Recovery after trauma

[Hugs4bugz]

Hi all. So my cat is an indoor cat who has had the occasional outdoor excursion, when she managed to slip out the door, or more recently through a window that comes open easily. She's pretty smart and rather large, so for the most part I don't worry too much when she gets out.

However yesterday morning I woke up to her sadly meowing under my bed. This was an unnatural spot for her to be in trying to get my attention so I was immediately alarmed. She would not crawl out to me and I had to pull her out. She usually hates being picked up and will resist, but she was limp in my arms. I set her on my bed and she seemed to collapse. I felt all over her body, and she didnt seem bothered when I touched any part of her, so i couldn't find anything visibly wrong. When I had walked into my living room, I noticed my window was open, so she must have been outside and gotten hurt. I brought her food bowl up to her and she ate a decent amount while laying, and I felt better. Then I watched her attempt to stand, and noticed she was barely able to use her front paws. At this point I decided to go to the vet.

The vet did an exam in the back and noticed her nails were completely shredded down to the bed on most nails on the front paws and some on the back. He said she refused to move while she was in the exam room, so he wasn't able to observe her inability/hesitation to use her front paws (it says on her discharge she can use them if she wanted to, but he noticed she favored the left). He also noticed a slight abrasion on her chin. Other than that, he said there were no palpable fractures or pain. He said he believes she experienced some forceful trauma by something moving fast, such as being hit by a car, because that's where he's seen the claws fraying like that (from her trying to slow herself down). He did not strongly recommend pain meds as he said there can be kidney complications, so I opted out.

Since we've been home, she hasn't eaten, except a few laps of a gravy wet food I gave her. She drank water day one but has not today. She's jumping onto things, but when getting down will fall on her face as she pretty much refuses to put weight on her front paws. I had to leave and came home to find her in an empty laundry hamper, in a puddle of her pee (I had made a low step litter box but it must have been too far). I try to put her on a blanket on the floor where she's safer but she will cry if she isn't on my bed or couch. She isn't moving normally, she will only either scoot backwards, or crawl/drag on her belly forwards. I did feel like today she was a bit braver in putting weight on her front legs, but still won't walk on them. She pooped (solid) and peed today, but would not move towards the litter box at all. I had to place her in it both times.
I'm seeking advice on how to best get her to eat and drink, if opting for no pain meds was a good idea, and any other advice anyone can offer. I feel really helpless watching my baby suffer so much and not really being able to do much besides comfort her.
Is this all normal or should I think about taking her back to the vet? And how long will this last before she starts to regain her strength? Sorry for the long post. Thank you in advance.
Photo attached is the best picture I could get of what her nails look like.

 

[neely]

Welcome to TCS! I'm sorry that your cat has had this traumatic experience. To minimize her discomfort you may want to confine her to a separate room where she won't be jumping down and landing on her paws. I'm surprised the vet did not give you something for pain especially since he thought she experienced a forceful trauma. Rather than taking her back to the vet which would be more stressful for her can you call instead and let them know she's not eating? Here is a TCS Article with some helpful information about how to get your cat to eat: How To Get Your Cat To Start Eating Again – TheCatSite Articles

Best of luck, please keep us posted on your cat's progress.

 

[Hugs4bugz]

Welcome to TCS! I'm sorry that your cat has had this traumatic experience. To minimize her discomfort you may want to confine her to a separate room where she won't be jumping down and landing on her paws. I'm surprised the vet did not give you something for pain especially since he thought she experienced a forceful trauma. Rather than taking her back to the vet which would be more stressful for her can you call instead and let them know she's not eating? Here is a TCS Article with some helpful information about how to get your cat to eat: How To Get Your Cat To Start Eating Again – TheCatSite Articles

Best of luck, please keep us posted on your cat's progress.

Thank you for your reply and advice!
At this article's suggestion I offered her some canned tuna. She ate a small amount, mostly off my fingers, but it was the most I've seen her eat since she's been home. I noticed her licking off some bits that fell onto her fur as well, so hopefully this will help her to get her appetite back.
Is it okay as long as she's eating some food? Or do you think her lack of motivation to eat is reason enough to contact back the vet?

 

[cat nap]

The vet did an exam in the back and noticed her nails were completely shredded down to the bed on most nails on the front paws and some on the back. He said she refused to move while she was in the exam room, so he wasn't able to observe her inability/hesitation to use her front paws (it says on her discharge she can use them if she wanted to, but he noticed she favored the left). He also noticed a slight abrasion on her chin. Other than that, he said there were no palpable fractures or pain. He said he believes she experienced some forceful trauma by something moving fast, such as being hit by a car, because that's where he's seen the claws fraying like that (from her trying to slow herself down). He did not strongly recommend pain meds as he said there can be kidney complications, so I opted out.

How old is your cat?
And did the Vet not offer to do an x-ray...if he thought that she got hit by a car?

