how to deal with trauma related incontinence?

[Charbs]

Hi, I'm after advice on how to look after my cat when she comes home from the vets.
She was hit by a car 2 weeks ago and had surgery to repair a hole in her diaphragm which she's recovering well from. Unfortunately she's dragging her back leg and can't seem to feel it but the vets can't see any physical damage so it may be to do with her nerves and therefore may fix itself. Time will tell but for now it's more about her being alive and comfortable.

Here's my main worry: They say she manages to use the litter tray in her cage for her poos but not for her wees. There's concern that she doesn't know she has to go. When she comes home it'll be on cage rest so I can wash any soiled blankets etc. but what about when she can start spending time out of the cage? How do people deal with a cat that doesn't know it needs a wee?

With talk of her potentially coming home in the next week it's suddenly becoming very real and I want to be prepared.

Any advice appreciated!!

[Kay]

I have no personal experience of this type of injury, but seem to remember reading that incontinence is often a side effect because of nerve damage, but there is a good chance it will improve over time - but it can be awhile before you can be sure one way or the other

so good luck, fingers crossed and thank goodness her RTA was survivable

[meriad]

Can I just say well done for not giving up on her

As Kay says, sometimes the never damage does repair and with time she hopefully will get her feeling back. As a matter of interest, does she have a slow leak or just a cast of not being able to get to the litter tray on time? Hopefully the latter because that would indicate some form of control I'd have thought.

As for dealing with it when the time comes, depending on how she does and the layout of your house, if you have a downstairs room with hard flooring (ie laminate, lino, etc.) you could confine her to there and the garden (if she's allowed out), and just always have a mop and bucket of something suitable to hand and clean or use puppy pads around the house?

Alternatively you can get pet nappies, but she may not like them if she's generally got feeling in her back end.

But I'd be curious about how much control she does have at the moment, ie leaking or just not getting to the tray in time

Best of luck!

[Charbs]

Thanks guys! They say she wees on the vet bed which absorbs the moisture so she doesn't have to lay in it. As for whether it's a slow leak or not I really don't know, but by the sounds of it she's not wee'd in the tray since it happened.
It sounds like even the vets aren't sure whether she can feel anything or not at the mo as she's only just started moving around in the last few days.
I'm hoping when I bring her home I'll be able to watch her a bit more closely than they can there and maybe get a better idea of any feeling she may have.
I'm not sure she'd tolerate a nappy, especially as she can still poo in the tray. I guess I'll know more once I get her home and can watch her more closely.

[Charbs]

Apparently she wee'd in the tray in the last 24hours! I don't know if it was by chance or on purpose but it's made me feel so much more positive!

[Crewella]

I've no experience of this either, but I can imagine how heartened you are by that news. All paws here crossed for her making a good recovery.

[Charbs]

I am heartened but I now don't know if it was a fluke as it's not happened again.

It's a bit of a rollercoaster as they said she may be able to come home in the next few days, but then when I called this morning they said they'll probably keep her for another week or so.

I know it's for the best but I wish I had a definite date to bring her home! I know that's not how it works but I feel awful that she's been in there for so long

[meriad]

Take each positive for what it is and do the dance of joy I am so very happy for you and fingers crossed it wasn't a fluke and she's regaining at least enough sensation to be able to control her toileting

Fusses to your girl