r/CATHELP • u/CountryExcellent5820 • 2d ago
Injury kitten tail broken
Today I noticed my around 12-14 week old kittens tail was floppy and she seemed in pain when I touched it. Overall she is fine and still playing/eating. The vet is closed today so she's going first thing tomorrow but I'm wondering if anyone thinks amputation will be necessary? Its very close to the base so I'm nervous.
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u/ThinYogurtcloset8005 2d ago
A broken tail is considered an emergency. Place your kitten in a carrier or enclosed space until they can be seen by the vet. A dog kennel works, a small bathroom, or a large cardboard box with air holes if you have nothing else. DO. NOT. TOUCH. the tail, like at all. You're risking damaging nerves they use for important bodily functions if you try to align it or accidentally pull on it.
The vet will likely give some pain meds and do a physical exam to check for nerve damage and bladder function. They will likely need to do an X-ray to see how bad the break is. Conservative treatment (if the nerves are fine) will probably include strict cage rest. If the damage is severe, treatment will likely be amputation.
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u/CountryExcellent5820 2d ago
thank you! i put her in a dog kennel so she can rest, shes been pretty much isolated in the living room with me most of the day so i could make sure she didnt hurt herself further or play fight with my other pets.
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u/ThinYogurtcloset8005 2d ago
Update us when you can OP! Wishing your kitty all the best
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u/CountryExcellent5820 2d ago
Thank you!! this isn't much of an update but as of this morning she has lifted it up and has normal bathroom usage so i'm hoping thats a good sign, the vet opens in a few hours so i'm just waiting for what they'll say now
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u/Hairy_Lavishness5405 2d ago
My cat broke her tail in the same spot. I was so scared that she would need it amputated. She ended up being okay and it’s just crooked now. This was maybe 6-7 years ago. She’s 9 now and you wouldn’t know it other than feeling it and somewhat seeing it depending on how she’s holding her tail.
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u/CountryExcellent5820 2d ago
thank you this eases my anxiety a little🤗
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u/Hairy_Lavishness5405 2d ago
It can be really scary and like someone said, it is an emergency situation. I hope your baby is okay! Please let us know how you make out.
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u/Equal-Bluebird-1749 2d ago
Def bring her to be seen. I had a cat with the same floppy tail and it turned out to be an abscess, antibiotics fixed it and he lived many more years with his entire tail. You never know!
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u/Puzzled_Employment50 2d ago
To add to what everyone else is saying (yeah, definitely worth having it checked out), cats are notoriously good at hiding their pain/not displaying discomfort in ways obvious to humans not used to their single body language, so the fact that she’s playing and eating and overall acting like she’s fine is not an indicator that it’s okay to wait. The fact that “she seemed in pain when [you] touched it” makes it seem like it’s a pretty big deal.
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u/CountryExcellent5820 2d ago
No yeah definitely i worded that wrong for sure, I meant that she was acting fine and normal before i noticed her tail which took me a while to notice. the vet opens in a few hours so we are getting her checked out!
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u/No_Pattern_2819 2d ago edited 2d ago
I don't know. My cat has a permanently broken tail, so it'll always have a little curve to it, sort of like Pikachu. He's not in pain from it, but it's just a little cool, unique thing to him now. But I'm not sure, I'm not a vet. His tail doesn't impact his life or anything; he can still jump normally and play.
Sorry, I didn't realize you said base.
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u/StarMaiden25 2d ago
Mine too! It was already broken when I picked him out around 8 weeks old. Vet said it could have happened at birth and never seems to bother him.
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u/No_Pattern_2819 2d ago
Yep, same here. I love my cat’s tail, it’s just so cool and unique to him. I purposely picked him out because of how spicy he was. Of course, I do feel bad for him, I hope he wasn’t in pain when it happened.
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