tail not moving

[mazcambs]

Just looking to talk to anyone who's cat has had to be amputated.
Our cat seems to have got into trouble as her tail is not working and she has a lump at the base of the spine.
Thankfully she has been to the toilet and this area seems fine. It's just her tail and she seems in discomfort when trying to sit down victim sure this is due to the lump. The vets say they may need to remove tail as will get in the way. Has anyone's cat had the same. How we're they after the amputation

[bobbys girl]

Has the vet checked for abscesses? Gracie had a lump at the base of her tail. It was very tender and she could not sit down. It turned out to be a large, very deep abscess. She's fine now.

Hope you find the cause soon. I sympathise, I once broke my tail bone, sitting down was agony! OUCH.

[lilynmitz]

I had this with Mo once, and it turned out to be an abcess. Once it was drained and he was on antibiotics, he was back to normal. But if the tail is broken or if there is a growth at the base of the spine, then amputation may be necessary. I don't have any direct experience with tail amputees, but from what I gather cats manage very well without their tails. it may affect balance a little, and is part of their body language, but they will adapt pretty well.

[claire_lee]

We had a cat that broke her tail in a RTA and had to have it amputated. This is going back some time though - it happened back in 1991. She managed very well without one for the next 6 years however she had also suffered nerve damage at the base of her tail which affected her bowels so she used to get very constipated. It was this eventually that led to us having to let her go (on our vet's advice) when she was about 10 years old - she was 2 at the time of the accident.
It does depend on where the break is and whether there is nerve damage around the base of the tail/spine. I also wonder whether she would have done better in these days given the advances in veterinary treatment and knowledge.