in it.

And such a handsome little boy too.

Thanks - and sorry I didn't check back for comments. He's fine now, I had a fun old time gently expressing some pus out on the second day which obviously he LOVED, but has been on the antibiotics since then and is doing well. He's been in a week and can go out ... just nervous about him getting attacked again.