Trod on Blackie's paw

[Jan]

Last night while I was preparing a bowl of food for Blackie, I must have stepped backwards and trod on his right back paw ... at least think that's what happened. First thing I knew about it was when he started making a terrible howling noise - clearly in a lot of pain and limping badly as couldn't put any weight on his paw. He clearly didn't want to be touched so I brought his cat bed over to him and he immediately got in it. I gave him his food - he ate 3 small bowls of it so he appetite wasn't affected!

I rang the emergency vet who suggested waiting until this morning and if he was still limping to take him to the local vet. Unfortunately he was still limping slightly this morning and hissed at me when I went towards him so thought it best to take him in, The vet wanted to see him walking so we put him on the floor - but Blackie freezes with fright every time so we didn't get much movement out of him. All he wanted was to get back into his basket.

The vet gave me some Metacam - a large initial dose and then half of that for the next 4 days. If no improvement we must bring him back for an x-ray - praying this won't be necessary. I put his cat bed on the floor in the garden room when we got back home and he's just laying in it. I feel terrible to think I could have injured him and caused him such pain.

[Lilith]

Hi Jan - ohh noo, poor old chap - and poor you too!

I'm going to make my two gingers read this thread - they're ALWAYS under my feet and no amount of H&S lectures deters them, the little horrors.

With very best wishes for Blackie's speedy recovery x

[Jan]

Thanks Lilith. We're going to take Blackie to the vet hospital this afternoon. He used his litter tray a little while ago and when he walked back towards the lounge I heard him howling in pain again in spite of having given him 4 hours ago the amount of Metacam suggested by the local vet. Just before this he'd been rolling around on the lounge carpet looking as happy as 'larry'. I think perhaps squatting to have a wee set the pain off again. My fear is that he may have broken or fractured the paw ... its all my fault and I feel terribly worried and upset about it.

[Lilith]

Hi, I'd feel just the same - but the fact is, at his age he ought to KNOW how dangerous feet can be, naughty lad!

He could well have a sprain or wrenched tendon which will just need time (and Metacam) to heal - do hope it's nothing more serious and good luck at the vet's - all paws crossed here and Shahi-python's crossing his tail.

Cats, eh? There but for the grace of the Cat-Goddess go we ...

When will cats ever learn that we do not possess eyes in our posteriors ...?

[Ruth B]

I think taking him back to the vets is a good idea, hopefully it is just badly bruised and using it in the tray hurt him again, but it is always worth making sure.

Try not to feel too bad about it, the number of times I have trod on or kicked my furry, little, homicidal ninjas is too numerous to count, and they never seem to learn. Normally after a few hours and a good sulk they are walking around fine as if nothing had happened as Blackie is still obviously in pain then the best you can do is make sure he gets the best treatment.

[Jan]

Thanks guys for your support.

Not sure we got much out of the hospital visit. The vet put Blackie on the floor so that she could see him walk which he did, slowly and without limping. She then manipulated both legs but when she got to the problem paw, Blackie let it be known loud and clear that he didn't want it touched. Her conclusion was she didn't think the injury was as bad as it could have been as the leg/paw was weight bearing without him howling in pain (as he was on Thurs night). She agreed that squatting in the litter tray would probably have brought on a bout of real pain because cats put most stress on their back legs/paws when toileting.

Upshot of it all was we were given the choice of Blackie staying in the hospital overnight and if he was no better, they would x-ray him or we could take him home and bring him in again tomorrow if he had another bout of pain. She gave Blackie a stronger painkiller (an opiate apparently) and ( made the choice of bringing him home as he's such an anxious/stressful cat. I now wonder if that was wise.

After we got home he went up the stairs and down again to have a poo in his tray - all done without pain as far as we could tell. At least no wailing and howling out of him. Unfortunately, he could smell the salmon cooking and when I offered him a couple of tiny pieces, he tried to rush forward to take it but then howled in pain again and tried walking backwards instead of forwards - then hid behind the garden room sofa for a while, presumably until the pain subsided. He's now upstairs again, I assume asleep.

So we'll see where we are tomorrow. I hate to see Blackie in any kind of distress/pain. He has just had a very good result from his recent urine test too

[LittlePenBigHeart]

Oh no!! So sorry that this happened. It is awful when you do something like this, isn't it? The guilt feels like it'll swallow you whole! But in all honesty, they're a lot more resiliant that we tend to give them credit for and it sounds like he's doing okay, overall. I remember years ago, we had a candle on the window sill where one of our cats at the time liked to sit. One night, the candle had been lit for a while when he jumped up INTO the melted wax and flame, singing a load of fur up his chest and front, and getting a whole paw coated with hot wax. Well, you've never seen a cat move so fast. He was leaping about and shaking the paw and trying to lick it and all but couldn't because it was coated in wax! Oh, it was awful. I felt terrible for leaving that candle there. But he was absolutely fine after a few minutes and the only long-term effect was he was a little more careful about candles!

So try not to worry too much. People have done far worse than treading on paws, and he WILL heal.

[Jan]

^^^
The candle incident must have been awful for you and your cat. Glad it all ended well and thank you for the reassurance that in the end all will be well. Certainly hope so and no x-ray is needed.

Blackie greeted me this morning with a roll around the floor, got up and went to walk towards me but must have felt something in that back right paw and edged backwards a couple of steps - but no howling with pain thank heavens. So hopefully this is a step in the right direction (no pun intended!).

I was advised by the hospital vet to keep him indoors until Monday at least. This morning was the first time he really wanted to go outdoors - probably to have a wee - and it was heart breaking to watch him patiently sitting by the garden room door, looking round at me with pleading eyes. Then he hid behind the sofa out there as he thought we were going to grab hold of him and cart him off somewhere.

At the moment he's asleep on the landing upstairs where hopefully the healing process can continue and he won't need another trip to the vet hospital for an x-ray. Am taking it one day at a time at the moment.