Cat hurt her paw?

Question

The other night, my young cat (not a kitten any more) got out and got in a fight with another cat. When we found her the next morning, she was limping (back right paw) Its swollen, and we cant afford a vet right now. What can I do?

Answer 1

You should just try washing it if you can or have some thing that is clean and then wrap up her paw a little bit but make sure to not put any vaseline on it just incase and it could be dangerous to her.

Answer 2

You can apply the same first aid to a cat that you can to yourself. If she is limping, you need to examine the paw. If it is swollen, is there a wound, an opening made by teeth or claws? If there is no open wound, could something be stuck in it -- a splinter or some object?

You need to wrap your cat in a towel, with only her head and that paw sticking out. Clean the entire paw and rear leg area, and look for a wound or a point of infection, the place where the swelling is the worst.

If she has an open wound, a break in the skin, wash it with soap and water, blot, disinfect with hydrogen peroxide -- just pour the peroxide on the wound and if it foams up, let it do so. Once the foaming subsides, blot with a sterile bandage. You can also use alcohol or even hand sanitizer (which is alcohol gel) to disinfect the wound, but alcohol bites, and the cat will recoil from the sting. Blot the wound until it is dry, and then slather it with Neosporin, Bacitracin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment or cream. Rub it in gently but well

If there is an open wound with swelling, this signals an infection. The topical antibiotic will fight this infection, and the more you can get into that wound, and the longer you can keep the antibiotic on the wound, the more effective it will be. Of course, the minute you set the cat down, she will lick the ointment off. So you may want to really slather it on, and bandage it. Ultimately she will work the bandage off, but that will buy you some time to keep the medicine on the wound.

If you examine the leg and find no open wound, but swelling and tenderness, the leg may be broken or there may be something (think a sliver) caught in the leg which has become inflamed and possibly infected. If there is something like a sliver, something that entered her paw or leg while she was fighting, you should be able to locate a small puncture wound, a place where it entered. You will have to look closely. If there is swelling, and a sliver of something, the object or puncture wound would be at the center of the swelling.

Truth be told, I suspect that she may have sustained a bite to her rear paw. Cats fight by rolling over onto their backs, and lashing out with those deadly claws on their rear paws. She may have tried this and gotten nailed. Cat bites are dirty bites, and a paw is a dirty place, so if you find a bite, you really should bandage it with a big, clumsy bandage so she can't get around very well. Then close her in a room, like the bathroom, and keep her confined for a couple of days. Keep her food and water and a litter box with shredded newspaper, which is sterile and "cleaner" than regular litter. Try to keep antibiotic ointment on the wound, and that may do the trick.

If she has a bite or other wound and she begins to act lethargic, even after you've cleaned it and gotten antibiotic on it, then the infection has entered the bloodstream and become systemic, and you really will need a course of antibiotics from the vet. But you know, vets don't become vets to be SOB's, and it is entirely possible you can call around until you locate a vet who will give you a course of antibiotics for your cat and charge you only for the meds, which are not at all expensive. Or you can call the local shelter, and see if they won't help you out, or if they know of a vet who would. Or you can offer to clean cages in the vet's office a couple of weekends to work the indebtedness off.

If you don't have money, you have to be a guerilla about meeting your needs, but you can pull it off and still be a responsible and caring cat owner.

You know, I'm really tired, and I don't know if this even makes sense. But I hope it does, and I hope it helps.

Just locate the exact problem, and do for your cat what you would do for yourself.

Answer 3

That depends on how serious is the damage. Cats have a very hard time walking with pads that don't heal. So keep it clean and wrapped and watch it closely.If it does not show signs of healing, quickly, get her to the vets. Some will let you make payments. Call your local ASPCA many have local clinics and will help for a lower fee.

Being swollen is not good for watch it closely. Wash and change bandages at least 2 to 3 times a day. Put that sticky gauze over the wrapping and she probably won't be able to get that off.

Answer 4

Cat wounds heal very quickly. Too quickly for their own good. If she has bite wounds on her back right leg, they could be infected. Cats are notorious for getting abscesses from infected bites that heal over instead of drain.

Gently check through her fur for punctures. An easy (hahaha!) way to do this is to hold the cat's leg under lukewarm water- this will allow you to see her skin. And when you find the wounds, you should wash them gently with soapy water.

If you find large wounds or deep punctures, you really need to take your kitty to a vet. Call around - maybe your local shelter has a low-cost clinic, or can recommend a vet that will take payments.

You really need to have a regular vet, one that you go to for annual check ups and vaccinations. If you develop a relationship with a vet, they are more willing to help you out with a payment plan when money is tight.

Answer 5

Well like a wound on you , clean it out with peroxide and keep it clean , cat fighting wounds are notorious for infection so you may not have a choice but to take the kitty to the vet.