Caring for an injured kitten

Hello,

My girlfriend and I just adopted an adorable kitten from the local SPCA. He is about 3 months old and we've had him for 3 days. He is a fiesty little monster but we love him. Last night he was sleeping with us and I think I rolled onto him. He cried out and this morning was acting very strange: he was limping, would yelp when lifted, and didn't cover up his #1 or #2 in the kitty litter box, so we took him to the vet.

His leg was swollen and she took xrays, which came back negative. At the same time she said the growth plate looks a little off in one of his hip joints-- it seems to have shifted. It was a very awkward and fuzzy description but she prescribed 2 weeks of staying in the cage. She claims that cats have a remarkable healing ability and he should be okay after some time off his feet. No pain meds. If he starts crying or gets very hot then we need to bring him back in.

Right now he is a very upset little kitten. He's not whimpering or anything like that but is pretty non-responsive when we try and get a little rise out of him or cheer him up. Hes just sitting in the cage with the door open and we have his food and litter box right outside.

Is there anything we can do to make his situation a little easier? I don't want him to become scarred by this experience!


Any recommendations or advice would be very appreciated. Also if anyone is more familiar with this specific hip injury, I would be interested in hearing more about if there are any lingering effects or what to expect in terms of healing time.

Dave

I would get him one of those big cages that will fit food, water, litter and bedding in it. I'm sure he's in some pain, which could be why he's not responding as you'd expect. Did the vet give you any type of medication?

thanks for replying!

No, she didn't give any meds for him. She made it our call, and it seems like he's not overwhelmed (not crying) but still self -monitoring, in that he stays still and recognizes that something is wrong. If things take a turn for the worse (we're supposed to keep an eye out for fever) then maybe they'll give something for the pain

I'm surprised he didn't get an anti-inflammatory. Is he eating well? If not, you'll need to force feed him since that's important not only for his recovery, but not eating can lead to other problems.

When I rescued Pepper at about 8 weeks old, she had been abandoned and hit by a car. She climbed into my brake spring under my car, and the only way I could remove her before we both got hit was to just grab her little foot and pull, resulting in a similar injury to what you describe. She was already traumatized, and a very upset little kitty. She laid around kind of listless, and had a little trouble balancing in the litterbox for awhile, but she healed pretty quickly and has few lasting effects. It seems a little stiff sometimes, and she does not like it to be touched in one small spot. She has always had a little funny way of walking, but has no trouble with any range of motion. We let her do things at her own pace, and if I remember correctly, she limped a little for several months. We gave her several small stuffed toys to snuggle with, and she found one that she propped her little foot on. It seemed to make her more comfortable.
At 6 years old she is a sweet, loving girl with no lasting behavioral or emotional problems.
Cats are forgiving creatures if they know you are trying to help them, and believe me, they know. I hope your little one does as well as Pepper did. Please keep us posted, and we would love to see pics of her.

He doesn't seem to be eating. What is the best way to force feed him?

Originally Posted by dhella

He doesn't seem to be eating. What is the best way to force feed him?

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I would try Nutri-Cal and a baby syringe or ask the vet for a scrip for the appropriate Hills Prescription Diet which can also be used with a syringe. Of course, check with your vet ASAP.

Is he eating already? Please make absolute sure he eats... This is imperative... Call the vet.