Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / December 2006
Bloody paw
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Corey Kaye - 30 Dec 2006 03:12 GMT I came home this evening to find Celia running around terrified with a plastic grocery bag around her middle. No clue where she picked it up--I try to bring home paper bags and toss any plastic bags I do get.
After I was finally able to catch her, I noticed she'd peed on herself
:( When I was rinsing her off, there was quite a bit of red in the water. Upon closer inspection, she's worn her claws on one hind foot to nubs and has dried blood on the foot.
I'll call the vet in the AM (he has Saturday hours) but this doesn't seem to warrant an emergency call. Is there anything I can do to make her more comfortable tonight? Should I set her up with something other than the clumping litter I usually use?
Poor kitty :(
Corey
Outsider - 30 Dec 2006 03:41 GMT > I came home this evening to find Celia running around terrified with a > plastic grocery bag around her middle. No clue where she picked it [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Corey Does she go outside?
Corey Kaye - 30 Dec 2006 03:46 GMT > Does she go outside? Oh no. Not at all. My kitties are STRICTLY indoor.
I've got Celia in a bathroom with clean, never-been-used, world's best litter, fresh water, fresh dry food and fresh wet food. I was able to talk her into eating a bit of the wet. She's pretty freaked out, and seems body-sore. Her hind foot has little bloody stumps instead of claws :(
Corey
Lynne - 30 Dec 2006 04:24 GMT on Sat, 30 Dec 2006 03:46:38 GMT, Corey Kaye <coreykaye@comcast.netNOSPAM> wrote:
> I've got Celia in a bathroom with clean, never-been-used, world's best > litter, fresh water, fresh dry food and fresh wet food. I was able to > talk her into eating a bit of the wet. She's pretty freaked out, and > seems body-sore. Her hind foot has little bloody stumps instead of > claws :( Sounds like your kitty got stuck in the bag and hurt herself trying to get out. How awful for her! Patience and love and a visit to the vet in the morning will probably be all you can do, or need to do. Also, just a warning, she will likely be TERRIFIED of the sight and sound of plastic bags from now on. I had a little manx who once got stuck in a plastic grocery bag, but fortunately I was there and got him out immediately. For the rest of his 21 years, he was so terrified of those things or anything that sounded similar that I started requesting paper bags at the grocery store just to alleviate his stress.
Now Levi LOVES to jump in them when I bring home groceries. I watch him very carefully and pull him out at the first sign he might have even a remote chance of getting stuck. It was amazing how briefly my manx, Calvin was stuck yet how utterly terrified he was at the time and ever after.
 Signature Lynne
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Corey Kaye - 30 Dec 2006 04:33 GMT > Sounds like your kitty got stuck in the bag and hurt herself trying to > get out. How awful for her! Patience and love and a visit to the vet in [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Calvin was stuck yet how utterly terrified he was at the time and ever > after. Celia seems to be doing okay, I guess. She has her little place in the linen closet, and comes out looking for pets when I go into that bathroom, and full of head butts and purrs.
Her toes are still bleeding a bit--there are some pink smears on the shelf--but she's really acting like her normal self.
I checked my vet's website, and they're closed tomorrow (holiday hours). I suppose I'll evaluate in the AM...I certainly have lots of ER options if need be.
I think I may be more upset than she is, now that the bag is gone. I just feel so sorry for her!
Corey
Lynne - 30 Dec 2006 04:41 GMT on Sat, 30 Dec 2006 04:33:46 GMT, Corey Kaye <coreykaye@comcast.netNOSPAM> wrote:
> Celia seems to be doing okay, I guess. She has her little place in > the linen closet, and comes out looking for pets when I go into that [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > I think I may be more upset than she is, now that the bag is gone. I > just feel so sorry for her! I do, too! Honestly, unless the bleeding doesn't stop, I think she'll be fine for the next few days at least. Of course if it doesn't stop, take her in tomorrow morning (or sooner). You should take her in to be looked at for signs of infection on Tuesday, though. Especially since she'll be scratching around in her litter box with her injured paw. Speaking of her litter box, I would suggest keeping it as immaculate as possible while her wounds heal. I'd suggest wrapping her foot, but IME it's impossible keeping a bandage (or even a cast) on a cat's leg or paw.
I hope you both feel better soon!!
 Signature Lynne
http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/
Corey Kaye - 30 Dec 2006 05:02 GMT > I do, too! Honestly, unless the bleeding doesn't stop, I think she'll > be fine for the next few days at least. Of course if it doesn't stop, [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > I hope you both feel better soon!! She has super clean litter in a super clean box, and I don't work on the weekends, so I'll be able to keep her box VERY clean.
