Can a feral cat's broken leg heal on its own if I can't catch it?

I would take your cat into a vet immediately. This will be extremely painful for him, and he needs treatment for the broken leg. Leaving it untreated can lead it to heal incorrectly affecting his ability to walk. It can also cause nerve damage. Unfortunately you cannot give him any human pain medications, as many human ones are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. He absolutely needs veterinary treatment for it, please take him into a vet now. Good luck!

It sounds like this is a feral cat, so the best way to catch her is to use a trap cage. Often cat rescue organizations or shelters will let you borrow them. You put food inside and the cat enters, then the door closes. Then you can take her in the cage to the vet, where they can safely administer drugs to anesthetize her so that she can be properly examined. At that point, the best thing to do is x-ray the leg. It may not appear to bother her, but an x-ray is needed to fully assess that. If there is pain, amputation may be indicated to help her be pain-free. At that point I would recommend making her an indoor cat for life, to keep her safe for good.

Ploffie is quite handsome. This could potentially heal on its own if it is a minor soft tissue injury or a minor fracture, but he needs to be confined and not allowed to roam or jump. My concern is that if it is secondary to an abscess or some type of infection or a large displaced fracture then it may not heal. If he isn't improving, I would try to figure a way to catch him and take him to your vet. Your vet will be able to determine the cause and get him started on the proper meds. I hope this helps!

The answer is a bit of a catch 22. Yes, fractures can heal on their own, however they don't always heal in a good position naturally, so letting it heal on his own could lead to greater issues long term. However, money doesn't grow on trees, and if you can't afford x-rays and surgery, I'd recommend talking to your vet about what your budget is and what the best plan will be within that budget. That is something that vets are very familiar with and can work around.

Poor kitten! This will not heal on it's own, and he has to see a vet immediately. I would try to lure him out with food and catch him that way, or you can call the SPCA to come out and help you. He needs medical attention immediately, so if you don't want to assume financial responsibility for him, I would call the SPCA to come and get him so they can get medical help for him.

It's a little difficult to see in your copy of the x-ray, but it looks like the left femur might be fractured. If the broken bone is above the knee then a cast won't help because it's not possible to stabilize the fracture. If they have recommended pain medication and rest I think that probably is the best option with a broken hip - kittens can heal quickly and it's possible that he will have decent function in the leg. If not, then a surgery called a femoral head osteotomy might be an option once he's big enough for surgery.

You should really convince your friend to take the cat to a vet as soon as possible. This can be corrected if a vet gives treatment soon enough and they can also give medication to control the pain. Otherwise, it is considered cruel to not give the cat appropriate care and the cat will be prone to infections and life-threatening complications. If your friend can't take the cat to the vet, then I would recommend calling animal control. I hope that helps and the cat gets treatment soon.