Lame Kitten Care

messickc · May 22, 2015

I have two 9-week-old kittens. Tuesday night one of them fell from my coffee table while trying to pull herself up. The vet says she has a severe sprain in her leg somewhere. The pain was bad enough that she couldn't get a consistent response from the kitten as to where the sprain might be. xRays are clean and ligaments seem to be intact. Anyway...

The vet put her on strict cage rest for two weeks. I have her in one now. However, the only way I can get her to be still and quiet is to put her in my office and close the door so her brother and I can't come in and bother her. I worry that the isolation is going to destroy her mentally, but I know no other way. Her brother and I go in morning noon and night for about 15 minutes apiece. She has screamed to the point that she is hoarse.

Am I doing this right or do I need to put her in the living room where she can be with us all the time, but crying and clawing and not resting to come out. Where is the right balance?

I just need confirmation that I'm doing what is best for her...

Sarthur2 · May 22, 2015

I think she just needs to come out and play! Sounds like she's fine and kittens heal quickly. I had a kitten once who hurt his leg playing chase with his sister. He was limping. Vet gave him a cortisone shot and he was good as new immediately!

I'm not sure I understand why she needs 2 weeks of cage rest. She surely needs to remain with you guys so she can socialize. Poor thing sounds like she's making herself sick with screaming. Seems to me if her leg hurts she would just not play as hard. I would think the isolation is worse than her injury.

StefanZ · May 22, 2015

messickc said:
I have two 9-week-old kittens. Tuesday night one of them fell from my coffee table while trying to pull herself up. The vet says she has a severe sprain in her leg somewhere. The pain was bad enough that she couldn't get a consistent response from the kitten as to where the sprain might be. xRays are clean and ligaments seem to be intact. Anyway...

The vet put her on strict cage rest for two weeks. I have her in one now. However, the only way I can get her to be still and quiet is to put her in my office and close the door so her brother and I can't come in and bother her. I worry that the isolation is going to destroy her mentally, but I know no other way. Her brother and I go in morning noon and night for about 15 minutes apiece. She has screamed to the point that she is hoarse.

Am I doing this right or do I need to put her in the living room where she can be with us all the time, but crying and clawing and not resting to come out. Where is the right balance?

I just need confirmation that I'm doing what is best for her...

I think I agree with SArthur. If it hurts, she will rest by herself. Or at least, take it easy. But you can do the opposite: if the bro is bothering her, although she tries to take it easy, you can have the bro in the cage instead... ) This is not a real proposal, but so you get the idea.

There are different ways to make sure a patient isnt bothered too much.

Good luck!

Sarthur2 · May 23, 2015

What have you decided to do?

messickc · May 23, 2015

I am keeping her in the cage when I am gone, or asleep at night so she can rest and I don't have to listen to her yowl. I let her out during the day in the office, away from her brother because they love to wrestle and nip at each other-- and just play way too hard right now, when I am home and can be in the room with her. If she starts getting too rambunctious, I put her up.

She is actually putting some weight on it and running on it a bit now, though she does pick up the leg now and then.

I palpated her leg to see if I couild get a consistent responec because the pain is obviously much less-- I think she pulled her hammie.

Whatever is going on, she is MUCH improved over the night when the incident occurred.

Next week, I will be gone to Chicago. Both will be boarded, so they will both be in cages the whole time so she will really be able to rest it.

catladyvettech · May 24, 2015

Cage rest is recommended for the very good reason that cats can make their injury worse with activity. They may take it easy if they feel pain but sometimes they don't. Cats are good at ignoring/masking pain and cage rest forces them to restrict the use of the injured limb. If your vet prescribed pain meds your cat is even more likely to exacerbate her injury by being active because it no longer hurts to use that leg. Even though it's tough, I suggest sticking with the cage rest for as long as the vet told you to. You might consider asking the vet to prescribe a mild sedative which could help keep her calm while she's confined. That's a common practice at my hospital for animals that have to be confined after injuries or orthopedic surgery.

messickc · May 24, 2015

Thanks for your replies. I will just keep her in there and ignore her-- go to the pool or something so I don't have to hear it. I'll get her a sedative on Tuesday when I drop them off to be boarded. One of my friends suggests Benadryl, but I'm weary.

The reasons cage rest was prescribed is because the vet saw something in the X-rays that is most likely because if the angle of the shot, but could be indicative of a small, minor fracture in one of her tarsals in her foot.

messickc · May 24, 2015

Thought she is doing much better this morning. Barely limping at all indicating to me, a break is unlikely.

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