Stepped on Cat's Tail -- Heard "Pop"???

I'm terrified I've really injured my cat. My boyfriend doesn't think it's actually broken, but I get very paranoid about injuries to a cat's tail -- I had a cat that got out and came back with her tail hanging. We took her to the vet immediately, and they said it appeared someone had picked her up by the tail the way the injury appeared on X-ray. Luckily she did not lose any bowel or bladder function, but it was a harrowing experience and so I may just be paranoid.

It happened like this: Putting groceries away in kitchen when Kitty got underfoot. I first stepped on her back paw (to which she let a loud scream, of course), and trying to get off of her as quickly as possible I stumbled and stepped on the very end of her tail. She was trying to run as it happened (I guess I'm just a quick stumbler) and I swore I heard either a "snap" or a "pop". My ankles are very arthritic so it might have even been my ankle that popped so loudly -- but I was in panic mode so didn't feel it if it was.

This happened about 45 minutes ago, and the kitty is able to move her tail okay and doesn't complain about touching the tail -- except for the very tip. She's had a "hook" at the end of her tail since we got her, and I was worried about it when we got her but it appeared she had sensation there and the vet wasn't worried.

She didn't scream at the stepping on of the tail -- but the "pop" sound scares the dickens out of me. I can touch the very end of the tail's fur and she reacts by twitching the tail, so I'm hoping she still has sensitivity. However, I've heard that the nerve damage may not occur quickly.

How long should I use as a guideline before taking her to the emergency vet today? I'm making an appointment on Monday (we need to do her spay this month anyway) and I hope it'll make it until then, but I just don't want her to be in pain or have to have the tip amputated.

Thanks... I feel sooooo guilty!

Deep breath - it was an accident !!!

See how she acts and take it from there. If it makes you feel better call the emergency Vet - tell them what happened and let them advise you.

all the best!!!

Originally Posted by Hell603

Deep breath - it was an accident !!!

See how she acts and take it from there. If it makes you feel better call the emergency Vet - tell them what happened and let them advise you.
all the best!!!

Click to expand...

IMO, she sounds fine. She's not in obvious pain and is able to move the tail. Plus, you're taking her to the vet tomorrow anyway, so I would just wait until then. I've stepped on my cat's tail before and no harm was done. It's not like you stomped on it or anything.
Poor kitty, sounds like another contender for the name "Underfoot"!

There are 106 bones in a cat's tail, the bones are quite fragile. It is likely you did break one, but if you did, there is little the vet could do about it anyway.

I did have a cat who dislocated/broke the base of her tail and they're very obviously in pain. As a matter of fact, I took her to the vet because I thought it was her legs since she couldn't (wouldn't) walk. I'm betting you heard your ankle do the popping, and if you broke a little bone in the tip of the tail, it's not the same thing as the cat who got picked up by her tail. However, check her every so often as it could not be obvious yet and could swell and become more painful over time.

We took her to the Vet on monday -- not because of the tail but because she started sneezing on Saturday. Her tail is fine (thank goodness, we gave it two hours before going for the emergency vet and by then she had forgotten she hurt, but still had feeling all the way down the tail) but they did diagnose her with a sinus infection (her eye was weepy by Monday morning and they put some drop in her eye to see if it would drain, it didn't)

They didn't give her any antibiotic shots, but they gave us some antibiotic pills (she eats those Pill Pockets like they're treats!). She's been on them for three days, but I'm going to call them tommorow -- she is now sneezing more (she'd pretty much stopped sneezing on Monday, I'm thinking it was because the sneezing was doing no good) and really trying to clear herself out but she doesn't seem to be doing much better and her eyes are still weepy.

We're feeding her wet food because she doesn't want to eat much, but she is drinking quite a bit. She is now actively trying to clear herself up but it sounds horrific. They said her lungs were clear but it was just the sinuses.

I worry about my baby -- like any good owner of a kitty would ... I'm going to try the humidity treatment someone mentioned in a different thread when I get done writing this message. We have Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap in Eucalyptus -- I may add that to the water since she's never had any problems with coming into the bathroom before when we've been using it in the shower, and the stuff clears me up pretty good!

Oh, since this time, she's been sneezing in my face most nights -- I'm getting stuffy now. Great! Oh well -- getting her treatment is first priority, kitties are not nearly as resillient as humans are when it comes to their respiratory systems....

Hi,
What are pill pockets? please!

Anne

Originally Posted by Anakat

Hi,
What are pill pockets? please!

Click to expand...

They're treats with the smell and consistency of catfish bait that have a place inside them for you to put the pill.

They stink, in other words -- but the cats love them!

Although, after two a day she's getting kind of tired of the salmon flavor. I might have to see if I can get some of the chicken flavor.