Did he give you any paperwork, at all,...concerning the examination or his diagnosis, and prognosis...of when the cat will get better?

Since we've been home, she hasn't eaten, except a few laps of a gravy wet food I gave her. She drank water day one but has not today. She's jumping onto things, but when getting down will fall on her face as she pretty much refuses to put weight on her front paws. I had to leave and came home to find her in an empty laundry hamper, in a puddle of her pee (I had made a low step litter box but it must have been too far). I try to put her on a blanket on the floor where she's safer but she will cry if she isn't on my bed or couch. She isn't moving normally, she will only either scoot backwards, or crawl/drag on her belly forwards. I did feel like today she was a bit braver in putting weight on her front legs, but still won't walk on them. She pooped (solid) and peed today, but would not move towards the litter box at all. I had to place her in it both times.

I'm seeking advice on how to best get her to eat and drink, if opting for no pain meds was a good idea, and any other advice anyone can offer. I feel really helpless watching my baby suffer so much and not really being able to do much besides comfort her.
Is this all normal or should I think about taking her back to the vet? And how long will this last before she starts to regain her strength? Sorry for the long post. Thank you in advance.
Photo attached is the best picture I could get of what her nails look like.

I would go to another Vet for a second opinion,...(unless you trust this first Vet entirely.)
I don't know why he did not do an x-ray,...or why he would not offer pain meds for an animal who he thinks got hit by a car.

Could she have climbed up somewhere, high, and fallen down, and perhaps used her front paws and claws to hold on to say, a concrete wall, or window ledge?
Anyhow, she definitely sounds to be in pain, and needs a good Vet,...who can assess her properly, and offer to do more,... than just feel for broken bones.

Blood work, x-rays, steroid shot, pain meds...even if it costs a lot...should be done...just to rule out...any painful issues for your cat.
Ask any Vets,...that you go to...to first write you up an estimate of costs...and then you can proceed, with what you think is most useful.

The Vets could also offer you some 'critical care foods'...that they use to get cats to eat while recovering...but for your cat...I think it's pain that is preventing her from doing that.
You may have to 'syringe feed her some food'...or 'assist feed her with a syringe'...just to get enough calories into her, if she cannot stand up, or lay and eat...when you bring her food dish to her.

Edit to add: Oh, just saw your update. That is excellent that you got her to eat.
I would still take her to see another Vet, though.

 

[fionasmom]

I was a little surprised that there was no xray, which would seem to be standard in this kind of case, and that there were no pain meds. Is your cat older with kidney disease? That would be one reason for not using them, but you did not indicate that.

Your cat has to eat something equivalent to a small meal regularly, even if her appetite is not back to normal. About three days of a decreased appetite is all that I would give it. If she is absolutely not eating, less than that.

 

[Hugs4bugz]

How old is your cat?
And did the Vet not offer to do an x-ray...if he thought that she got hit by a car?

Did he give you any paperwork, at all,...concerning the examination or his diagnosis, and prognosis...of when the cat will get better?


I would go to another Vet for a second opinion,...(unless you trust this first Vet entirely.)
I don't know why he did not do an x-ray,...or why he would not offer pain meds for an animal who he thinks got hit by a car.

Could she have climbed up somewhere, high, and fallen down, and perhaps used her front paws and claws to hold on to say, a concrete wall, or window ledge?
Anyhow, she definitely sounds to be in pain, and needs a good Vet,...who can assess her properly, and offer to do more,... than just feel for broken bones.

Blood work, x-rays, steroid shot, pain meds...even if it costs a lot...should be done...just to rule out...any painful issues for your cat.
Ask any Vets,...that you go to...to first write you up an estimate of costs...and then you can proceed, with what you think is most useful.

The Vets could also offer you some 'critical care foods'...that they use to get cats to eat while recovering...but for your cat...I think it's pain that is preventing her from doing that.
You may have to 'syringe feed her some food'...or 'assist feed her with a syringe'...just to get enough calories into her, if she cannot stand up, or lay and eat...when you bring her food dish to her.

Edit to add: Oh, just saw your update. That is excellent that you got her to eat.
I would still take her to see another Vet, though.

