Cats are usually mischievous, whether indoors, outside, or back and forth in and out. No wonder cats can get injured, including injuries to the tail. If your cat comes home and won't lift her tail or if her tail looks bent or broken, she may have a tail injury or even a broken tail. You can even see an open wound, blood, or part of the bone. A cat's tail is usually injured by squeezing (snagging by an object or getting caught in a door), pulling (the cat is trapped and tries to escape or the cat is pulled by a small child or person who wants to hurt it), or both. Once you've determined whether your cat's tail is broken or not, learn how to care for your cat while it's healing.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Determining Whether a Cat's Tail is Broken or Not
Step 1. Watch the cat's behavior
Changes in your cat's behavior can be one of the signs you can spot when she has an injury to her tail. The cat may start dragging its tail or keep it down, dribbling urine for no reason, or having diarrhea. The cat will begin to walk with a limp or lose coordination with its hind legs.
Dripping urine and getting diarrhea are not symptoms of a broken tail. If the injury to the tail is severe enough to cause these symptoms, the cat will drag its tail
Step 2. Check for tail injuries
Feel the texture along the tail. A symptom of an injury or a broken tail is an area that feels tender, swollen, or bent. If you notice redness, tenderness, and swelling filled with water, there may be an abscess or pus forming on the cat's tail. If any part of the tailbone is visible or the tail skin peels off exposing the bone, this is called a “degloving” injury.
- If you notice a crooked tail that is hard but not painful, it may be that the cat was born with a crooked tail or it may be a wound that has healed.
- never ever pulling or severing the tail because in the cat's tail there are strong tendons and sensitive blood vessels. If you pull on the tendon, you will damage the function of the cat's tail, hind legs, bladder, and intestines. You can also cause arterial bleeding that is difficult to control and can be life-threatening for the cat.
Step 3. Take the cat to the vet if you suspect a tail injury
The vet can examine the injury without making the cat's tail worse. Partial or complete amputation of the cat's tail is possible if the cat has a degloving injury, is internally injured, or the tail is nearly severed. Your veterinarian can also prescribe antibiotics to prevent infections that are more likely to occur in open wounds. Even if there are no external injuries, the vet can check for other injuries to the cat. He may be able to spot a neurological injury if the cat's tail is pulled at the time of the accident.
- The vet will check for signs of physical or neurological injury to the tail. If the vet thinks there is an injury to the cat's nervous system, the cat may need an electromyogram. The anal sphincter and tail muscles will be examined for nervous system input. This will let the veterinarian know if the cat's tail is recovering or not.
- Your cat may still be in pain when you take him to the vet's office. Stay close to him and speak in a soft, soothing voice. It's a good idea to cover the cat in a towel and put it in its carrier when you take it to the vet. This way can calm him down.
Step 4. Understand handling for cats
Depending on the location and cause of the tail injury, the vet will determine whether surgery or other treatment should be given. If the cat's tail is paralyzed but he can still walk, the vet may amputate the tail. If the tip of the tail is broken but isn't causing a problem for the cat, the vet may tell the cat that it will heal on its own.
- The cat may need to stay in the vet's office for a few days to rest and heal, or to determine the extent of the injury to the cat's tail.
- If your cat's tail needs to be amputated, don't worry. Your cat may need time to adapt to the loss of nerve sensation and changes to her body's balance system. However, cats will adapt to any of these changes and their mobility will not be compromised in the long run.
Part 2 of 2: Caring for a Cat with a Broken Tail
Step 1. Let him rest in a quiet place
Make sure the cat is indoors and allow him to rest and keep him away from the prolonged trauma of the injury. Try putting your cat in a small room (such as a bedroom, bathroom, or laundry room). This way, you can easily find him, examine his wounds, and give him medicine.
Sick or injured cats usually prefer to stay away from small children, other pets, and noisy sounds or activities
Step 2. Pay attention to the cat's habits
You should pay attention to your cat's appetite, water intake, and litter box habits. Tail injuries can sometimes affect bladder and bowel function. If your cat is urinating or defecating indiscriminately or not at all, he may have damage to his nervous system that affects these functions.
If you notice that this problem persists, consult your veterinarian. He or she may have to test for infection in the cat's urine and administer medication
Step 3. Give the cat medicine
It's easy to remember if you gave your medication on time. You may have to give antibiotics to prevent infection of the open wound. Only give painkillers if your vet tells you to and gives you a prescription. never ever give painkillers from the shop.
Most of these drugs, such as aspirin or Tylenol, very dangerous to give to the cat. These drugs can have bad, even fatal, side effects in cats.
Step 4. Clean the cut or cut on the cat's tail
Check the wound at least once a day. Your cat may litter itself with urine and feces because it may find it too painful to lift its tail or if there is a malfunction in the nervous system. Sometimes, dried blood, dirt, hair, sand, or other small objects can stick to the wound. You may have to gently clean the wound with lukewarm water or a completely diluted Betadine/chlorhexidine solution, as well as a few pieces of gauze or a washcloth. Tail cuts usually don't have to be bandaged.
Do not use soap or peroxide as cats can be irritating and will damage the tail tissue. If you see a scab, remember that it's fine and don't rub or pluck it
Step 5. Watch out for infections
Whether you take him to the vet or not, you should watch the injured (or recently operated) tail carefully. Don't let the cat lick the wound. While there are several compounds in saliva that can help heal wounds, excessive licking can cause skin irritation. In addition, bacteria from the mouth can cause serious infections. Symptoms of an infected wound include: redness, warmth, swelling, and white, green, or yellow discharge.
