Message Boards

My 16 year old Sammie somehow got injured over the weekend. Dopey DH couldn't get her in on Saturday and she ended up being out all night. Needless to say, I was NOT happy about that, but that's another story.

Anyway, DH took her to the vet on Sunday (emergency visit) and the doctor kept her overnight and took x-rays and examined her on Monday. Seems she has a torn ligament in her rear left foot.

After agonizing over it all day, he calls and tells me that I have two choices. One, surgery which costs thousands of dollars and since she's 16 it may not make sense. Two, leave it alone, bring her home and see if she gets any better over the next couple of weeks. He said that there was no way he'd even consider putting her down, but I don't want her to be pain. How the heck would I know?

She's home. She kind of walks but then flops down on the floor. She's eating and drinking and I've seen her use the litter box. She still purrs and she's not crying any more than usual.

I guess aside from worrying about this, I'm wondering if anyone else has had this happen and what did you do about it???

Oh, WWanda, I'm so sorry that this has happened to your cat.


I do agree completely with your vet about taking the course of action you have, ie. bringing her home and letting rest and time heal her instead of opting for an extensive/expensive surgery at her age. While I haven't had a cat with this exact injury, over the years I have had many cats with injuries that have responded just fine with care, rest and time.

Just like people, cat's bodies do have an incredible ability to heal. And, I wouldn't worry about pain. Although I'm sure she is somewhat uncomfortable (just as we humans are when we have been injured), it will diminish as she heals. Just give her plenty of love and attention and make sure that other animals or people leave her alone while she recovers.

Keep us up-dated on her progress.

Keep her quiet and happy with plenty of love. My experiences with cats is that they seem to have a very high tolerance for pain. While she may not be walking all that well, it may not be as painful as one might think. That she's eating and drinking and mostly being normal is a good sign. She'll probably recover in a week or two although that leg may always be a little sensitive. Pain meds would be nice, but animals as with children, they tend to overdo it since the pain regulates activity. It hurts to endure knowing that she's uncomfortable, but she'll be ok.

About 8 yrs ago, one of my cats had some kind of accident one night that landed him in the emergency vet. They discovered that he right femur was shattered into pieces. Crazy cat was dragging himself around with his two good front legs while I was trying to get him checked in and in the waiting room. I was afraid to handle him or put him in a carrier for the trip, so he was just loose. They put a pin in his leg and rearranged the bones as best they could. I brought him home the next day. While he flopped around when he tried to walk, he didn't seem to be too put out about it. He was still silly

Actually, looking at the pictures, I forgot have had stitches on the other leg too. Poor baby. He's still around, healthy and happy and spoiled rotten.

She'll be ok.

WWanda, How is Sammie doing? Good, I hope!

Did the vey say it was an ACL? If so poor kitty is in more pain then what you may be seeing. We have many clients who do not want to spend the money so they take kitty home with the hopes that and the care they are giving will be ok. One kitty had this and the owner took it home. The cat came back 6 months later and it was still not even overtly healed or better. Further instructions were given and cat went home. Three weeks later kitty was back. In an ACL many times the torn ligament does not ever heal and if kitty is an indoor/outdoor kitty further issues can and do arise. WE wound up having to amputate the leg and kitty never could adjust because she was an older cat. The loss of her leg literally sent her into a depression, since a younger cat can more easily adapt. If the owner had been able to make arrangements with us we would have worked with them, but they just saw the total of what the bill could be and said no. Poor kitty had to be put down because she had no quality of life at all.

I wish you luck with your baby. All the love in the world does not always work out for the best. Minor things yes but this really is a big thing for you and your kitty.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SheltiesMom,

Thanks for the replies. I haven't been on in a while, work has been crazy.

Sammie is doing much better. Still limping, but she's going up and down the stairs and I'm ready to put her litter box back down in the basement.

I'm still not letting her go out and she's NOT happy about it. Yells at me every time I shut the door in her face LOL. I can't let her go. All I can imagine is getting attacked and not being able to run

Thanks for asking!

ETA, no SM, they did not say it was a torn ACL, most likely a bad sprain. I'm going to give it another couple of weeks and see how it goes. Other than limping, she's acting perfectly normal. Picky, stubborn and downright ticked off that she can't go chase squirrels.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: WWanda,

WWanda, Glad to hear Sammi is doing well! Just give it some more time and keep us up-dated.

As far as NOT going outside, she will get used to it - actually it is surprising how fast cats become accustomed to being "indoor only" cats. They are warm or cool (depending on the season), have all the water or food they need and, most of all, are SAFE!

It took me a while to realize I was projecting my emotions onto my cats when I made the choice to make them "inside only" - it hurt me more than them. They are totally happy even after losing the freedom they used to have - the same freedom that took the lives of several of their fellow family members.

So keep her inside and see how it goes....

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Idaho Resident,

you can train your cat to wear a harness and a leash. you take her out, walk her around, sit with her. let her enjoy the outdoors awhile and then back inside. i have three cats and mama cat goes out on a leash. she's quite used to it. safer for her that way.
we lost our 17 yr old cat at night in our backyard. he went out to potty(wouldn't use his litter pan anymore) and a wild animal attacked him. he was leash trained but for this, my hubby just let him out.
anyway, he had arthritis badly and the Vet put a soft cast on his leg. it actually helped a lot. wore it one month. then the "wrist" didn't bend the wrong way anymore. so you might try that option too.
good luck.