Jump, run and easily get hurt: here’s how to tell if the cat has a broken tail and all the most useful remedies to heal it.
Is your cat always on the move? Does it jump from impressive heights, throw itself to the ground and do not miss an opportunity to fight with its fellows for the possession of the territory? It is likely that in one of these activities you get hurt and the first part to be affected can be the tail, because it is more exposed. Here’s how to tell if your cat has a broken tail and what to do to heal it.
Would you recognize a broken tail? What needs to be noted
The cat’s tail is not only a fascinating part of its body: it has the function of a ‘pen’ that describes and draws the emotions and intentions of the feline. In fact, we must pay attention to how it moves it to understand what its desires and needs are. We also know that it is precisely in the nature of the cat to always be active and dynamic, with many risks for its physical health. And the tail is just a part of the body that is very exposed and more prone to trauma and injury. To understand if the cat has damaged this area of the body it is advisable to note some details:
- visually it appears low and ‘broken’,
- there is a visible wound and blood comes out,
- in walking it drags it and does not raise it,
- the tail is swollen and hurts when we try to touch it,
- may have episodes of diarrhea and urine leakage.
If we notice that the bone has leaked and has torn the skin around, we are faced with a case of ‘degloving’, or skin that comes out of the tail (as happens with a glove).
The most common damage to the tail of the cat
These are not only fractures, but also other injuries that can soothe the cat’s tail. Usually the most frequent damages are related to episodes of crushing (if for example the tail remains stuck in the door) and stretching (the cat tries to get rid of a vice, pulling and breaking it). We ourselves must be careful to touch the right parts of the tail, since the tail is crossed by tendons and nerves, so there is no portion of the tail that we can ‘cut’, or worse, detach with our hands.
The cat has a broken tail: what to do even in severe cases
When the cat gets hurt and we suspect that the tail may have broken, we must immediately take it to the veterinarian or to the nearest animal emergency room. It will be the expert to evaluate whether it is appropriate to cut off a part of the tail or cut it completely. Of course, this also depends on the nature and severity of the wound. It is very likely that the expert will prescribe a course of antibiotics to rule out infections. In addition, for sure, he will try to scrupulously determine if the cat has also suffered neurological damage during the same trauma, with a check of the sphincter and caudal muscles.
If the cat were to undergo the total amputation of the tail, we will have to stay very close to them to make it accustomed to the loss not only of an important part of the body but also of its center of gravity. But let’s not worry: soon the cat will be able to adapt to the situation and regain its balance. We pay particular attention to any post-surgical wound and always keep it clean. We always use gauze and disinfected and sterilized instruments.
Does the broken tail heal?
The answer is yes and the recovery times are around 2-3 weeks. Of course, the times are also determined by the severity of the wound and the fracture of the same and the ‘usual’ tail may not return, in short, that of before. The fracture in fact, although healed, could leave the tail crooked but without painful consequences for the feline.
