outdoor cat possible broken bone pics inside need advice

limitedplay · May 18, 2015

I have taken care of this cat for years, he lives outside my house, cant get him for sure. He showed up yesterday limping, today cant put any weight on the leg. Not sure how old he is maybe 7 or 8 years old. I got a picture of the injury causing the issue, looks like a possible bone sticking out to me, might be a something stuck in him. Im just not sure, any opinion would be great since I dont have many options because I wont be able to catch him.

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limitedplay
May 18, 2015
1

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limitedplay
May 18, 2015

Columbine · May 18, 2015

He looks and sounds like he needs veterinary attention. Is there any chance you'd be able to get him with a humane trap? If he can't weight bear on that leg his chances aren't great without intervention/treatment. I hope he'll let you help him :vibes:

anne with cats · May 18, 2015

Hard to tell, but some kind of wound. I would think another cat bit him. Seems like either the neck or a paw is the victims site. Do you think he might be too injured to run? Can you throw some kind of blanket over him to capture if you don't have a trap? I don't like the look of his right eye either - possibly infected? Would be a good time to capture and neuter if he is still intact, as you know is part of the fighting. He probably needs to retire his fighting ways! Good luck catching the poor fellow.

detmut · May 18, 2015

if available, try contacting a local rescue group. they may loan you a trap and maybe even help. or contact your local shelter or humane/spca group.

limitedplay · May 18, 2015

thanks so far the help. I dont think he is trappable. We tried numerous times when he was younger with no luck, he is too smart to get in one. And he is a fighter for sure. He is the only cat that comes around here for years besides his GF.

Any more advice if this is a wound of some kind or broken bone would be great. His appetite is good. I fed him a bowl of wet food this morning and last night. He hops around fine. That stuff on his face while it worries me has been there for a long time. If he gets to the point I can put a blanket around him I will but to try to soon he would just run off and probably die.

denice · May 18, 2015

Since you seem to be able to get close to him any possibility of using a drop trap. You have to 'trip' the trap yourself so you need to be aware of his routine places to be at different times of the day. I know people have had success using one with trap savvy kitties.

limitedplay · May 18, 2015

Denice said:
Since you seem to be able to get close to him any possibility of using a drop trap. You have to 'trip' the trap yourself so you need to be aware of his routine places to be at different times of the day. I know people have had success using one with trap savvy kitties.

Not able to get that close, I used the close up on my camera. That was about 15 feet away, I will trap him if he gets to that point. Any opinion if thats bone or some other kind of wound? Second picture it looks maybe like a small bone sticking out. Thats what Im worried about.

anne with cats · May 18, 2015

I would think that his toe would be sort of hanging down. If it is a puncture wound, maybe you vet could give you some antibiotic that you could put in his food. I have a good relationship with my vet, and they were very accommodating when I got some for a kitten that had some sort of infection (not my kitten) I know you are worried, because whatever the wound is, it could either abscess, or close up without draining, but I'm sure you are aware of that.. I really am holding good thoughts for you catching him!

detmut · May 18, 2015

limitedplay said:
Not able to get that close, I used the close up on my camera. That was about 15 feet away, I will trap him if he gets to that point. Any opinion if thats bone or some other kind of wound? Second picture it looks maybe like a small bone sticking out. Thats what Im worried about.

is there any swelling?

limitedplay · May 18, 2015

detmut said:
is there any swelling?

no swelling from what I see, just the wound on the front paw.

ellag · May 18, 2015

maybe ask a vet about sedating him?

limitedplay · May 18, 2015

ellag said:
maybe ask a vet about sedating him?

I thought about that, Im kind of worried he would take off and then be lost. Kinda risky, my vet is suppose to call tonight so hopefully good news. I sent him a email of the picture.

limitedplay · May 18, 2015

Got off the phone with my vet he doesnt think its a break, most likely a wound from a fight so antibiotics should help some if he stays out fights. Thanks for the help and nice meeting some of you, my first post on here. I will keep this going to notify people of his condition.

anne with cats · May 18, 2015

Please do! We always like to know happened. Hopefully the antibiotics will ward off any infection.

puck · May 19, 2015

So your stray boy appears lethargic and febrile at best. The right forelimb has a raised hairless area interdigitally. It appears to be the swelling that forms around a foreign body. Depending upon your environment, certain grass seed heads, thorns, and ticks can cause that kind of "embedded" appearing wound.

Warm soaking and flushing post probe/sedation would be best. If it is an embedded foreign body, these often don't "work themselves out" and need our intervention. No amount of antibiotics will get a foreign body free and release it from the skin, ear, etc of the dog/cat it's embedded in.

Reconsider oral sedative, such as food laced with acepromazine and/or alprazolam from your vet, to catch him and bring him in. Both of these are safe enough for older, febrile, and immunocompromised pets.

Trying to soak and/or probe that wound without sedation would be painful, risky, and unethical treatment of this cat in this particular situation. Is he in tact? He has male cat jowels, so at a minimum, castrated late in life, if at all. Just wonderin... ;] Good Luck with that stud muffin!

limitedplay · May 21, 2015

puck said:
So your stray boy appears lethargic and febrile at best. The right forelimb has a raised hairless area interdigitally. It appears to be the swelling that forms around a foreign body. Depending upon your environment, certain grass seed heads, thorns, and ticks can cause that kind of "embedded" appearing wound.

Warm soaking and flushing post probe/sedation would be best. If it is an embedded foreign body, these often don't "work themselves out" and need our intervention. No amount of antibiotics will get a foreign body free and release it from the skin, ear, etc of the dog/cat it's embedded in.

Reconsider oral sedative, such as food laced with acepromazine and/or alprazolam from your vet, to catch him and bring him in. Both of these are safe enough for older, febrile, and immunocompromised pets.

Trying to soak and/or probe that wound without sedation would be painful, risky, and unethical treatment of this cat in this particular situation. Is he in tact? He has male cat jowels, so at a minimum, castrated late in life, if at all. Just wonderin... ;] Good Luck with that stud muffin!

Hes not been fixed, but for an update he is doing much better. We tried antibiotic but he and his GF do this weird thing when I feed them. he waits for her to start, then he eats, then she goes to eat with him, she either eats with him the rest of the way or he waits for her to finish. Needless to say this caused complications. In trying to separate them while eating I freaked him out and he took off without being seen for a couple days. He has showed back up and is doing MUCH MUCH better. If I saw him walking now I wouldnt think anything were wrong. I will continue to keep you guys updated but I think hes going to be fine.

limitedplay · Jun 3, 2015

Hopefully as a final update he is doing great, as if nothing happened. The area I was most concerned about was probably connective tissue according to the vet from what he could see.

outdoor cat possible broken bone pics inside need advice

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