The vet told me he felt like an x-ray was unnecessary. He said if anything, I would need an MRI to see if anything is wrong internally. It made sense to me, considering she didn't react when I touched or squeezed any part of her. I have heard cats are good at masking their pain though, so maybe she wouldn't react strongly if it was a hairline fracture.
I'm unfortunately in an incredibly tight financial situation right now, so going in and running a series of tests right now is a bit unrealistic. If I had a credit card I would do it in a heartbeat, but I have about $40 to my name and had to have my mother cover her emergency visit cost. I've started looking into vets in my area that offer payment plans though, so if I feel she has not improved considerably today, I will likely be taking her for another visit elsewhere tomorrow.
I called the vet back today to ask about her lack of appetite, and the person who saw her was not in. Another tech and I talked and she asked if I thought there was any issues with her mouth. I told her I did notice that my cat seems to be struggling a bit more to chew, and that she will lick her lips for a while after. She said if I thought there were any injuries in her mouth I should take her for a dental x-ray, but her chin looks a bit swollen so I think it might just be from that. I asked if they could give me some pain meds for her as I feel that might help her eat, so they prescribed Gabapentin, 8mg every 8 hours. When I opened her mouth to give her the medicine I glanced at her teeth and they looked normal to me, but I couldn't see the back ones very well.
I read an article about soft tissue trauma in cats, and all her symptoms are consistent with the description. As for what happened, I think your theory of her falling is possible. I just don't see how she could be hit by a car and not have broken bones or be in worse shape. My mom and I were hypothesizing that she fell from a great height and the impact messed up her shoulders, but neither of us know enough about cat anatomy to be sure.
She is moving herself around a bit more today. She got herself into her litterbox by herself. I do notice that when she's going, she will sit if possible. She was crouching a bit when I saw her poop yesterday, but both times I've seen her urinate she will sit on her bottom on the litter to avoid putting pressure on her front paws.

 

[fionasmom]

I agree that this does not seem like a car accident. Most cats don't survive a big enough impact, so the landing and skidding on the front legs sounded odd to me...although I am sure that your vet is competent. If she will stay inside, that is the best thing. Cats don't seem to think that the same thing cannot happen twice. Definitely keep her inside now as she is defenseless if she gets back out and runs into trouble.

No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat’s Life – TheCatSite Articles
21 Organizations That Help Pay Vet Bills!

You might be able to use something like Care Credit. Having said that, MRIs are very expensive and if there is improvement you might be able to hold off on doing that.

 

[Hugs4bugz]

I was a little surprised that there was no xray, which would seem to be standard in this kind of case, and that there were no pain meds. Is your cat older with kidney disease? That would be one reason for not using them, but you did not indicate that.

Your cat has to eat something equivalent to a small meal regularly, even if her appetite is not back to normal. About three days of a decreased appetite is all that I would give it. If she is absolutely not eating, less than that.

I thought it was a bit odd too. He seemed insistent that an x-ray would be a waste of money, and if anything, she needed an MRI. She is only 5 and has had no issues with her kidneys as far as I know. At this point she's eaten a pretty small amount. Maybe 1/4 cup of kibble Sunday, yesterday some bites of tuna and a bit of gravy, and then today a bit (couple spoonfuls) more tuna. I've read that cats can develop liver issues if they aren't eating enough, so I'm starting to get paranoid about that. My mom has some Entyce that we used for our shih tzu after her surgery recently, so we are wondering if that would be safe to give her (they are roughly the same weight, cat might be a bit heavier). I called the vet we got it from to ask but was unable to get through, so I'm going to do some research online to see if it's safe for her to take with her meds.

 

[Hugs4bugz]

I agree that this does not seem like a car accident. Most cats don't survive a big enough impact, so the landing and skidding on the front legs sounded odd to me...although I am sure that your vet is competent. If she will stay inside, that is the best thing. Cats don't seem to think that the same thing cannot happen twice. Definitely keep her inside now as she is defenseless if she gets back out and runs into trouble.

No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat’s Life – TheCatSite Articles
21 Organizations That Help Pay Vet Bills!

You might be able to use something like Care Credit. Having said that, MRIs are very expensive and if there is improvement you might be able to hold off on doing that.

Thank you for this article! I will look into it. And yes, I had my dad come and secure the windows the day of the incident, so she absolutely will not be getting out while she recovers. I also took down all the cat towers for now at the vet's advice, so she can't climb up high and accidentally fall.
I'm feeling hopeful at her using her litterbox on her own and moving around a bit more. She's been curling up in my empty fireplace, I think because the tile is very cold. I read online ice packs can help with soft tissue swelling, so I think she's attempting to alleviate some of that discomfort. I tried to move her to my room last night to a blanket and she did not like it at all, so I put her back in the fireplace as it's the only place she seemed comfortable. The vet said she will likely want to stay where she feels safe, so I'm letting her stay there as long as she seems comfortable.

 

[fionasmom]

I used Entyce with my GSD several times. It is used off label for cats, which means that while Elura is approved for cats, Entyce is not. They are the same medication, capromorelin, but I would still ask the vet and double check on dosage. This is one of those answers that is dependent on which website you checked which always makes me a little nervous.

Your vet may give you mirtazapine for your cat, which is not an expensive medication. Chewy sells it for .15 cents per tablet, so even the vet should not be much higher priced than that.

Good that you fixed the screen to protect her. Let her sleep where she wants; your theory about the cold fireplace makes sense and you can keep an eye on her indoors.

