Please help. Has my cat been hit by a car?

Hi. My cat usually comes in during the night and wakes us up. This morning he was just lying downstairs on his bed and he had clumps of hair coming off him. He was really not himself. Not walking around or playing. When we picked him up he was all limp and in shock. We took him to the vet and he said there are no broken bones. He has a cut on his tongue and on his head under his ear. His ear feels like it's been scratched too. His right eye and head is a little swollen and the White eyelid inside keeps sliding across. It doesn't usually do this. The vet thinks he has been hit by a car. As soon as he saw the cut inside his mouth he was adamant that's what has happened. I'm really worried now that the vet said that. I just thought he'd had a really bad fight. The vet gave him antibiotics and pain killers. His temperature was 38 degrees which is high and they want to see him again tomorrow. He's been up and eating food this evening, but he's still not himself. He's hiding most of the time and sleeping and he's still got hot ears. I'm just worried he might have some swelling in his head. Please help. I don't know whether to wait another 24hours to go and see the vet again.

Any help will be greatly appreciated

Regards
Jp

I'm sorry this happened to your cat. Is he neutered? If NOT, he may have a greater propensity to fight another male cat.
But the fever to me (uneducated.....) seems to indicate an infection of some sort, not a fight. Glad antibiotics were prescribed. And that he is eating.
Were x-rays taken? Blood work?

Hi thanks for the reply. He is neutered yes. Something has definitely happened, with all the clumps of hair that were coming out him. That's usually what happens when he fights.

The vets didn't take X-rays or blood work.

I suspect a fight then, though I thought neutered males fought less. But of course keep a close eye on him--if he stops eating/peeing/pooping, or seems off-balance (mobility or thought wise), then I would take him back to the vets immediately.

Yeah he seems to fight every now and again. He's so soft he just gets beaten up. May consider making him a house cat. I don't know.

I will keep an eye on him and assess what to do. He's at the vets tomorrow evening but I will see what he is like throughout the night.

Thank you for all your advice. It's really helped.

Becoming a house cat would prevent future fights with other cats (Which posses a risk of him catching diseases, infections from wounds, ect) as well as protecting him against other animals (Dogs, wild animals, ect) and people/cars. People especially. There are times animals are hit on accident but there are others who will swerve to hit a cat (Or other animal) on purpose. Not to mention if kitty wanders into the wrong yard it's at risk of being posioned. The outdoors isn't a safe place for any animal, the world is cruel. The average lifespan of a cat allowed outdoors is roughly 1-6 years, compare that to an indoor only average lifespan of 12-20 years.

I hope it's nothing serious and that he feels better soon.

I agree with the poster above me.

However... I am so sorry to hear he was injured. Anyway he can stay in at least until he gets better? Try and train him to be a house cat?
I saw Jackson Galaxy mention taking cats for walks to get them outdoors but not hurt.

I worry about all the things outdoors which can harm him, but I also feel bad taking away the outdoors from him. He's a cat and was made to hunt etc. I know there are external things that weren't around when cats were e.g. Cars etc but I'd still feel bad taking away his desire to go outside.

I guess it would be up to you but there are cat toys they can hunt and such.
I would at least give it a good try to keep him indoors. Next time he may not recover from a cat fight or being run over. For me, knowing I could prevented harm or death it would be a no brainer.

I truly hope he recovers soon and feels better. *heart*

I'm sorry to hear what happened to your cat. Everything you were describing is exactly what used to happen to my boy when he used to roam. You could guarantee we would have to go to the vet at least two times a month for fight wounds. He had ripped ears, puncture wounds and clumps of fur missing to name a few.
When we got our second cat we decided to keep them confined to the garden. He didn't like the idea at all and got really grumpy for a couple of weeks but he finally got used to it. So much safer.
Hope all goes well for your boy and he makes a quick recovery.

Thanks for all your replies and concerns. You'll all be glad to hear he is MUCH better today. We are still going to get him checked up this evening though.

Does anyone have any links to toys that he can 'hunt' indoors? Cats like moving objects so I'd be interested to see what kind of toys are available. What else is there to keep him occupied indoors? He seems to get bored of his toys quickly, even when sprayed with catnip !

I would be nice to confine him to the back yard but it would mean getting some very high fences and it would look extremely odd.

Ritz only likes one type of toy, and that is an ornamental grass with a 'feather' on top. I drag it under (of all things) a t-shirt, tetting her see the 'feather'. I guess she thinks it is a mouse, because she crouches, rocks back and forth on her legs, and POUNCES on the feather, which she eats.

Your cat might also like Da Mouse; it is also probably safer than the Lagurus. Some "da mouse" toys have other attachments; Da Bird is particularly popular with some cats. (Ritz use to love Da Bird but something/some time it spooked her and she is afraid of flying things.)

Oooo love da mouse and da bird!!!!