My cat has a broken tail. How can I relieve his pain at home?

Oh ouch! That looks really painful! I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. Topical antibiotics may be needed as well as pain medication. Unfortunately there is nothing safe for pain medication over the counter for cats. I agree that the cone is important to keep him from making it worse in the meantime. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

I am sorry to hear about Matilda! It is definitely possible to have a broken tail. We can see fractures, and also trauma to the nerves that can affect the tail. I would recommend a visit to your vet. They can examine the tail and likely will want to take an x-ray to check for fractures. They can prescribe pain medication to make her more comfortable and decide the best treatment to help her.

Poor Tas! This is a common injury, and can be quite painful. Please have him seen by a vet, as they should be able to help determine if there is a fracture based on a physical exam and x-rays, although other diagnostics may be needed. The vet can then treat appropriately, including pain management that is appropriate and safe for use in a cat, as pain medications made for humans can be very dangerous for cats, and pain medication should only be given on the advice of a veterinarian.

You should have a vet take a look at his tail to determine the best way to treat. It may need to be amputated and your vet can make that decision after an examination. He will also need an antibiotic and pain medications to help treat.

Unfortunately, only an x-ray or a bone sticking out of the skin will tell you if it is broken. Tail injuries can be very serious, even if there is not a broken bone. Since they are very far away from the body, there is less blood flow that creates a condition for poor healing. I would strongly recommend seeing a vet. Depending on the amount of skin that is damaged, the vet may recommend amputation of the damaged part of the tail to help with healing. If you choose to treat at home, you need to try to clip the hair away from the wound so it can stay clean. You will need to prevent all licking, since this will delay healing and spread bacteria. You should clean it 2-3 times per day with water and a mild chlorhixidine wound soap. You can apply neosporin after cleaning the wound. Do not use alcohol or peroxide.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Eevee! How do you know her leg is broken? Sadly cats are special, unique creatures that can not metabolize human medications like we can or even dogs (some medications). They are missing an enzyme needed to break down drugs like aspirin, Tylenol and advil. Giving them those drugs will cause them to become very sick and even die. There is no safe drug you can give Eevee that will not cause more harm than good. She needs to see a vet to be diagnosed with the fracture and be prescribed medications for pain that is safe to give a cat (onsior, buprenorphine or gabapentin). She needs to be crated in a large dog crate for 6-8 weeks for the fracture to heal. Letting her walk around and go outside will not allow for healing if her leg is broken. At a minimum confine her and see how she heals. Cats are amazing in that way. Good luck!

I'm so sorry this happened to Gibson. Unfortunately, she likely needs just the last portion of her tail amputated, especially if it is broken. I do not think euthanasia is indicated and many veterinarians are capable of doing a tail amputation. I see there are 3 local vets in your area. I would recommend finding one you trust and making an appointment ASAP. She needs pain medication, appropriate antibiotics, and surgical treatment. Luckily it's not a major procedure and she likely could come home right after.