 

[Hugs4bugz]

I used Entyce with my GSD several times. It is used off label for cats, which means that while Elura is approved for cats, Entyce is not. They are the same medication, capromorelin, but I would still ask the vet and double check on dosage. This is one of those answers that is dependent on which website you checked which always makes me a little nervous.

Your vet may give you mirtazapine for your cat, which is not an expensive medication. Chewy sells it for .15 cents per tablet, so even the vet should not be much higher priced than that.

Good that you fixed the screen to protect her. Let her sleep where she wants; your theory about the cold fireplace makes sense and you can keep an eye on her indoors.

Yea, I'm researching it a bit, but considering I have her on a pain medication now, I would feel much better getting in contact with the vet and getting their opinion before attempting to administer it. It's been about 1/2 hours since her first dose of gabapentin so I offered her food again, and right now she ate about 1/4 a can of fancy feast. It's not as much as I would like but it's a definite improvement.

 

[neely]

Your vet may give you mirtazapine for your cat, which is not an expensive medication. Chewy sells it for .15 cents per tablet, so even the vet should not be much higher priced than that.

Mirtazapine is an appetite stimulant so it will help her to eat. It's very important to get her to eat although I'm glad she ate 1/4 can of fancy feast. Have you tried giving her all meat baby food that comes in a jar? It cannot have any seasonings whatsoever, just plain meat. Most cats like it and when my cat was going through a bout with Pancreatitis he gobbled it up.
Beech-Nut® beef & beef broth Stage 1 Baby Food
Turkey and Gravy
Our vet also recommended Urgent Care A/D which he liked too. (The vet gave us some cans to sample.)
Hill's Prescription Diet a/d Wet Dog/Cat Food

 

[cat nap]

The vet told me he felt like an x-ray was unnecessary. He said if anything, I would need an MRI to see if anything is wrong internally. It made sense to me, considering she didn't react when I touched or squeezed any part of her. I have heard cats are good at masking their pain though, so maybe she wouldn't react strongly if it was a hairline fracture.

That's true, although x-rays would cost less than an MRI,...but I do see his reasoning now.

My guess was that she did not react when touched, because somehow her 'nerves from her spine'...were somehow affected.
But then again, I don't really know how that would show up on an x-ray, either,...since it's nerves...and not bones,...unless some spinal bone was out of place, placing pressure on some nerves...yet hopefully the Vet would notice that.
Again, though, I would think that her back and spine would be hurting, too,...so my theory is probably wrong.

His reasoning makes sense, now.
Thank you for explaining it.

I'm unfortunately in an incredibly tight financial situation right now, so going in and running a series of tests right now is a bit unrealistic. If I had a credit card I would do it in a heartbeat, but I have about $40 to my name and had to have my mother cover her emergency visit cost. I've started looking into vets in my area that offer payment plans though, so if I feel she has not improved considerably today, I will likely be taking her for another visit elsewhere tomorrow.

Looking for Vets that offer payment plans sounds really good.

Also look into those articles and sites that fionasmom posted above. There might be some places that could help out
Also, sometimes even calling different Vets, or even cat Rescues, will get you in to contact with someone, who may help with some more ideas, or even some more contacts, too. Never hurts to ask, even if some places will not offer help, sometimes a person on the phone, may have the time, to offer some suggestions, too. Usually, this is early in the morning, when they are not so busy.
(of course, sometimes you'll get the rude ones, too,...just don't think about them, and move on...calling someone else.)

I called the vet back today to ask about her lack of appetite, and the person who saw her was not in. Another tech and I talked and she asked if I thought there was any issues with her mouth. I told her I did notice that my cat seems to be struggling a bit more to chew, and that she will lick her lips for a while after. She said if I thought there were any injuries in her mouth I should take her for a dental x-ray, but her chin looks a bit swollen so I think it might just be from that. I asked if they could give me some pain meds for her as I feel that might help her eat, so they prescribed Gabapentin, 8mg every 8 hours. When I opened her mouth to give her the medicine I glanced at her teeth and they looked normal to me, but I couldn't see the back ones very well.

Oh, that's great that you were able to get her some pain meds.
yeah, I thought it was weird that he didn't offer different kinds of pain meds, not just the ones he thought would cause kidney issues,...like the gaba or opioids...but the opioids are much stronger...so the gabapentin will hopefully help her feel better.

I read an article about soft tissue trauma in cats, and all her symptoms are consistent with the description. As for what happened, I think your theory of her falling is possible. I just don't see how she could be hit by a car and not have broken bones or be in worse shape. My mom and I were hypothesizing that she fell from a great height and the impact messed up her shoulders, but neither of us know enough about cat anatomy to be sure.

I think your theory and mom's makes a lot more sense, too.
If she fell, and somehow injured her spine, by twisting it, or tweaking it a bit,....then she could also have placed some pressure on her front leg nerves...or rather on her spine, which affect the nerves to the front legs, too.

