Due to a leg amputation my cat is licking an area near old leg raw. What is wrong & what should i do?

Question

My cat had her leg amputated when hit by a car. It has been a few weeks now and she gets around good however, she is licking a spot between the end of the scar and her tail raw. The skin is very pink and all the hair is gone. I don't want her to be in pain. She became my pet after coworkers found her near death after the accident. Nobody would take her, so, I did. She has a wonderful demeanor and I want her to have a better life now that she has a home. I have put antibiotic ointment on the area, however, she just licks it off. I am taking her to my vet next week, but I want to know if there is anything I can do for her now. Thanks for helping me.

Answer 1

I'm so sorry! Your kitty must be in a lot of pain. Try an Elizabethan collar to prevent her from licking her wounds. I don't like the drugs they have for cat pain, so I use Colloidal Silver whenever my 2 year old gets a cut. It is a natural liquid derived from actual silver, and has been proven to help heal sores and cuts in humans and animals. It is completely safe if she ingests it; most of the time that is good! You can purchase a bottle of Colloidal Silver at your local organic store. I prefer Trader Joe's or Manna Mills. You're in my prayers! ♫♪

Answer 2

:) Thank you for rescuong this kitty. You are doing the right things for her. The area probably itches and the more she licks it the more irritated it is. It may be that the muscle or skin is a bit pulled there because of the surgery and it irritates her. She is also getting used to her leg being gone and sort of checking it all out. Go easy on the antibiotic ointment unless it is specifically for cats. Cats don't do well with people meds and dog meds. For example asprin and tylenol are major nos because they can cause hemouraging and death. So is anything alcohol based. Cats systems are different in a lot of ways.

The best thing is probably distracting her as much as possible with a toy, petting, treats, anything to get her mind off that place for a bit. When she sees the vet he may put a special collar on her to keep her from being able to turn her head to get at that place for a little while but for now love and attention are the best things. She is probably not in pain from that spot tho she may feel severed nerves tingling as they grow back. Cats who are in pain generally huddle down, walk as little as possible or occassionally try to run away from the pain, look sick and miserable, refuse food and or water, and may meow sadly or loudly. The way you describe her, walking well, wonderful demeanor, doesn't sound like a cat in severe pain to of course she may have a bit of discomfort where the leg is gone. I am so glad she has you. :)

Answer 3

Kudos to you for giving this cat a chance at a full and happy life with your love and protection.

It doesn't sound like you can do much now. It is most likely not painful and is just an annoyance to her. When you say vet "next week" I hope you will get her there tomorrow or Tuesday. It is just not a place you can readily bandage and the vet can decide if she needs to have a collar on to prevent the licking.

You can get some Rescue Remedy from a health foods store for her today or tomorrow. You just shake the bottle well and put three or four drops on the fur between her ears. Use it intensely for the next week or ten days. Put drops on her AM, middle of day and before bedtime. You can't use too much and it is best to use as much as you can for a while. It will help ease any emotional stress she has surrounding her accident and loss of her leg. The licking could be related to some stress. The RR can't harm her in any way and may make things easier for her emotionally.

It's a good remedy to have around the house. Use it before you put her in the carrier for a vet trip, when the vet takes her out of the carrier and before the trip home. One of my vets always puts flower essences on my cats before he examines or treats them.

Answer 4

I suggest you apply a cold compress several times a day. Not ice-cold, but almost that cold. Use a slush in a plastic bag, wrapped in a thick wet washcloth and hold it against the area for 5-10 minutes. This will reduce inflammation (which causes itch, and is made worse by licking) and will temporarily numb the area so she can forget about it.

There is probably a dissolvable subcutaneous suture from the surgery, that is causing a local reaction as it dissolves with healing.

Answer 5

Maybe the ointment don't taste that bad. Stop with the ointment. If it itches, the cat will scratch it(and the rough tongue is the tool it has to do that. A cats (or dogs) saliva is cleaner than a humans so it is doing the cleaning. It just looks bad. Let the vet give you some ideas

Answer 6

definately get a plasticcone to put over her head. They hate it, but it will let that area heal (if it stops itching and bothering her- she shouldn't lick it anymore). You can drive by the vet and pick one up for cheap, and some pet stores also sell them.
Good for you to take her in- it is hard for an animal to be an amputee, but most end up doing really well and bounce back after a couple months.

Answer 7

Get her a cone collar to keep her from licking at the area, and take her in to the vet much sooner. It could be anything from a flea allergy to an infection, and she may need antibiotics.

Answer 8

Definitely get one of those cone collars to go around the neck! They range in size . I would go to petco.com or petsmart.com and see if they have them. They probably do. You can order online from both of them if you don't have a store near you. But all vets have them. Their used for different reasons like when dogs get their ears clipped when their puppies,,It will definitely work for your cat! That way he won't be able to get to the area at all. Trust me, he won't be happy, but after awhile he'll get use to it (hopefully ! lol) but hopefully it won't take long to heal once he leaves the area alone!! But trust me,, go get one of them. I'm not for sure exactly what the proper name for it is. I just called it a cone collar. If those 2 stores don't have it, just call a vets office and ask them if you can purchase one or google it! You can find anything on google!! Good luck!!

Answer 9

When major wounds heal, they itch. Licking her wounds is her way of scratching it. Try putting corn starch on her fur-wound area. This keeps her from making it any worse and it helps soothe the skin. Plus, its all natural, so you don't have to worry about her licking it.

Answer 10

Try buying her some cat food. Just kidding, couldn't resist. I think it is a natural response for most wounded animals to do that. They instinctly try and keep the wound as clean as possible. (In order to help the healing process)