Cats often get into some kind of trouble, whether they live indoors, outdoors, or have access to both environments. For this reason it is no surprise that they eventually suffer some injuries, including damage to the tail. If your cat has just returned home and is not lifting her tail or you feel it is bent and broken, she has probably been injured and may even have a fracture. You may even see an open wound, blood, or bone piercing the skin. The majority of tail injuries in domestic cats are due to crushing (an object that falls on the tail or it gets stuck in a door), stretching (due to the cat's attempts to free itself when trapped, for a small child who grabs it clumsily or for mistreatment) or both causes together. Once you have determined that the tail is broken, learn how to care for your furry friend during the healing period.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Determine if the Tail is Broken
Step 1. Observe the cat's behavior
Changes in his habits are the first sign that should alert you and make you suspect a tail injury. The cat may drag its tail, or keep it constantly on the ground, have diarrhea or splash urine all over the place. You may also notice abnormal gait and a loss of coordination in the hind legs.
Getting dirty with pee and having diarrhea are not symptoms, in themselves, of a broken tail. If the injury is severe enough to cause them, you will still notice that the animal drags its tail
Step 2. Examine the problem
Gently touch the tail along its entire length. Fracture marks include areas that are swollen, folded and soft to the touch. If you notice redness, softness to the touch, and swelling with fluid under it, then there may be an abscess, which is a pocket of pus that has formed on the tail. If you notice the bone that has pierced the skin or the skin has been torn off the tail leaving the bone exposed, then it is called an open fracture or 'degloving' (English term for the act of removing a glove, just like the skin that "slips" from the tail).
- If you see a hard, painless deformation in the tail, it probably means that the cat was born with this abnormality or is an old, healed fracture.
- Never pull and never try to remove a severed portion of the tail, because there are tendons and sensitive nerves. Pulling or tearing tendons will damage the function of the tail, hind legs, bladder and intestines. You could also cause hard-to-stop and life-threatening arterial bleeding.
Step 3. Take your cat to the vet if you suspect such a problem
The doctor can diagnose the injury without further damaging the tail. Partial or complete amputation may also be necessary if it is a 'degloving', a deep cut or if the tail is severely - or mostly - severed. Your vet will prescribe a course of antibiotics to prevent infections, which are most likely in the presence of an open wound. Even if there are no external cuts, the doctor will check the cat for other injuries. He could detect neurological damage caused by tail pulling during the accident.
- The vet will conduct an examination of the tail to make sure there are no signs of physical or neurological damage. If there is a suspicion that a nerve has been damaged, then the cat will undergo an electromyogram. The anal sphincter and caudal muscles will be examined to verify that they are controlled by the nerves. This way the vet can determine if the tail will heal.
- Your cat will likely feel a lot of pain while taking him to the vet. Stay close to him and speak to him in a calm, comforting tone. It is worth wrapping it in a cloth, without tightening it, and putting it in the carrier. That way he will calm down.
Step 4. Understand what the treatments are
Based on where and how the tail was injured, your vet will determine whether surgery or other treatment is appropriate. If the tail is paralyzed, but the cat is able to walk, then an amputation could be performed. If the tail tip is broken and is not causing problems for the cat, then your vet may advise you to wait for it to heal on its own.
- Your furry friend may need to stay at the doctor's office for a couple of days so that he can heal and rest, or to remain under observation to understand the extent of the damage.
- If the tail is amputated, don't worry. The cat will need some time to get used to the loss of nervous sensation and the change in center of gravity; however, he will be perfectly able to adapt and his mobility will not be compromised in the long run.
Part 2 of 2: Taking Care of the Cat
Step 1. Allow your furry friend to rest in a quiet place
Bring it indoors and let it rest to avoid further trauma to the tail. Try placing it in a small room, such as a bedroom, bathroom, or laundry room. This way you can find him quickly, check the injury and give him medication.
Sick or injured cats often prefer to stay away from children, other animals and places where there is a lot of noise or frenzy
Step 2. Check his habits
You need to pay attention to his appetite, how much he drinks and whether he uses the litter box. Caudal lesions sometimes interfere with bladder and bowel function. If your cat loses urine, feces, or even doesn't discharge at all, then there may be nerve damage disturbing these functions.
If these problems persist, talk to your vet. He may want to see the cat again to have him tested for urinary infections and to change drug therapy
Step 3. Give him medication
If you prepare a schedule, it will be easier for you to remember to give your cat his medication. In the presence of open wounds, antibiotic therapy is necessary to prevent infections. Only give him painkillers if your vet has instructed you on how to do this and prescribed them. Never give it over-the-counter pain relievers.
Some human products, such as aspirin or acetaminophen, are very dangerous for domestic cats. They have serious, even fatal, side effects on these animals.
Step 4. Keep wounds or surgical incisions clean
Check the injury at least once a day. Your cat may get dirty with urine and feces, as it may be too painful for him to lift his tail or he may not be able to do so due to nerve damage. Sometimes the wounds have deposits of blood, fluids, hair, litter sand, or other debris sticking around them. In this case, you must gently clean them with warm water or a solution with very diluted betadine or chlorhexidine. Help yourself with gauze or a clean cloth. Tail injuries usually do not need bandages.
Do not use soap and hydrogen peroxide, as they can irritate and damage tissues. If you see dry scabs, remember that they are beneficial and you should neither scrub nor remove them
Step 5. Check for infections
Regardless of whether you took your cat to the vet or not, you should monitor the site of the injury (or surgery) with great care. Don't let the cat lick the wound. Although there are some elements in saliva that promote healing, excessive mechanical action could irritate the skin and transfer bacteria from the mouth to the wound causing severe infections. Signs of infection at the wound site are redness of the skin, warmth, and loss of a white, yellow, or green substance.
