Sore foot

[Nikki C]

George has a swollen foot. The pads aren't warm or swollen, he's letting me have a good prod around between his toes and I can't see anything.
His foot is swollen though - I've felt around the bones and he's not scratching me or crying out.
He's jumping up and down from the work top but is limping a little bit when he's walking ....unless it's when ham is on offer in which case there are no problems
...should I be worried about my little Tubbs?.

[Lilith]

Hi there, sounds to me like a sprain of sorts or an abscess, but with the latter there does tend to be some pain and listlessness.

I once had a girl who swarmed up a ceiling-height bookcase and came down very fast in a shower of books Shortly afterwards she was hopping around on a fat paw. It was a Sunday (of course!) and I rang the emergency vet who questioned me and said, wait and see and bring her in on Monday if she's still having trouble. 'That's a good sign,' said a catty friend. 'If the swelling comes out, she'll have less trouble.' They were both right; during the night I had the usual performance with Annie attacking my hair and rummaging under the pillows with both paws, and in the morning the fat paw had slimmed drastically. They do say, with a sprain, exercise it. She certainly did!

I'd say, it doesn't sound like an emergency, but if the paw's still swollen tomorrow, get George to the vet to get it checked out, but I hope, as with Annie's paw, that the swelling has gone down by tomorrow. Fusses to George and good luck to the lad, let us know how he goes on

[Nikki C]

Thanks Lilith
I'll see how he is in the morning and try and get a vets appointment if he still has a fat foot! Fingers crossed its just a sprain.

[Janey]

One of my elderly ferals had a swollen foot earlier in the year and was limping. I tried to catch him without a trap, as he will let me stroke him occasionally, but had no luck, so decided to see how it went on for a few days. I had a chat with my neighbour and she said one of her cats had similar once and the vet suspected he’d gone over and sprained it. Anyhow she gave me the dregs of one of her cat’s old metacam she had left, and I put a couple of drops in his food just once a day in case he was in pain, and after a week he was fine. Hope your little lad is better soon.

[Nikki C]

We've been to the vet and George had an anti inflammatory injection and he's got some Metacam drops.
He's still got a fat foot but hopefully he'll be mended in a few days.
Thanks for your posts
X

[Lilith]

Aww, get well soon George, best wishes for speedy recovery of the pawly paw, kiss from me x

[Nikki C]

Stupid question here...do I put the Metacam drops in his food or just squirt it down his throat?

[Lilith]

Not a stupid question at all. I only used Metacam once, and got told to syringe it down the cat's throat. I tasted it first - uuggghhh. So I tried it in a small spoonful of tuna, well mashed up and mixed in, for the old chap - and every morning after that he'd turn up in the kitchen and wait for his tuna, he loved it.

Mind you I've read that cats like the taste of Metacam. I still think it might be improved by a little of something they fancy.

Hope George is recovering now

[Janey]

Hi, I added mine to Frosty’s food, but he’s feral so I couldn’t give it any other way (see above post). Hope your little lad’s foot is better soon.

[Crewella]

I usually add Metacam to their food. It can upset their tummy a little, so if you do go for the 'squirt' method, try to do it when he's just eaten so there is food lining his stomach to protect the stomach wall from irritation.