Broken tail??

I've noticed that Cindy's tail is bent hear the tip. When she's resting by the patio door, I felt a bony bump on the part where it's bent. Is it broken? A few days ago, both kittens were chasing each other around the room, and it's possible that they may have knocked down a Nintendo Game Cube and that big plug that comes with it off the end table. The Cube or plug may have fallen on Cindy's tail. I've been trying to straighten the tail at the bumpy part near the tip and push it with my fingers. Sometimes Cindy will carry the tail straighter instead of with that obvious bend in it. Should I see the vet? Can you bandage it or put some type of cast on it, or is it like a person's toe that you can't fix if it's broken?

There are 102 bones in a cat's tail so probably yes one or two bones are broken. Unless there is a definite wound showing, there is little the vet will do for it. Because it is at the tip, it will just be bent for the rest of her days. If it was further down or really mangled the vet should be consulted and sometimes the tail has to be removed.

Zoey has a very small bend at the very end of her tail

I wonder if she broke it when she was younger or if she was born like that She does have extra toes after all, I wouldnt be surprised if she was born like that LOL.

Some times cats will inheiret this trait from an ancester. The tail will bend near the end. If the cat isn't in any pain, that is most likely the reason.
I have a persian that was the perfect male for my breeding program, but, his tail was crooked and I had to neuter him. He is the sweetest thing and gives hugs when you pick him up.

Thanks for your replies. It's also possible that someone might have stepped on her tail or something fell on it when she was resting on the carpet or lying on the floor. That's one of the problems with two or more kittens. They're so active and playful together and they get into so much mischief, including constantly being underfoot everywhere. Cindy has this habit of jumping on the kitchen counters and desk, putting kitchen towels in her mouth, then jumping down with them to play. I've heard some things come crashing down while they were playing or chasing each other around the rooms. Then they actively fight and bite each other's tails. I'm wondering if wrapping a tight bandage around her tail would work and help set the bone straight. I think I'm going to take her to the vet. I feel like a failure.

I don't think the bent tail is something she's inherited, as I never noticed it in the past.

Honestly, if there is no wound, you messing with it may cause more harm than good. A kinked tail is simply that a kinked tail, and your vet will probably not do anything at all for it. I have 6 cats with kinked tails, they were like that when they arrived here. Nothing to do for them, but not touch it even when petting them after it healed. It is certainly not life threatening.

My little Griffin has a spot at the end of his tail that feels broken but he is fine, it doesnt seem to bother him at all.

When she was lying by the patio screen door tonight, watching the outdoor activity like moths, ants, etc., I squeezed her tail where the bump is to try and straighten it out. I kept putting pressure on the tail, making it even and straight and smoothing out the bump and she just sat there, looking outside. I'm hoping that this pressure or movement I'm exerting on the tail might help to heal it so that she can carry her tail straighter. The bandage idea might be worth a try.

I would just leave it alone, I have one that had his tail recently broken and but it was at the base of the tail and he is slowly getting better. We were told to just let it heal and it would take 3 weeks or so to see if it got better and it did. He hasnt got full use of it but he does really well, he just cant pick it straight up anymore. I didnt mess with his tail at all when he was recovering, I didnt want to make it worse.

I'm a worry wart, I admit it. cringe. They asked if someone closed the door on Cindy's tail and I said no, then they said that it was probably just a hereditary kink or knob (bump) that I'm noticing. They also told me that if her tail was broken, it would be flopping around and she'd be in discomfort. She wouldn't be able to hold the tail up. I don't understand why I never noticed it in the past, unless Cindy is bigger now and her tail is getting longer and growing? The vet won't do anything about it. I just feel sad about the situation because Lucy has such a nice, straight tail and Cindy's looks defective. Oh, well... Thanks for your replies as they're basically what I was told by the vet's office. It's strange, though, how Cindy can hold her tail out straight and then start walking with that bend by the tip. Just wondering if cats are double-jointed and can make a bone or bump protrude.

Pretty Kitty has a bend on the end of her tail too. I never knew so many cats had this problem. I thought it was just broken before she came to us. Now I'm not so sure that it is broken at all. It hasn't seemed to bother her since we've had her though.

some of my kitties have really longggg tails and they kinda curve at the very top It just adds to there cuteness she isn't defictive, just different.

I still feel somewhat badly about Cindy's tail and you can feel a distinct bump or knob under the fur near the tip. That's where the tail bends. She's such a sweetie; extremely active, hyper, very curious and getting so chubby now!

I love chubby kittens!!!!
rrrrrrrrrrr

It might not be broken, it may just be bent. It's called a kink. It feels weird though. If she don't hiss and moane or act like it's a biggie, she might have been born that way, and you just now noticed.

If she's in pain, by simply touching it, it may be a break. Her tail is part of her spin and includes her nerve endings- most vets will do a quick feel and charge you nothing, if you're worried.

Joey has had that same bend and bump since I adopted him. I always thought that his tail had been broken, and I never knew that he could have just been born that way. It's just one of the little things that makes him unique.

The only other thing that might have happened to her tail was if it got caught in the frame, a brace, or a bracket under the reclining sofa and loveseat. Cindy and Lucy are constantly chasing each other, running, and hiding under the furniture. That's very unlikely, so I think that you are right and the kink or knot is just hereditary. I just never noticed it! Sometimes she'll carry her tail straight, sometimes looped or a bit to the side, and at other times with that bend near the tip. Thanks for your comments.

I was looking up different cat breeds and judging for cat shows. Some cat breeds like pixie bobcats accept tail kinks and knots. Since most domestic cats are mixed breeds, they may have had an ancestor or descendant from a particular breed with a kinked or knotted tail. The kink does feel weird, plus there's also a bony bump or knot near the tip. When I looked at Cindy's pictures from about a month ago, some pics show that bend in her tail. Here's Cindy with a more bushy, loop look to her tail, but if you look very closely, you will notice a slight indentation near the tip.

I surfed across this article today while doing other research, and I remembered this post. I thought you would find it interesting.

Cats with Broken Tails

What's your kitty looking at?