Cat with head trauma

Yesterday my foster dog got made at my cat Abner. The dog must have shook the cat and caused a brain injury. He's been at the hospital for just over 24 hours and I will have to decide after work if I want to take him home or leave him another night to the tune of $200. His big issue right now is that he can't see. I really can't afford the additional $200 but I'm nervous about bringing him home too. Has anyone ever dealt with a cat with head trauma before?

I have dealt with a cat who was temporarily blind AND deaf from head trauma (the little cat in the picture here).  He was only about 6 weeks old and had been thrown out of a car and was picked up by a kind Mexican seller at our local flea market.  A friend of mine who also sells there called me because the kitten had an obvious head injury so I took him home. He was obviously blind AND deaf from his head trauma, but he could feel touch and would purr as long as I was touching him.  He ate well also. The first night, I kept him in a cat carrier right next to me even when I went to a meeting. As long as I was touching him, he knew he was not alone and he was content.  Otherwise he would circle (he could not walk straight) and look for someone to touch.  He slept with me, snuggled up into my neck, and by the next day he could see out of his good eye.  It turned out he had a concussion and a lot of swelling but no fracture.  He healed slowly, over time.  He started out walking only in circles, but eventually he straightened out, and then learned to walk and then run.  He would tip over sometimes but he would just get up again.  He was a happy little fellow, and I named him Lurch.

I'm telling you all this because it affects the advice I will give you.  Bring Reggie home and set him up in a crate or carrier, and put him in a room where the dog cannot go, such as your bedroom.  If you can be with him a lot, do so, touch him, pet him, let him know he is safe and loved.  His vision may come back, but even if it does not, blindness is a handicap cats cope with very well.  He will be much happier at home with you than left in the vet hospital, where they may all go home for the night, leaving him alone in a cag.  If he's at home, you can watch him and feed him and comfort him, AND you will save $200. 

When in doubt, it never hurts to ask yourself what YOU would want if you were in his situation.  Often that makes your choice a whole lot easier.  Make sure to keep him completely away from the dog (to avoid stress) and let us know how he does.

The cage I'm going to set him up in is on top of a dresser in my bedroom. The dog is in there at night while I sleep, but I could cover the cage with a blanket if that would help. The dresser is a tall dresser and there is no way she could get at him. I tried to make the dog sleep in her crate last night but every couple of hours she would start barking for 15 mins. So I didn't get much sleep last night. I am really hoping the dog will be in a forever home or another foster home soon. The rescue is working to expedite her move. The vets also said they are having to coax him to eat and I wonder if he will be more likely to eat at home.

I should add that he is at a 24 hour care facility. That is why it is going to be so expensive. My regular vet wouldn't charge me anywhere near that. I have to work tomorrow. I don't know if it would be better to leave him home, or take him to my regular vet for the day? I am going to ask about working from home tomorrow. I just haven't had a chance yet.

I think he will be much more likely to eat at home, especially if you offer him things he likes a lot, maybe fresh chicken baked or cooked on the grill, etc. (that always works for my cats, although for Lurch I used chicken baby food since he was so tiny.)  You should definitely keep the dog OUT of the bedroom.  It will be excellent for her crate training to put her in her crate at bedtime and leave her there, ignoring any barking.  For your sleeping comfort, get yourself some of those flexible soft silicone earplugs (just a few dollars at most drug store chains or even Walmart.)  You shape them to your ear and they greatly deaden the sound so you can sleep undisturbed by her barking.  You will hear it if you are awake, but it will sound like it is way off in the background, and if you are sleeping, you will probably not be awakened by it especially if your bedroom door is shut and the crated dog is in another room.  Again, try to see it from the cat's point of view.  We are assuming he can still hear, even though he can't see, and while he's in his carrier on top of the bureau, he will still hear the dog walking around the room and be nervous about it.  While YOU know that the dog can't reach him, the cat will not necessarily know this and will probably stay awake all night keeping an ear on the dog to make sure he's not going to be grabbed again. 

It would be great if you could work from home tomorrow, but if not, perhaps you could set the cat up in a small space like the bathroom with his litter box and food and a bed, and the door tightly shut and barricaded against the dog.  He would be much happier at home in a familiar place and he doesn't need to be watched by a vet unless he has other critical issues.  Of course you will have to see how he does through the night, but if blindness is his only issue, having a small space he can navigate in his familiar home will be the least stressful option.

So I did bring him home last night and he ate without a problem. My friend met me at the vet and said she could tell he recognized me by the way he was rubbing on me. I did take him to my vets today which turned out to be a good thing because all of the stress caused an upper respiratory infection to flare up. So he can get antibiotics and be fully on the mend.

I once rescued a kitten who suffered a head trauma. A kid said he saw someone throw her out of one of the windows in a nearby building 

I rushed her to the nearest vet I could find (I was out of town) who put in an IV to re-hydrate her and said there wasn't much else to be done other than wait. She was also blinded by the head injury and it took her three weeks to re-gain her eye sight. I did take her to my own vet the following day, but same diagnosis and prognosis. As soon as she was eating and drinking on her own, the vet said to basically keep her safe and secure and wait.

I do wonder about the dog though. Did you report this to the rescue organization you work with? Maybe they can find another foster home for the dog, one that doesn't have cats?

So this morning I feel like he has gotten at least some of his sight back. I did what my vet told me to do and threw a small soft object across his light of sight and he did track the item so I hope that means his sight is returning. He is still caged and anxious to get out. I think he just wants to be free. I may put him in my bathroom for a while after I am home. It is a small room and he can explore.

As far as the dog, I let them know right away. She will be meeting a potential home on Saturday. I am hoping they like her. If not, they will work on finding her another foster. The big issue with her is that she has had issues with children, other dogs, and now cats in various foster homes. She is a very sweet dog that just wants to cuddle with me, but doesn't like other animals in her face.

It sounds like the rescue group should be very clear to anyone who adopts her that she needs to be the ONLY pet in the home and also should not be with small children.  There are some dogs like that and it's best if people know ahead of time.  It may take longer to adopt out the dog but she will go to a home that has a chance of keeping her and not one that could be returning her after a disaster with another pet or a child.  I hope the rescue group does get her out of your home quickly.  In the meantime, we know you are being very careful to protect your cat.  I hope you are able to crate the dog and use earplugs so you can sleep at night also!

  for Abner and a speedy recovery in all ways.

I hope your foster is able to find a safe and quiet home with just adult people very soon.  This must be very hard for all of you.

what was the actual cause of blindness..was it nerve damage? did you do any meds..? or tests? and did vision come back slowly or all at once? THANKS

How long for recovery and sight returning? Any meds or tests done?  need any info to help me with my cat..THANKS