My kitten won't stay still on cage rest. How can I help him heal?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You can purchase water-less shampoo and bath his hind end. And yes you can pick him up and snuggle. Just do not put him down. To ensure proper healing follow your Vet's recommendations and have him rechecked for X-rays to be sure he is healing properly. It worries me a bit that he can't urinate on his own. That shouldn't be an issue. I would have an X-ray taken at 4 weeks. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! An orthopedic bed is not likely to help though it is very hard to make any recommendations with the information provided. It really depends on what the source of her condition is. I would highly recommend you check in with your veterinarian if he has not been improving as they would know more about his condition and would be able to make more specific recommendations. General medications for pain include buprenorphine for example. If they think he is painful, they may start him on something like that. Good luck!

Hi, it is difficult for a semi feral cat to accept to be confined in a cage. It is probably easier to have a large room or just stay indoors where he feels he has control over his territory and resources. I would give him more space and the possibility of hide while making sure he does not lick/groom the surgery area.

Acepromazine and diazepam at appropriate doses should be appropriate for post operative sedation and relaxation. However, neither of these drugs provide any pain control. I would consider adding an opioid-buprenorphine is my preferred opioid in cats- but since it is not available you may want to consider hydromorphine or fentanyl (in hospital) or tramadol (at home). NSAIDs are also an option but these have no sedative effect.

Sounds like Pickle is pretty active! I would see if you could distract her with a toy that takes less movement (such as some kitty treats hidden inside something), or if you can get her to calm down with some gentle petting or brushing. If she gets too active, distracting her with something that requires less movement may also help. I would also just keep an eye on the suture site and check it a few times daily to make sure the sutures aren't pulling at it's still closing, even if she's a little more active. If they appear to be coming apart or infected, let your vet know as they may need to reclose it or give a short-term sedative to help keep her calmer.

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.

I'm glad to hear that Brady's surgery went well. I suggest you keep him in calm, quiet room by himself (no other animals, etc). I also recommend you get a Feliway diffuser to put in the room with him. Feliway is basically "happy cat" pheromones and it really works well to relax cats. ( https://www.petco.com/brand/comfort-zone ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.