I think my cat's tail is broken :(?

Question

I think my cats tail is broken and I dont know what to do. Recently about about half way down his tail it is drooping. also when i put even thelightest amout of pressure on this one spot, it realy hurts. I've read some things that say you should take them to a vet and some say it will heal on its own. If anyone actually knows the answer to this please post a comment. Also, please dont just write something like "that sucks" or "too bad" because I need real answers. I love my cat very much and I dont like to see hime in pain.

Answer 1

Of course you should take your cat to the vet. I don't know what kind of moron would suggest you let it heal on its own.

A cats tail is part of its spine, so a break is bad news. The most common result is that they become unable to urinate or defecate. HOWEVER if the break is halfway down you might be in luck. It may just need to be amputated to prevent further damage - this is not such a bad thing considering the possible alternatives.

Please do take the cat to the vet, he'll probably need an xray to find out the extent of the damage and decide on treatment.

Chalice

Oh, charming blueJay. Your dad's girlfriend's cat is lucky this is all he had to have. I think stumpy tails are cute anyway - if unfortunate.

Answer 2

I am so sorry this happened to your pet...
My care book states that as long as the skin isn't broken you can hopefully manage this at home...
Using white gauze wrap the tail from tip to base and then use cloth first-aid tape, wrap the entire tail snugly, but not so tightly that you cut off circulation. That will protect the tail and help the broken area heal. Change the dressing weekly,,it will take about 30 days to heal...If it doesn't then you should see the vet...
Breaks at the base of the tail are much more serious and your pet needs the help of his vet to get help.
If your pet is having trouble walking; this could be a sign of nerve damage or spinal disk problems...This kind of problem consitutes an emergency and you should seek the vet immediately.
A back problem can give a pet a "limp tail". A herniated disk may develop weakness or even paralysis in one of their legs as well.
Hope this helps you with your pet...JM

Answer 3

One of my cats had a broken tail that actually started to rot before I finally took her to the vet. I felt so bad...and the recovery from the tail amputation was not pleasant, due to phantom pain. However, she healed fine and went back to being a sweet kitty. Don't kill her! The cleaning problem should resolve itself once the tail is gone, amputated, I would think. My cats are as much a beloved part of my family as a kid would be, and I wouldn't think of killing one because of an accident, or inconvenience to me.

Answer 4

Poor kitty. If the tail is drooping half way down, it is probably broken and he is in a great deal of pain. Your cat is in urgent need of veterinary care. There are several types of breaks, and if severe enough might be damaging the nerves or blood supply to the rest of the tail. If the end of the tail is deprived of blood supply it will shrivel and die. The possibility of gangrene is great, so I wouldn't take any chances. Kitty won't necessarily look like a rat, though, because there are some breeds of cat called the Pixie Bob that can have bobbed-looking tails or other lengths and I think they're kinda cute. Give your kitty lots of love, but take him to the vet, please.

Answer 5

I had a cat that one day to my big surprise lost half his tail. I don't know how he hurt it. The tip never really healed, he dragged it in the ground. He licked the tip alot but seemed like normal otherwise. I called a vet to ask what to do when it fell off but she was to busy with some cow to answer and before I got around to getting him to another vet he got killed by a car.
Anyhow, going to a vet with the cat is probably the best thing to do.

Answer 6

I own two cats and the very first thing I would have done was to take my cat to the vet!! The longer you wait who know what may happen true the tail might heal on its own but probably crooked. It is just like if you broke your finger and just taped it up and did not set it properly your finger would heal but not straight. You understand what I am saying. Take your cat to the vet!! Have your Vet set the tail right it is either that or if you decide to have it fixed they would have to brake the tail again to reset it correctly.

Answer 7

Yes, if you love your cat and it could be in pain by the sounds of it, I think go to the vet. Also, it might not be serious, but it might be too. How long has it been like that? I would get a vet to examine the tail and hopefully they will know what to do to fix it and alleviate your cat's pain. It is your responsibility to look after your cat (sounds like you do a good job and care about it), so it is your decision, but I know what I would do. If in doubt, get it checked out. Good luck.

Answer 8

You absolutely need to take him to the vet ASAP. It will not heal on it's own unless you want it to heal with a droop in it. The vet can put a splint on it and put it make into the proper position so he's not in as pain, and give you something to give your cat for pain. Good Luck to you and your cat.

Answer 9

We've had two cats with this problem. One was a stray that we found like that and he ended up having to have his tail amputated. We took the other one to the vet, and she said it would heal on it's own. I think it depends on where the break is and how badly it's broken. You should take it to the vet, because if it doesn't heal on it's own it can lead to spinal and bowel problems.

Answer 10

DEFINITELY take it to a vet! If you leave it as it is, it can cause permanent nerve damage which will keep your cat in constant pain. If its properly set, it might wind up usable again, but the longer you wait, the more chances for things to go wrong. If nothing else, the vet may be able to give something to your cat for its pain.