My cat broke his hip, won't eat or drink after 24 hours. What to do?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry to hear about Punti. Hip fractures cannot be immobilize with a cast - it is not an option for this kind of fractures. However, if Punti is still in pain despite anti-inflammatory medication, your local vet should be able to prescribe stronger pain killers for him that can be given alongside anti-inflammatory drugs. If that treatment does not help, hip surgery may be required to fix the break or to remove the head of the femur (depending on the type of fracture). Good luck.

Poor kitty. I’m assuming the leg was splinted already? If not the vet needs to splint the leg so that it is stabilized and has a chance to heal. Also kitty ness to be on oral pain medication in addition to the injection the vet gave him, which usually only lasts for about a day or two. If he is in pain then he will continue to refuse food. Additionally I would check with the vet to see if the the anti internal bleeding injections have a side effect of inappetance. He may need to reduce the dosage or stop it altogether. Consult with your veterinarian on this since legally they are the ones who need to change any prescribed medications for kitty. I would also recommend bloodwork analysis to check for internal damage to kitty’s kidneys or liver. I hope this helps and that your kitty gets well soon. Best wishes and take care.

Unfortunately, without performing surgery, there isn't a good way to immobilize a broken hip. Placing a cast on the leg will only add weight to the leg and further pull the fractured hip out of place. Often what we mean by staying still is the equivalent of bed rest in humans. The best way to accomplish this is to get a large dog kennel and make this your kitty's new home. You can place a litter box, food, and water inside the kennel, and he should be confined to the kennel until the hip is stable. This can be quite stressful for a cat, so make sure spend plenty of time with him, find toys that he can safely play with, and consider supplements for stress like Zylkene or Feliway feline pheromone diffuser.

Hello. Not eating can have serious consequences in cats, so it is important that you do everything you can to encourage Rocky to eat. I would try some different things to spark his appetite, including a little cooked chicken or hamburger, tuna in water, any kind of kitty treats ( many seem to really like the Temptations brand ), & offer, in addition to fresh water, chicken broth, tuna water, even those packets of broth available for kitties, now. You can also offer him some jarred meat based baby foods, as long as they do not have any garlic or onion in them. If Rocky is still not himself by Tuesday, please take him back to your veterinarian for evaluation. He may need some fluids & an appetite stimulant to get him back on tract. I hope he is feeling better soon & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Kent. I am sorry to hear that he is still not eating after his surgery. Is his pain well controlled? Being painful after surgery is a big reason why a cat will refuse food. Perhaps ask your veterinarian to prescribe an additional pain medication. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to cats. Also make sure his incision site is clean and there is no pain, redness, discharge or swelling that could possibly indicate an infection. I hope this information helps!

Poor kitty! It does sound like he has suffered an injury, and it's quite serious that he isn't going to the bathroom, eating, or drinking. He sounds like he is very painful, and unfortunately he has to see a vet immediately. He will need pain meds, and you cannot give him any human ones. That's because many are toxic to cats, and are fatal if given. In order to treat him correctly, he has to be diagnose by a vet, and there truly isn't anything you can do for him at home. Attempting to self treat him without knowing the cause of his symptoms is never recommended, as you may accidentally do harm to him. I would see if you can find a friend to drive you into a vet now. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com

If the antibiotic is causing some stomach upset, contact your veterinarian and request a different antibiotic. You can also ask for an injectable antibiotic, such as Convenia, which will bypass his gastrointestinal system. Subcutaneous fluids can be adminstered to maintain hydration. Warm his food slightly or mix in some plain baby food to stimulate his appetite. If he won't eat, you may need to syringe feed him. If there is an abscess from the bite wound, it needs to be lanced and drained. Pain medication may be needed. Do not medicate him with any over the counter medicines. Many can be toxic to cats.