Not sure how all the cat anatomy works, either, but being hit by a car, I would expect there to be a whole lot more bruises, too.
Though, I did keep thinking about how she could have 'shredded her front and back nails'. hmmm.

Do you think that if she 'exposed the quick of the nail beds'...that this would cause her extreme pain, in her paws?
and prevent her from using her paws? But then again, she would feel it, and show it, by licking them, too, I would think.

Did you read about looking into her eyes,..and if you notice that one pupil is larger than the other,...then it's a sign that she may have some nerve damage.
I figured your Vet would have looked for that right away, though, so I'm probably just bringing up 'non-useful things to know'.

She is moving herself around a bit more today. She got herself into her litterbox by herself. I do notice that when she's going, she will sit if possible. She was crouching a bit when I saw her poop yesterday, but both times I've seen her urinate she will sit on her bottom on the litter to avoid putting pressure on her front paws.

Oh, that's good that she is moving on her own.
And thank god, that's she is able to poop and pee, too.
That must be a good thing....meaning that her lower back is not injured.
It's probably what you said, before,...it's her shoulders...or upper spine...and somehow the pain, or numbness is radiating into her front legs.

Being 5 years old, I hope she recovers well.
Hopefully, she learns a lesson, and tries not to do, whatever she did before,...though, with our cats...you know they all have a 'dare-devil, stunt-man/woman streak in them'. It's like they are 'thrill-seekers'...and don't stop and be cautious, but just 'go for the leap'.

(Saw the new updates: It's great that you have her eating, again. Even if little amounts, and more often per day, plus getting some water into her, or with the wet food,...then hopefully she will get stronger, and recover quicker.
I wonder if you can do some 'exercises'...or just 'massages' on her front legs?
I really don't know, since I'm not too sure, about soft tissue injuries, and what best to do for a cat.)
For her nail beds, though, maybe you could look up, online, if there is anything that you could put on them, to help heal them faster, too. Something that she could lick, and it won't harm her.)

Sending you best Health Thoughts for your cat, and hoping that each day, she gets better and better.

 

[Hugs4bugz]

Mirtazapine is an appetite stimulant so it will help her to eat. It's very important to get her to eat although I'm glad she ate 1/4 can of fancy feast. Have you tried giving her all meat baby food that comes in a jar? It cannot have any seasonings whatsoever, just plain meat. Most cats like it and when my cat was going through a bout with Pancreatitis he gobbled it up.
Beech-Nut® beef & beef broth Stage 1 Baby Food
Turkey and Gravy
Our vet also recommended Urgent Care A/D which he liked too. (The vet gave us some cans to sample.)
Hill's Prescription Diet a/d Wet Dog/Cat Food

I called the vet and asked if Entyce would be fine since its what I have on hand, and the tech said it would be okay as they use it for cats too. I looked up the differences in Elura and Entyce and it has the same active ingredient, just at a lower dose, Elura being 20mg/mL and Entyce being 30mg/mL. I calculated what her dose should be for her weight and then reduced it by a bit still just to be safe, so I landed at a 75mg dosage. It said they might puke it up but she did not, and I offered her food 30 minutes later and she nearly finished that can of fancy Feast I opened earlier. I did pick up the Beech Nut baby food at your suggestion, so next time I offer her food I will try one of those. I also got her to drink a tiny bit of water by mixing about 1/4 cup chicken bone broth into her water. I found one that has no added sodium, just pure chicken broth, so I tried to be generous when adding it so it would smell appealing to her.

 

[Hugs4bugz]

That's true, although x-rays would cost less than an MRI,...but I do see his reasoning now.

My guess was that she did not react when touched, because somehow her 'nerves from her spine'...were somehow affected.
But then again, I don't really know how that would show up on an x-ray, either,...since it's nerves...and not bones,...unless some spinal bone was out of place, placing pressure on some nerves...yet hopefully the Vet would notice that.
Again, though, I would think that her back and spine would be hurting, too,...so my theory is probably wrong.

His reasoning makes sense, now.
Thank you for explaining it.

Looking for Vets that offer payment plans sounds really good.

Also look into those articles and sites that fionasmom posted above. There might be some places that could help out
Also, sometimes even calling different Vets, or even cat Rescues, will get you in to contact with someone, who may help with some more ideas, or even some more contacts, too. Never hurts to ask, even if some places will not offer help, sometimes a person on the phone, may have the time, to offer some suggestions, too. Usually, this is early in the morning, when they are not so busy.
(of course, sometimes you'll get the rude ones, too,...just don't think about them, and move on...calling someone else.)

Oh, that's great that you were able to get her some pain meds.
yeah, I thought it was weird that he didn't offer different kinds of pain meds, not just the ones he thought would cause kidney issues,...like the gaba or opioids...but the opioids are much stronger...so the gabapentin will hopefully help her feel better.