I remember (YEARS and YEARS ago) the vet I worked for recommended strips of newspaper in the boxes of the cats we did declaws on. I don't subscribe to anything, but I may go pick up a couple papers tomorrow...is that still the recommended "litter" for kitties with sore paws?
Corey
mlbriggs - 30 Dec 2006 05:56 GMT >> I do, too! Honestly, unless the bleeding doesn't stop, I think she'll >> be fine for the next few days at least. Of course if it doesn't stop, [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Corey I was going to recommend newspaper, but you beat me to it. Purrs that the foot will heal properly without infection. MLB
bookie - 30 Dec 2006 23:34 GMT > > Sounds like your kitty got stuck in the bag and hurt herself trying to > > get out. How awful for her! Patience and love and a visit to the vet in [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Her toes are still bleeding a bit--there are some pink smears on the > shelf--but she's really acting like her normal self. it might be an idea to bathe her foot in a solution of salty water, this acts like a weak disinfectant/antiseptic onthe wound, until you get her to a vet. that is certainly what I was advised to do when my jasper got his tail caught in a door which was blown shut (ouch)
lots of TLC too, poor lamb, she must have been so scared
Phil P. - 30 Dec 2006 08:53 GMT > > Does she go outside? > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > seems body-sore. Her hind foot has little bloody stumps instead of claws :( You might want to use shredded paper in the litter box. WBCL is good stuff- but its still granules that can irritate her paws.
Phil P. - 30 Dec 2006 08:57 GMT > > > Does she go outside? > > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > You might want to use shredded paper in the litter box. WBCL is good stuff- > but its still granules that can irritate her paws. I forgot to add- use shredded plain white (copy/printer) paper- not newspaper or magazines as long as she open wounds.
Corey Kaye - 30 Dec 2006 19:14 GMT > I forgot to add- use shredded plain white (copy/printer) paper- not > newspaper or magazines as long as she open wounds. Where do I find newspaper without print on it?
Celia seems to be doing very well today. She's cleaned her foot well...last night the little bloody stumps were pretty easy to see, but now there's no visible blood or redness. She's not hiding, but she also wasn't waiting to be let out of the bathroom she's in. It doesn't look like she's used the litter box. She purry and seems to be acting like her normal self.
Corey
Outsider - 30 Dec 2006 11:19 GMT >> Does she go outside? > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Corey I was worried some miscreant had done something to her.
friesian@zoocrewphoto.com - 30 Dec 2006 09:29 GMT > I'll call the vet in the AM (he has Saturday hours) but this doesn't > seem to warrant an emergency call. Is there anything I can do to make > her more comfortable tonight? Should I set her up with something other > than the clumping litter I usually use? If it still bleeding, you can get some pet stuff from the pet store that stops bleeding. It should be with the clippers. Or you get Alum from the spice aisle at the grocery store. I use that when trimming dog nails.
We had something similar happen a few weeks ago. My nephew's cat doesn't like to sleep in his bedroom, so my nephew would close the door. Chase figured out how to open the door, so my nephew blocked the door with crates. Well, Chase spent the night trying to get that door open. When i got home for work the next day, he wouldn't come when I called. Just sat there and sounded pitiful. He finally came over, but didn't jump up. I knew something was wrong. My nephew walked in and told me that he had tried to declaw himself. They found two complete claws on the floor. One was clean, one was bloody. And there were bloody pawprints on the floor around the door.
I can't imagine how he did this and didn't stop at the pain. There was nothing the vet could really do. It wasn't infected, though we kept an eye on that. He was sensitive for awhile, but ran and played after a couple days. He was very squirmy the last time I trimmed his nails. I did his back feet first since they were good. Then I very carefully clipped the sharp nails on teh front paws while barely squeezing his paws since it was still very uncomfortable for him. He cried a little. A couple days ago, I took a more detailed look at the two claws (or lack of claws. Looks like two fuzzy lumps in there. Nothing like a nail. I don't know if they will grow back or not. I do hope so. He does seem to be getting less sensitive, so the healing is continuing.
I would keep an eye on the foot, make sure there is no swelling, heat, or other signs of infection. Keep up with the special kitty litter while she heals.
Not a whole lot you can do except make her comfortable and be on the lookout for infection or other problems.
Outsider - 30 Dec 2006 11:32 GMT >> I'll call the vet in the AM (he has Saturday hours) but this doesn't >> seem to warrant an emergency call. Is there anything I can do to make >> her more comfortable tonight? Should I set her up with something other >> than the clumping litter I usually use? I also thoght about the paper like the others but make sure she is ok using it. If she does not like it or use it she may be less happy. What a terrible thing to find and for the little thing to go through. I hope she gets better quick. Isn't this ever cat owner's nightmare? We come home to find our little friend injured.
Andy
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