Help- my cat has broken bone, how can i help him

Hi, I really need your advice on this. I'm new on here, I joined because my cat snowflake was apparantly hit by a car on his right side. Discovered him this morning sleeping outside my front door in the woodchips. Brought him to vet this morning, they did xray, his right front leg is broken above the joint, up higher. It's a pretty clean break he said, I think he said a few splinters. He said he can't splint it because it is too high up. There appear to be no internal injuries, he's staying overnight at vet. Vet said he wants to do a pin inside his leg to set it, he also said he can't do cast, it would do more harm than good. Problem is the cost to do pin is around 800 and even though vet will take payments, my husband doesn't want to do it. My cost today was already 200. We have had vet expenses recently in the past. Anyway, my husband says the cat will most likely heal on his own, and will be fine. PleAse tell me that if we do nothing he will be ok. What should I do at home to help him? My husband said he is going to pick snowflake up from vet tomorrow.

He will not heal on his own and he will not be fine. If he could heal on his own the vet wouldn't want to do surgery.

I'm going to be blunt but if you refuse to have the surgery at least have the common decency to have him put to sleep so he doesn't suffer because he will suffer if you don't do anything. Not to mention it's illegal, it's considered medical non-treatment and is considered animal abuse and you could be prosecuted for it. So either have the surgery or put the cat to sleep.

Taryn

I know you are struggling and I don't want to bash you, but this makes me feel sick to my stomach. Your cat needs the appropriate treatment and your husband needs to be kicked out of your house.

Don't let the cat suffer.

I'm worried sick for snowflake, I've been in tears all day. I even called a clinic that the humane society told me about, but had to leave message. I told my husband about this, and he said even if it's less, it's still too much. He's not saying definitely he won't do it, he's saying he wants to see how snowflake does until tues. Then I guess he will decide. Our mistake was having a cat that is allowed to go outdoors. I've been a lifelong cat owner, and I should have made him an indoor cat. He's 2 yrs old. My cat before him, I ended up spending over $2000 and it broke my heart that in the end I had to put her to sleep. I've always done what was necessary to take care of my cats, and it's agonizing that I have to let snowflake suffer the next few days in hopes that my husband will decide to go ahead. I understand his frustration, financially things are tough and I have 3 kids plus a stepson. But I also feel like I don't have a choice and that I have to help my cat. I was reading elsewhere online, and one person said that his wife is a vet and he has heard many a conversation that with broken bones, if put the 2 pieces in a room together, they find their way back to one another. Something to that effect. I do hear you both though, it is horribly inhumane. I'm hoping that when my hisband goes to vet tomorrow, he'll be convinced to leave snowflake there to get fixed. Including today's visit, the total cost was a bit over $1000.

I have a cat that has a broken toe right now & I was sick when I saw the amount of pain she was in. Something needs to be done to help your kitty. Has your husband spoke with the vet, so that maybe he understands what Snowflake is going through.

In addition I want to tell you that our shelter got a cat that had two broken front legs that were never repaired. Due to the lack of vet care after they were broken, there has been nerve & ligiment damage. She cost us around $8,000.00 to fix both legs so she could walk again. I know you love your cat, so maybe if you explain to your husband that long term damage could be much more expensive to fix he would be more open to helping your cat.

I know its a lot of money.

I'm not like a lot of the people here. I completely love and adore my cats and they are very well cared for, however there is a limit to how far I'll go with treatment. Money, unfortunately, is an object. I will always treat injuries (on a payment plan if I have to) but wouldn't go as far as chemo. I'm using those as examples so you know where I'm coming from.

I know that you want to treat your cat and I think you should. A two year old will recover well after surgery and you'll have many years with Snowflake. There are zero guarantees that Snowflake will heal on his own and there's a great chance that you'll end up with a deformed cat who is in pain for the rest of his life. If you aren't going to go through with the surgery and you can't find a rescue who can help you, you should put the cat to sleep.

Originally Posted by Acr998

I was reading elsewhere online, and one person said that his wife is a vet and he has heard many a conversation that with broken bones, if put the 2 pieces in a room together, they find their way back to one another. Something to that effect.

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That isn't true for all fractures. If there was a snowballs chance in hell it was going to heal on it's own the vet would see if it would heal on it's own but it isn't going to. That is why it needs to be pinned. They don't pin bones unless there is no way on earth it will heal on it's own. It is also right by a joint so if nothing is done you are talking locked joints and severe painful debilitating arthritis.

The fact that it needs to be done now without any wait says that there is no way. The vet isn't giving it a chance because he doesn't want the cat to end up deformed and in constant pain.

I know money is a big thing. Maude couldn't be saved due to money, it was just too expensive and her liver was really damaged. I know chances are one day I am going to be faced with making a decision regarding Attitude and/or Nuts having cancer and how I want to progress. I know if I can't afford it they will be put to sleep when they are ready so they don't suffer.

Like I said if you won't do the surgery please let her go and don't let her suffer unless you can find someone willing to help.

Find out how much an amputation costs because if you don't treat it down the road he'll have to have his leg amputated and I'm sure that is way more expensive not to mention a lot more traumatic.