I think your theory and mom's makes a lot more sense, too.
If she fell, and somehow injured her spine, by twisting it, or tweaking it a bit,....then she could also have placed some pressure on her front leg nerves...or rather on her spine, which affect the nerves to the front legs, too.

Not sure how all the cat anatomy works, either, but being hit by a car, I would expect there to be a whole lot more bruises, too.
Though, I did keep thinking about how she could have 'shredded her front and back nails'. hmmm.

Do you think that if she 'exposed the quick of the nail beds'...that this would cause her extreme pain, in her paws?
and prevent her from using her paws? But then again, she would feel it, and show it, by licking them, too, I would think.

Did you read about looking into her eyes,..and if you notice that one pupil is larger than the other,...then it's a sign that she may have some nerve damage.
I figured your Vet would have looked for that right away, though, so I'm probably just bringing up 'non-useful things to know'.

Oh, that's good that she is moving on her own.
And thank god, that's she is able to poop and pee, too.
That must be a good thing....meaning that her lower back is not injured.
It's probably what you said, before,...it's her shoulders...or upper spine...and somehow the pain, or numbness is radiating into her front legs.

Being 5 years old, I hope she recovers well.
Hopefully, she learns a lesson, and tries not to do, whatever she did before,...though, with our cats...you know they all have a 'dare-devil, stunt-man/woman streak in them'. It's like they are 'thrill-seekers'...and don't stop and be cautious, but just 'go for the leap'.

(Saw the new updates: It's great that you have her eating, again. Even if little amounts, and more often per day, plus getting some water into her, or with the wet food,...then hopefully she will get stronger, and recover quicker.
I wonder if you can do some 'exercises'...or just 'massages' on her front legs?
I really don't know, since I'm not too sure, about soft tissue injuries, and what best to do for a cat.)
For her nail beds, though, maybe you could look up, online, if there is anything that you could put on them, to help heal them faster, too. Something that she could lick, and it won't harm her.)

Sending you best Health Thoughts for your cat, and hoping that each day, she gets better and better.

I also considered that her exposed nail beds was what was causing her unwillingness to use her front paws. That was one of the most alarming things about her condition... I trim her nails every couple weeks, but since she's indoor they are usually still fairly long. I'm sure it must have caused her a lot of pain to have them shredded back so far. Also a little surprised the vet didn't think any ointment would be necessary for that.
I'm going to call around a couple vets tomorrow morning and see if I can find one that seems trustworthy that will accept a payment plan. If they can accept a reasonably low down payment I can maybe convince my parents to help out again until I get paid this weekend. I started going down the line of the resources in the articles fionasmom provided, and I'm going to look into CareCredit as well.
In other news I think I felt her purr a little bit this afternoon and then again this evening, and she's being a little more vocal (she's normally super chatty). So I am feeling hopeful that we will have even more progress tomorrow.
I really appreciate everyone's advice and encouragement. This is my first time taking care of her sick and I had no idea how scared I'd be. It helps a lot to have you guys help guide me in the right directions.

 

[cat nap]

I also considered that her exposed nail beds was what was causing her unwillingness to use her front paws. That was one of the most alarming things about her condition... I trim her nails every couple weeks, but since she's indoor they are usually still fairly long. I'm sure it must have caused her a lot of pain to have them shredded back so far. Also a little surprised the vet didn't think any ointment would be necessary for that.

Yes, now that you mention it, it is kind of odd, that the Vet didn't offer any type of ointment, or treatment for the nail beds.
Perhaps he thought, that she would just lick off any ointment, but it still would have been helpful, just to mention what you could do.

I know that other members have mentioned using 'diluted camomile tea'...only the German kind, (NOT the english kind..which is toxic), without any additives, from stores,...as both a mild antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory...on a wound.
You could try to brew up some camomile tea, let it cool down, and use a 'cotton ball' or 'circular cotton pad', and soak the nails, a bit.
It should not hurt her, unless she has a sensitivity to it, or is allergic to it. You could always flush it off, with a warm water syringe, afterwards, as well.
Chamomile | VCA Animal Hospitals

I've also used 'diluted liquid betadine', and my vet had given me, an 'iodine scrub' for an abscess wound on my cat.
You can buy this otc at a pharmacy, too. The betadine looks reddish, but you dilute it to a light see-through orange colour, very weak colour, using warm water, too. Then use the cotton pads, or cotton balls to apply. It may sting a bit, but it is an antiseptic, to keep out infection.
If you think she will be constantly licking it, also flush it off, with a warm water syringe.
Antiseptics Safe and Toxic to Cats - Cat-World
Can You Use Betadine On Cats? - Cat-World

**What is really hard, is that I can only tell you what I have used on my own cats, and they have not had bad reactions.
But for your own cat, there's really no telling how she will react to a product, or not.
That's why we always say to check with your Vet, first...and also ask them for advice that you can do at home, too.

