Last night my little black tom cat, Billy, had a crash. He collided with the bedroom door at stupid mph and appeared fine if a little dazed from his experience. As the night went on I noticed him being more lethargic than usual and this morning he didn't do his morning stampede around the bed demanding his breakfast.

When I finally got him up and moving he started dragging his back legs behind him and of course I went into a blind panic.

Having now called the vet he has got up and limped to his litter tray, demanded breakfast and seems generally ok. I've just checked him and one of his toes appears to be broken, I think his other leg had gone to sleep.
Should I still take him to the vet or will they just tell me there's nothing they can do for him and he just has to wait for it to get better on its own?

I'd say definitely take him - you'll be really annoyed with yourself if it turns out there's a problem and he's in pain, and you didn't take him as soon as you could. If he's fine it can't do any harm.

I'd say definitely take him - you'll be really annoyed with yourself if it turns out there's a problem and he's in pain, and you didn't take him as soon as you could. If he's fine it can't do any harm.

I know, my problem is I'd have him in everytime he had a bent whisker, but he's happy and playfull and I don't want to traumatise him without good cause.

He just beat the living daylights out of a feather:hihi:

:lol: And I'm sure the feather deserved it!

I'm not really sure what to tell you... I'd be surprised if they could do anything for a cat's toe. They will prescribe him painkillers I expect but it depends how much pain he's actually in...
My dog had painkillers for a cut pad once and I stopped giving them her because she rested it more when the pad was uncomfortable to walk on than when she couldn't feel any discomfort when using it - however, had she actually been in a lot of pain I'd have given them her. Does that make sense?

I know what you mean about always having him in - could you not phone the vets and ask what they think - explain that he seems ok just a bit slower than usual and ask whether it's worth taking him in at all?

Hi, I'd say take him, a trip to the vets may not be what he wants but it shouldnt traumatise him that much. At least if nothing is wrong then it will put your mind at rest but it could be that he needs treatment to stop any long term damage :)

I've called the vets and they seem to think he'll be ok, they've booked an appointment for tomorrow incase he's any worse.

Of course if I do take him he will perform death defying curcus tricks on the vets table just to make me look like an idiot:suspect:

My main worry would be whether his other back leg is performing like it should now. If it is, then I don't think that it's necessarily a trip to the vets unless he's in lots of pain, but if it isn't then maybe he banged his back or caused a brain injury in the collision and he needs checking out further.

I wouldn't imagine that vets can do anything more for a broken toe than doctors can for us- the only thing I'd suggest would be to keep checking on it when it heals so that the claw on that toe doesn't get too long or caught up with things in case he doesn't use it properly like he uses the others.

My main worry would be whether his other back leg is performing like it should now. If it is, then I don't think that it's necessarily a trip to the vets unless he's in lots of pain, but if it isn't then maybe he banged his back or caused a brain injury in the collision and he needs checking out further.

I wouldn't imagine that vets can do anything more for a broken toe than doctors can for us- the only thing I'd suggest would be to keep checking on it when it heals so that the claw on that toe doesn't get too long or caught up with things in case he doesn't use it properly like he uses the others.

His other leg seems fine now, I think it had gone to sleep after over use, he's a fat little chuff so lugging all his weight on it must be tiring.

He has hurt his toe so a brain injury could be a possibility:hihi:

I just caught him biting the other cats face so he can't be too bad.

They know how to make you worry, don't they?

Thanks everyone:)

If he's being his usual naughty self then he's obviously not being too bothered about it. Broken bones in cats usually heal pretty quickly (anything from a couple of weeks in a supported fracture suffered by a kitten) so hopefully he'll be back to normal soon- just keep an eye out for his claw getting caught on things and clip that one if it becomes needed to prevent further damage to the healing bone.

Give him a snuggle off me too.

I'm not really sure what to tell you... I'd be surprised if they could do anything for a cat's toe. They will prescribe him painkillers I expect but it depends how much pain he's actually in...
My dog had painkillers for a cut pad once and I stopped giving them her because she rested it more when the pad was uncomfortable to walk on than when she couldn't feel any discomfort when using it - however, had she actually been in a lot of pain I'd have given them her. Does that make sense?




I know exactly what you mean by this. I always treat mine in the same way. A LOT of pain, give them pain killers, a little, use the pain to stop them using the limb as much and aid healing. This especially works well with horses. Bute and such like can mask the lameness and cause them more injury- especially if they are ridden because they appear sound.

If it helps, a cat at the stables has most definitly broken its foot. :( He has been hopping lame for about 2 weeks now. When we found him, the second time- first time he vanished for 3 days. We took him to the vets, vet said it was broken, could feel it clicking. Vet wanted to keep him in, Xray and see how bad it was. I asked what would happen then and he said nothing, just leave it to heal. With this I didn't see much point in the stress of part feral cat being cooped up in a cage for the outcome to be the same (that and the cost of overnight stay and xray :o not my cat).

So Woody has been getting along fine. The vet gave him a long lasting pain killer- which made him put it down a little but the swelling has gone and he is slowly starting to use it again. Hopefully it wont have set crooked. He hasn't seemed at all traumatised by the whole thing either. I think he has enjoyed the extra attention! :rolleyes:

Well I've cancelled Billy's vet appointment as he seems much better, he still has a limp but he's obviously not in too much pain so there's nothing much that can be done for him.
He's eating and drinking and even managed his morning stampede around the bed so I don't want to upset him by sticking him a box and dragging him out to be poked and prodded by a stranger.
Thanks for all the advice.