NEED ADVICE ON INJURED KITTY!!

bebe28

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My cats name is Bebe & she is both an inside & outside kitty. I'm beginning to think twice about letting her go outside again now though it will be extremely difficult to keep her from escaping, especially considering she's had a taste of the wilderness. But I found her outside yesterday & she was seriously injured from getting in a fight w/ either another cat or even a raccoon! When I found her she couldn't even stand up because something was wrong w/ her back left foot. I thought for sure that her leg was broken since she kept limping around & crying when she put any pressure on it. I had no ride or money to spend on a vet visit so I've basically just been watching her & reading a whole lot of things online about what I should do. I read that if her leg was broken then she would be dragging it & wouldn't be able to place any pressure on it at all, which she is able to do because I watched her not only go up the steps, but she jumped up onto & off of my bed. I'm thinking it is just a sprain because today she is hardly limping at all. Does anyone have any advice for me on what I should do from here on? I don't want to lose her like I Iost my other cat, Sme, a few months ago from unknown reasons. I just found him laying out on my welcome mat one morning & now I regret ever letting him, or her, go outside in the first place. I feel 100% responsible for both his death & her injury considering I knew that it was a huge risk to their life & health letting them go outside. Ive always been told that indoor cats live longer. I just wanted them to be happy & I didn't think it was fair forcing them to stay inside. Cats need to hunt & prowl around, it's in their instinct. I'm pretty torn about what I should do as you can probably tell. Any advice will be highly appreciated! Thanks!!
 

c8rams

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My first cat had the run of a 60 acre farm for a year before I got him. My brother scooped him out of a dirt hole as a kitten, about to be eaten by a raccoon. He slept indoors at night, and during the day he hunted, killed, puked up (and rested from puking up) gophers, weasels, rabbits. But he was also stalked by raccoons, foxes and feral cats -- I can only imagine the amount of fear and energy he spent surviving the days.  And guess what -- he adjusted GREAT to a city apartment: I played hide/seek with him, used lots of wand toys, window perches, grew oat grass in a large pan...did all kinds of interactive stuff designed to let him feel like he was stalking prey. And I didn't have to do it constantly. I tried taking him for a walk using a harness, but that didn't work in an apartment situation. Cats don't absolutely need to go outside to be complete; they need stimulation and interaction. My boy wouldn't have survived long among the raccoons, coyotes, foxes, and rabid bats/squirrels.

Please take your cat to a vet as soon as possible. He could be walking on a fracture, or worse--he could have suffered a bite, scratch, or puncture that is becoming infected.

I empathize, as I made a different kind of bad choice (dry food) that ended up causing my cat's fatal illness. If you do get a second chance with yours, make it a new start with him as an indoor-only kitty with a better quality of life, and don't beat yourself up.  Best of luck!

(And please, if you don't already, give him wet food). 
 

tinyannabelle

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I had a cat for 19 years and the last two years or more of her life she was outside. I loved my cat a lot too but I didn't have her with me. She had to stay with my mother. I moved and wasn't able to have her where I lived at one point in time. And what happened was that my mom got attached to her a lot so I just let my mom have her at her home. Being highly allegic to cats she couldn't have her inside though but that was only for a few years of her life. She was the love of my life regardless of what anyones says but my opinion is that you should keep your cat inside the house. Btw even though my cat was outside all that time she never went far from home. Now if my new kittens I just got went outside they wouldn't survive at all. Its ruff where I live now. So mine are indoor cats forever. Good luck with your cat I hope you can get her to a vet if her leg doesn't get better.
 
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bebe28

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Thanks for your advice...Bebe is doing so much better today. I actually can't believe how much better she is, she's not even limping anymore. I'll prolly still take her to the vet to be safe...& hopefully I can keep her inside! She's very sneaky when she wants to go outside. She will pretend like she's sleeping then when the door opens she bolts out the door, lol...she def out smarts me sometimes. And I will switch her from dry to wet food also. Thanks again!
 

mservant

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Glad she's looking better but you're still planning to take her along to vet for a check up.

I live in an apartment in an inner city so have always had my cats indoors only. My first 2 came from the country, one hated loud noises and never wanted to go out and the other was for ever bolting for the door so I just got really good and having myself well positioned whenever anyone was going in or out and distracting her where ever possible.  My current boy rarely shows any interest in the door other than to 'vet' everyone that comes in to his territory:)  I think it's fine to keep cats in as long as they have their own safe space that they can feel is their territory. They need lots of interaction, rotation of stuff to play with and 'hunt', and height as well as running space so they can climb and survey their land.  If you don't provide them with plenty of their own high spots they will find ones you'd probably rather they didn't!  You just need to cat proof your home a bit more of your cat's going to be inside all the time.

Sadly, even indoors cats get themselves in to scrapes and it seems impossible to keep them safe, but hey, what fun would any of us have in a totally safe environment - and everyone needs to play, experiment and explore as that's how learning happens.  Don't feel badly about the choice you made to let your previous cats out, they had the happy and well loved life that you gave them. Accidents can happen anywhere, it's just that they are a little more regular outside, and they have the added risk of meeting some not very nice people.
 
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bebe28

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Oh yes, there are def some ppl around here that aren't too nice. My next door neighbor hates me cuz I have cats. I think about the fact that he may have something to do w/ my Sme's death...I think he poisoned him to be perfectly honest. My family says I'm being paranoid but I've seen this guy try to hit Bebe w/ his car while I was standing right there! My boyfriend had to literally hold me back from tackling him...all I could do was scream. He deserved to be punched but I prolly would have gotten arrested. All I know is that Bebes a cat & can't speak or defend herself, so I have to do it for her. I also think this guy had something to do w/ Bebe's injury too...it could be a coincidence but I highly doubt it. The horrible thing is that I can't prove any of my theory's. I know that he's been after my cats since the day we moved in, I would never put it past him to do something that horrific. He's a drunk, junky who despises anything that he doesn't have control over. I just wish I could prove that it was all his doing, but it's not like he would even get arrested if I did prove it. Why can't animals & humans have the same rights? It makes me sick!
 
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mservant

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Oh yes, there are def some ppl around here that aren't too nice. ................................... Why can't animals & humans have the same rights? It makes me sick!
Who, knows, may be they will. At least we live in an age where it's recognized that people who hurt animals are more likely to hurt people too - like in child protection work. Sadly it isn't likely to be any time soon. Until then keep your precious Bebe safe and give her as much indoor  interesting territory and things to play and hunt when she's not cuddling with you so she will be happy and content indoors (as much as possible).  Good luck, and I hope you get some new neighbours. 
  
 
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