Your cat's paw pads look okay, so perhaps the 'quick of the nail' is not actually affected, and it only looks to be close to it.

I'm going to call around a couple vets tomorrow morning and see if I can find one that seems trustworthy that will accept a payment plan. If they can accept a reasonably low down payment I can maybe convince my parents to help out again until I get paid this weekend. I started going down the line of the resources in the articles fionasmom provided, and I'm going to look into CareCredit as well.
In other news I think I felt her purr a little bit this afternoon and then again this evening, and she's being a little more vocal (she's normally super chatty). So I am feeling hopeful that we will have even more progress tomorrow.

Yay ! for progress.
Maybe you won't even have to take her in, if she starts feeling better, and eating, and moving more on her own.
She probably just needs those pain meds, food and rest, too.

I really appreciate everyone's advice and encouragement. This is my first time taking care of her sick and I had no idea how scared I'd be. It helps a lot to have you guys help guide me in the right directions.

You're doing great, and looking out for her, really well.
Trust me, Hugs4bugz ...we all get 'super scared' when our own cats are sick, too.

I think it's just that with experience, and learning,...that we all learn to not be as scared.
Since you also kind of learn to deal with whatever is in front of you, and do your best.

Plus, the fact that we read a lot of threads, helps, too. I think.
and when our cats are sick, you kind of go into 'automatic action mode'...and then start researching all over the place, too.

 

[Hugs4bugz]

Yes, now that you mention it, it is kind of odd, that the Vet didn't offer any type of ointment, or treatment for the nail beds.
Perhaps he thought, that she would just lick off any ointment, but it still would have been helpful, just to mention what you could do.

I know that other members have mentioned using 'diluted camomile tea'...only the German kind, (NOT the english kind..which is toxic), without any additives, from stores,...as both a mild antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory...on a wound.
You could try to brew up some camomile tea, let it cool down, and use a 'cotton ball' or 'circular cotton pad', and soak the nails, a bit.
It should not hurt her, unless she has a sensitivity to it, or is allergic to it. You could always flush it off, with a warm water syringe, afterwards, as well.
Chamomile | VCA Animal Hospitals

I've also used 'diluted liquid betadine', and my vet had given me, an 'iodine scrub' for an abscess wound on my cat.
You can buy this otc at a pharmacy, too. The betadine looks reddish, but you dilute it to a light see-through orange colour, very weak colour, using warm water, too. Then use the cotton pads, or cotton balls to apply. It may sting a bit, but it is an antiseptic, to keep out infection.
If you think she will be constantly licking it, also flush it off, with a warm water syringe.
Antiseptics Safe and Toxic to Cats - Cat-World
Can You Use Betadine On Cats? - Cat-World

**What is really hard, is that I can only tell you what I have used on my own cats, and they have not had bad reactions.
But for your own cat, there's really no telling how she will react to a product, or not.
That's why we always say to check with your Vet, first...and also ask them for advice that you can do at home, too.

Your cat's paw pads look okay, so perhaps the 'quick of the nail' is not actually affected, and it only looks to be close to it.

Yay ! for progress.
Maybe you won't even have to take her in, if she starts feeling better, and eating, and moving more on her own.
She probably just needs those pain meds, food and rest, too.

You're doing great, and looking out for her, really well.
Trust me, Hugs4bugz ...we all get 'super scared' when our own cats are sick, too.

I think it's just that with experience, and learning,...that we all learn to not be as scared.
Since you also kind of learn to deal with whatever is in front of you, and do your best.

Plus, the fact that we read a lot of threads, helps, too. I think.
and when our cats are sick, you kind of go into 'automatic action mode'...and then start researching all over the place, too.

Thank you for the suggestions on antiseptic for her paws. I'm going to take a closer look at her nails, and see if there's any parts that look open/at risk for infection. I do think you're right that she would be licking her paws more though if that was the case. She also doesn't mind me squeezing her paws to look at her nails, which I'm not sure she would be okay with if they were more hurt.
This morning I offered her food before she even had her pain meds (didn't want to give on an empty stomach) and she did eat a bit. She mostly licked at the gravy. I noted before that she will excessively lick her lips after eating, and at first I was worried something was wrong with her mouth. But the more I think about it, I feel like she's just cleaning herself. She's never liked wet food any time I gave it to her before, she would lick it a bit and then sit there and clean herself for 2 minutes. She DID eat some of her kibble the morning of the incident, so if she had somehow broken a tooth a doubt she would have done that. I feel like you were correct when you said you thought it was pain preventing her from eating. I offered her the rest of her food after her meds, and she scarfed it down, even the bigger chunks she had been avoiding before. So she ate a little more than half a can of wet food this morning!! Hooray!
Even though she's not moving a lot, she's able to move herself to and from her box, and change her position to get comfortable. I figure she won't move unless necessary, so I am not alarmed at that. I feel like she moves a bit more confidently with each day. She was very calm last night when I brought her up to my couch for cuddles, and was purring loudly and rolling on her back. It made me so happy to see her so relaxed.
I'm going to keep some vets in mind just in case, but if we keep progressing I think we might be able to avoid another trip to the vet. She hates being in the car more than anything.

