A week ago Sunday my cat must have slipped jumping off something and sprained his right hind leg. He is nearly 11 and a little overweight and arthritic. After he hurt himself he hid for a while but still slept with me and followed me from room to room. Tuesday he seemed to be really sore so I took him to an emergency vet clinic, but they had several urgent cases come in so no one was able to check him out, so I lugged him back home and he seemed fine, a little sore but not scared.
Instead of just leaving well enough alone, I called and made an appointment with a vet for Wednesday after work. I came home, gave him his treats to soften him up a little, and then had to put him in the carrier (which he DOES NOT like!) When I was trying to wrassle him into it I must have squeezed or leaned on his bad leg because he started screaming and yowling and couldn't/wouldn't get up off the floor for a few seconds, then took off. He wound up under a bed so I had to reach under and grab him by the scruff, then get him into the carrier. The vet visit was horrible; he hissed at the technician and caused a ruckus in the x-ray room, and when I finally got him home he ran right back under the bed.
He came out sometime during the night because he was on my bed when I woke up, but after that everything started going wrong. He begs for treats and to be petted by standing up on his hind legs and putting his front paws on my leg or the kitchen cupboard. He tried that and his bad leg buckled and he toppled over, yowling and howling and slow to get up. Even if he was sitting within eyesight of me, and did something as minor as try to lay on his bad side, he'd growl at me and run away. He managed to tweak the leg one night when I was sound asleep and he still growled at me. After a few days he seemed to be recovering a little, tried to beg again, and keeled over again (yowl growl run away.) The vet, who called to discuss some test results, said I could give him one baby aspirin every 3 days for pain but I couldn't even get close enough to him to give him a pill.
Now if he even sees me, or hears me, he runs away. Obviously, he associates me with pain and being stuffed into the scary carrier. So I've been avoiding him as well, not talking to him or looking for him to give him his space. I keep his food and water dishes full and the litter box scooped out.
If anyone has any advice on how to regain his trust, or for me to regain my sanity, I'd much appreciate it. I'd give anything to be able to go back in time and cancel that vet appointment.
Instead of just leaving well enough alone, I called and made an appointment with a vet for Wednesday after work. I came home, gave him his treats to soften him up a little, and then had to put him in the carrier (which he DOES NOT like!) When I was trying to wrassle him into it I must have squeezed or leaned on his bad leg because he started screaming and yowling and couldn't/wouldn't get up off the floor for a few seconds, then took off. He wound up under a bed so I had to reach under and grab him by the scruff, then get him into the carrier. The vet visit was horrible; he hissed at the technician and caused a ruckus in the x-ray room, and when I finally got him home he ran right back under the bed.
He came out sometime during the night because he was on my bed when I woke up, but after that everything started going wrong. He begs for treats and to be petted by standing up on his hind legs and putting his front paws on my leg or the kitchen cupboard. He tried that and his bad leg buckled and he toppled over, yowling and howling and slow to get up. Even if he was sitting within eyesight of me, and did something as minor as try to lay on his bad side, he'd growl at me and run away. He managed to tweak the leg one night when I was sound asleep and he still growled at me. After a few days he seemed to be recovering a little, tried to beg again, and keeled over again (yowl growl run away.) The vet, who called to discuss some test results, said I could give him one baby aspirin every 3 days for pain but I couldn't even get close enough to him to give him a pill.
Now if he even sees me, or hears me, he runs away. Obviously, he associates me with pain and being stuffed into the scary carrier. So I've been avoiding him as well, not talking to him or looking for him to give him his space. I keep his food and water dishes full and the litter box scooped out.
If anyone has any advice on how to regain his trust, or for me to regain my sanity, I'd much appreciate it. I'd give anything to be able to go back in time and cancel that vet appointment.
