cats injured leg :(

My cat came in on thursday and it looked like it had been in a bad fight his ear was bleeding from scratches and his head which already had a scab on.. Since then he has been limping and cannot walk on his leg? Ive touched it and he doesnt do anything and he is eating and drinking fine so im not sure if he has broken it or just a sprain. It has happened before and he was walking fine on it after 4 days! If he hasnt improved by tuesday im taking him vets.

Just because he doesn't react when you touch it doesn't mean it's not hurt.  Cats hide pain VERY well.  My cat broke his leg when he was a kitten, and he was running around like nobodies business.  But it was definitely broken and we had to get a feline orthopedic surgeon to put a couple pins in it to set it properly.  I would definitely recommend getting x-rays to be sure it's not broken.  You don't want to wait too long to get it set if it is.

Limbs are often punctured during cat fights' trauma also. He could have a bite wound hidden in hair, that is contributing to a limp. Cat bites don't bleed much, and seal over fast, so they go unnoticed until infection accumulates enough an abscess forms a raised bump. In really hairy beasts the lump is missed, until it ruptures and the discharge is noted by the owner. The muscle and nerve pain of a puncture causes limping before the abscess even forms.

Soft tissue trauma is also common, due to wrenching a limb at an angle, or fleeing the scene fast and mis-landing on a limb.

With the limp persisting, 24 hours after the trauma, he needs to be assessed for a bite wound, and then rule out limb injury with radiographs if the vet doesn't find any such puncture. Is a cat fight your strongest suspicion, and what happened when he limped before and it resolved?

IF he tangled with something other than a cat, such as a dog, raccoon, coyote, etc they can bite with enough force to crush a bone to the breaking point. If he has cats nearby, that is likely the source of his injuries, and he may need to spend less time out, such as no nocturnal comings and goings to piss off territorial neighbors. Confinement indoors while he heals now is needed anyway, at least for 7 days if it is a soft tissue or bite injury; longer if a deeper injury. Either way, pain management would be an ethical route. Asking your vet about buprenorphine +/- onsior at his appt would be appropriate.

Good luck with your boy.