My cat's tail is limp, and he's licking it a lot. Is it injured?

This appears to be a classic presentation of a tail-pull injury. This happens when the tail gets pulled very forcefully (either it gets stuck under something like a car tire, or gets pulled by someone). This causes significant damage to the major nerves at the base of the tail, which is very painful and can cause paralysis of the tail. This requires that you take Kovu to a vet as soon as possible. It's not an emergency, but best if you go to a vet within 24 hours, because he will need pain medication and possibly other treatment. Your vet will be able to give you a better idea about the severity of the injury and prognosis. I hope that helps and Kovu gets better soon.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Mister. I would assume from what you are describing that one of two things has happened. Mister either got into a fight with another cat/some wildlife or he has suffered some other trauma such as hit by car/other. I would advise taking Mister to your veterinarian. They can get a detailed history and do a thorough examination of the affected areas. Typically with fights, the hind end is involved since one cat is often running away from the other cat or animal that is attacking it. Of course bite wounds and scratches can occur anywhere on the body. Your vet can then discuss a sound treatment plan which could involve sedation/anesthesia, clip/clean wounds, drain placement, antibiotics, rabies booster, pain medicines, anti inflammatory medicines, etc. If you are not sure what happened, your vet will most likely advise a rabies booster shot (if no fever) in case this was a wild animal such as a raccoon, skunk, etc. Good luck with Mister.

It could be that Rum has impacted anal sacs. This would cause him to lick under his tail, and have it droop. He could have an injury back there, or he could have intestinal worms. I would have Rum seen by a vet in the morning. The vet can diagnose what is causing his symptoms and can treat him for it.

Hi there. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds like Felix has an abscess on his tail. it is very common for them to get this from the bite of another cat. The loss of appetite is usually due to a fever from the infection. The other possibility would be a fracture in the tail. Either way, he needs to see a vet for treatment. Your vet should be able to distinguish between these two possibilities with just an examination. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hello there, Sorry to hear this happened with Luna. Most of the time, tail fractures will heal well with medical treatment and minimal long term issues in pets. That being said, open wounds or complicated fractures could mean a necessary tail amputation. I'd recommend having Luna seen by a veterinarian for a physical exam. They can prescribe pain medications to keep her comfortable while she heals. They may recommend an x-ray to assess internal damage. If there is an open wound, they will likely recommend a course of antibiotics as well to prevent infection. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Sky has been having issues with her tail. It does appear that she has a wound on her tail, either from the original injury or from something unrelated. It is difficult to tell from the picture whether or not the wound is extensive enough to need stitches, but it may need antibiotics to help prevent infection. I would recommend she be re-evaluated by her veterinarian to assess the severity of the wound, and if further treatment and/or antibiotics may be needed for it to heal. Good luck!

It could be that Moochacho injured his back or tail while outside. I would keep him indoors tonight and do not let him outside in the morning. If his tail is still limp in the morning, give the vet a call and make an appointment for him to be seen that day. Do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. The vet can prescribe pain medications as needed, and treat the cause of the limp tail. Best of luck, I hope this helps!