Taryn

You need to do the right thing for your cat. Could you imagine trying to heal on your own with a broken femur? The pain? It would be cruel to just 'let the cat heal on her own'. I agree with everyone else. come up with a payment plan and do the surgery, or put her to sleep. Anything else is inhumane.

Your husband is a s.o.b .to even consider allowing Snowflake to suffer for even one more moment. I agree that if he won't "let" you have the surgery, please have Snowflake euthanized, today, now. Waiting until Monday is cruel and inhumane, how would you like to go three days with an untreated broken leg. My gosh, the man disgusts me.

I for one am sorry that the man has so much say so over what can and can't be done for your beloved cat. I agree with Otto, that's pretty sickening. Broken bones are intensely painful. wow... some big man there. Poor Snowflake. Tuesday is far too far away to wait "in hopes" it will "be allowed".

Thanks so much for all of your advice! I appreciate it. Hubby relented, we are doing surgery tomorrow, thank God. My husband is a good person, it's just that after we spent over 2000 for my last cat, I begged and pressured him into buying a Turkish angora. He didn't want another cat until we were feeling reasonably confident that we could afford to take care of one, and at the time everything was really unstable. But I got my way and we got the cat. And then on top of that, since we have had snowflake, we have incurred atleast 700, and now this. Ofcourse he loves snowflake, I just think he looks at it that cats didn't have doctors for thousands of years and they healed broken bones, but my philosophy is "of what quality of life did they have if they had to heal on their own". Anyway, I've agreed that when the time comes for snowflake to pass on, we will wait to get another cat until we are sure we can afford him, and he will be an indoor cat.

YAY! <thank you for prayers answered>. You are planning to keep Snowflake inside after this, too, right?

Sorry I was so mean about your husband, I was just so shocked at his attitude.

Oh, Welcome to TCS, by the way, and please do keep us updated on your beloved Snowflake.

Thanks Otto! Anyone have any advice on how to take care of snowflake when he gets home. I think vet said he could come home Sunday or Monday. Also, how can I help snowflake transition into staying indoors? He LOVES being outdoors. I feel bad for him.

Your vet should give you detailed instructions on how to care for Snowflake. He will probably have to be confined for a few weeks, meaning a large cage type thing.

He will be inside and not thinking about being outside, for a long time. You can harness train him as he begins to feel better, and take him outside on supervised outings. Or you can build an outdoor enclosure so he can go outside safely.

Many here have done that, and it doesn't have to be a costly project. My cats are harness trained.

I recommend you get a feliway plug in diffuser to help him adjust.

I'm happy to hear he's getting the surgery to fix his leg. I have seen the consequences of people letting their pets with fractures heal on their own, & trust me it isn't pretty. Most often requires amputation as the injury did not heal well & causes severe pain.

Otto gave good advice in regards to giving him outdoor access & keeping him safe.

Oh goodness I am so happy to hear the surgery will be done. I for one am sorry too that I was rough, it was just so worrying to hear about the waiting part. But I am glad it will be done and as for being outdoors, yes, outdoor inclosures are great if you can get one. My Boo started wearing harnesses at 6 months old, so he is used to them. I had to get him a small dog harness because the cat harnesses were too tight. But they work wonders.
I personally use the kind that strap under the chest and around the back of the head and ribcage. The sling-type looking ones he could get out of somehow super easy.
But this way it will be so much easier to take her outside and supervise her, make sure she is OK!

And welcome to TCS. There are really great people here, and yes, keep us updated on your furbaby!!

Sometimes if they are completely resistant to the harness they will take to a dog collar and leash. They only only ONLY wear the dog collar while they are on leash. I have to do this with Nuts he refuses to wear a harness but is perfectly fine wearing a dog collar. I remove the collar when he comes in and I don't detach the leash until the collar is off him to make sure he can't 'escape' to the rest of the house before I can get the collar off him which is very dangerous. I would recommend a harness and use a collar as a very last resort. Attitude doesn't mind the harness she wears it without a fuss. I have no idea what Nuts has with the harness but that is a no go for him.

Also, some cats are escape artists in harnesses. Both Attitude and Nuts have slipped certain kinds of harnesses with ease.

I use a long style retractable leash with Attitude and Nuts, it gives them more room to run around. I use one for pets up to 44 lbs since the other went to 20 something and I felt that just wasn't safe enough. Nuts is a charger(didn't know it at the time when I bought it) and I swear there are times when it feels like he is going to rip the leash out of it's handle so if you do get one get one for an animal around 40 lbs. Of course I also have 11 lbs cats and I knew even as little kittens they were going to be huge since they are Maine Coon mixes. I guess it would depend on the size of the cat. I knew mine were going to be huge so I wasn't comfortable with one that had a 20-something weight limit, I also knew if I ever had to couple them together(in an emergency) I had to trust that the leash wouldn't snap with their combined weights and I knew a 20-something lb limit might be beyond what they both weighed as adults.

Taryn

Thanks all! Snowflake had his surgery this morning and is doing great. I pick him up tomorrow morning. Can't wait!

So glad to hear surgery went well.

Thanks for the update! Hey, got any pics of him?