 

[neely]

I offered her the rest of her food after her meds, and she scarfed it down, even the bigger chunks she had been avoiding before. So she ate a little more than half a can of wet food this morning!! Hooray!

Thanks for the update, that's fantastic news! It sounds like things are moving in the right direction which must be a huge relief. We will keep our fingers and paws crossed for your girl and you.

 

[Hugs4bugz]

Thanks for the update, that's fantastic news! It sounds like things are moving in the right direction which must be a huge relief. We will keep our fingers and paws crossed for your girl and you.

Thank you! I noticed her nose was getting a bit dry last night, as she's only been eating food and not drinking. This morning I offered her water and chicken broth before she ate, and she drank for a good minute or two so she definitely needed it.
She is moving a bit better everyday, and shows a bit more of her personality too. She is starting to act a little silly again (rolling on her back for tummy rubs and meowing for attention) as well as purring super hard when she's getting love, which are things she was not doing the first couple days.
I really think the pain meds have made a huge difference in her ability to recover, so I want to thank you guys again for recommending I get her some.
(BTW I did take a look at her paws like I had said I would.. her nails are not shredded as far back as I thought, so I do not think she will need ointment on them, just time.)

 

[cat nap]

...She also doesn't mind me squeezing her paws to look at her nails, which I'm not sure she would be okay with if they were more hurt.

Hi Hugs4bugz ...your last two updates were really good.

I was thinking that since your cat...does not mind you squeezing her paws...Would you be able to do some 'daily massages'...on her front legs.
This might help her with gaining more muscle tone, and also circulation, too.
Only do it,...if you think it will not hurt her.
Or if she seems to let you, ..since you don't want to stress her out, either.

I'm going to keep some vets in mind just in case, but if we keep progressing I think we might be able to avoid another trip to the vet. She hates being in the car more than anything.

Definitely keep some Vets in mind.
(And yeah, my female cat hates car rides to the Vet. She meows all the way there.
The good thing, is that she does not make a sound, until getting to our street, on the way home. )

(I have three animals, two cats and dog,...and really would like to have 3 different choices of Vet places to go.
Even though I like two different places, now, who seem okay, with one being a 'walk-in'...yet it's always good to have 'back-up places'..and also looking at different times they are open till. Or hours open on weekends, too. Plus, sometimes you find a good Vet, but then they move on to other clinics.
Anyhow, sometimes you cannot avoid going to ER Vet clinics, either, since 'pet emergencies' seem to happen in the middle of the night, on a weekend, or holiday, too. But ER vet places are so, so expensive,...so trying to have 'back up' places to go, is always good, I think.)

Thank you! I noticed her nose was getting a bit dry last night, as she's only been eating food and not drinking. This morning I offered her water and chicken broth before she ate, and she drank for a good minute or two so she definitely needed it.

Great that she's drinking water.
Even though your cat might not like eating wet cat food,..try offering it, in little quantities, and also add some warm water to it,..and mush it up.

(my cats will only eat the pate style of wet cat food, not the chunks, grill, shreds, etc. I have no idea why. They also eat dry, with two meals of wet, but somehow, the wet has to be like 'puree'...for them to eat it. And if it's cold from the fridge, I have to warm it slightly with warm water. I swear every cat has their own tastes, and favorite flavours.)

Also, sometimes you have to offer a 'sick cat' her meal on a 'flat plate'...or raise the dish up higher, so that she does not have to bend down. The flat plate is to prevent something called 'whisker fatigue'...which I never thought of before, just read about.

Though, your girl seems to be eating just fine,...so you probably don't need any of these tips.

She is moving a bit better everyday, and shows a bit more of her personality too. She is starting to act a little silly again (rolling on her back for tummy rubs and meowing for attention) as well as purring super hard when she's getting love, which are things she was not doing the first couple days.

Yay!! That sounds excellent.

(There was an article, I read a long while ago, that mentioned that actual 'cat purring', and the 'frequencies' that they do it at...has self-healing properties...both for cats and for humans, too. It was so interesting to read, and hear that.)
Purring sounds so relaxing.

I really think the pain meds have made a huge difference in her ability to recover, so I want to thank you guys again for recommending I get her some.
(BTW I did take a look at her paws like I had said I would.. her nails are not shredded as far back as I thought, so I do not think she will need ointment on them, just time.)

Is that a photo of her in your avatar?
She is beautiful!
Feel free to post a photo here, and tell us her name.
We kind of love, love, love photos on the Cat Site.
take care...and fast healing to your girl cat.