Cat with half a limp tail (aka Bast in the wars... again!)

[Judecat (Paula)]

Really good news, and please stay on the forum, the more the merrier.

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

Great news, thanks for letting us know!

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Great news, and am so pleased it's been a fleeting issue.   

[Misa]

GREAT NEWS AND MOUSE CATCHING TAKES PRECEDENCE IN A CATS HEAD LOL

[Loups]

Well it's been a couple of days and I'm happy to report that Bast seems to be back to her old self. She's holding her tail normally now and is showing no signs of pain when getting up (she's literally just walked into the living room as I'm typing this!).

My Mum said that Bast had been sitting by some plastic trellis she's got stacked by the fence and she thinks that Bast may have tried to jump onto the trellis and slipped off. Given what I saw I'd say this is likely what happened. Don't get me wrong, our garden isn't hazardous, but we do have a few bits out that just won't fit in the shed. Usually it's not a problem, but if Bast was after a mouse... Well, you all know what they're like!

So yeah, all's well that ends well, as they say. I will try and keep up with the forum when I can as I'd like to give the same support you gave to me to other members. Thanks all.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Very pleased, and hope that Bast responds well to the injection.  Also love the names.   

[Misa]

SO PLEASED NOTHING SERIOUS FOUND AND I KNOW ARTHRITIS NOT GOOD BUT BETTER THAN SOME OTHER THINGS

[Judecat (Paula)]

I was worse with my non furkids, they are Tanith, Jereth and Sionned

[Loups]

Thank you both once again!

Just got back from the vet and I have to say I'm so glad I didn't stump for the emergency one yesterday! The vet had a good look at Bast's tail and couldn't find any swelling. She did say it felt a little thick at the base, but she said that could be just how it usually is or could be related to when she had her accident 10 years ago. She couldn't find any bite marks or signs of abscess either. She thinks that it's a case of arthritis which is being made worse by the cold weather, so she gave Bast an injection for the pain and she gave me some tablets to give to her as and when I feel she needs them.

And, as is typical, whilst there Bast point-blank refused to do the crook thing with her tail! It wasn't until the vet was on her knees following Bast around on the floor that it dawned on me that a video would have helped! D'oh!

So all's well that ends well. I hope this is just a case of old-puss aches and pains, but I'll be keeping a good eye on her just to be sure. I really appreciate the support from you all, I can't tell you how much and I can't thank you all enough.

@Paula: I try and name my animal companions after Gods and Goddesses; I've had Set (Seth) my first corn snake, then cat wise I've had Isis, Demeter, Hades (all sadly departed and, in Hades case, missing never found), Bast and Shakti. My current corn snake is Vinz, after Vinz Clortho the demi-God in Ghostbusters, so it's a kinda/sorta god! The only exception was my first cat, Salem; he was going to be called Hades but I got him around the time Sabrina the Teenage Witch was popular and he looked just like her Salem! I'm glad I'm not the only one to give difficult to spell/pronounce names to my animals!

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Not a terrible cat Mum at all.     As Paula says, some out of hours vets are licensed bandits, and you don't always have the luxury of choice.  Hope everything goes well for today's visit, and thinking of Bast. 

[Judecat (Paula)]

You are not a terrible Cat Mom, and some of the out of hours vets are just licensed bandits, I hope you and Bast get on okay at the vet's today.

P.S. I love the name, my snakes are all named after Egyptian gods and goddesses. I have Isis, Inut and Apep.

[Loups]

Hi Paula,

Funny you should mention abscesses, she's had a couple of those too! I've got the two cats, sisters, and I swear they're playing out Unbreakable in cat armchair theatre! If there's something you can get injured or some sickness, Bast (Samuel L. Jackson) will have it, whereas Shakti (Bruce Willis) is pretty much immune to everything! You know how they say pets look like their owners? Bast is taking it one step further and catching me up for illness!

Anyway, she's eaten some dinner, had one of those stick treats she likes and has, once again, butter off into the garden. She got up off her cushion and hissed, which is really unlike her, so there's pain there somewhere, but other than that I think she's OK. I can't tell what's happened, you may be right, she may have come across a cat in the garden. She can't get out, but others get in, so yeah, that's another possibility.

I'm thinking of staying up with her tonight just to keep an eye on her.

I appreciate the reassurance that I'm not being a terrible cat Mum too!

[Judecat (Paula)]

I have twice had a cat showing that, both times were an abscess from a cat bite, two different cats, shows what cowards my cats are! AB's soon cleared then up and tails were returned to full mast in a few days! I really don't think a day will make a lot of difference whether it is an abscess or broken. She is being kept warm and comfy, that is what matters.

[Loups]

Thanks Misa! Will post when we get back and let you all know how it goes. I'm hoping it's nothing too serious.

[Misa]

GOOD LUCK AT THE VETS TOMORROW


And from us too xxx

[Loups]

Thank you Heather, that makes me feel a little better.

Sorry to hear you had to fork out to these shysters too. I hope your furbabe is OK?

I hate seeing Bast in pain like this, but on past experience I know how quickly emergency vet bills rack up! Not long after we found her and she'd settled into our home (she was about 1) she didn't come home at her usual time. My Mum and I called and called and she eventually limped in at about 1am covered in blood and limping. We of course took her straight to the vet and they charged us about £700! They said she kept fidgeting so they had to do multiple x-rays. To this day I think they just gouged us because they knew how worried we were about Bast and saw us as easy marks. I just don't trust out of hours vets, I'm sure they're in it for the money, not the well-being of the animal.

I ended up giving her a whole tablet. I don't know if it'll help the pain but it should at least make her a little more comfortable. I hope so at least. I'll be phoning the vet when they open at 8.30am tomorrow.

[heather sullivan]

Sounds like maybe fractured the tail? Prednisolone is an anti inflammatory I don't think its a painkiller? But def get checked out at the vets tomorrow. I had to pay £160 for emergency vet trip a few weeks ago, its outrageous! Just money making but we all love our pets so much that when they are ill we would do anything to stop them suffering. I wouldn't say a broken tail is a real emergeny

[Loups]

Hi all,

I haven't been on for a while as my life is just hell on Earth right now. But I was hoping for some advice if anyone's around on a Sunday evening?

I got up at about 7.30am to feed and let my two girls out. I got halfway down the stairs and heard Bast meowing, which is very unusual for her. And it was a deep meow too. Got to the bottom and she was laying down waiting for her morning belly rub, but she meowed again so now I'm thinking something's up. Got her food ready and as she got up I saw that she was holding her tail oddly; she usually holds it down, perpendicular to her body, but today the lower half, near her back was up, but half way down it was limp, kind of looked like a crook.

I called my out of hours service and they said they could see her but that a consultation alone would be £149.00! *Insert shocked emoji here 'cause I can't find one!* I know she'll need x-rays and I just don't have that kind of money, so I had to pass.

Woke my poor Mum up and, after a while, we both agreed that I'd contact the regular vet when they open tomorrow morning.

She's been pretty quiet all day, mainly just sleeping on her cushion by the radiator. She's eating and drinking OK, but I know she's in some pain when she gets up and walks around. She's in the back garden now (she can't get out, so she's safe). She's on Prednisone as she's got something that neither I, nor any vet I've ever seen, can figure out, but she's been pulling out her fur since she was run over as a kitten and that's the only thing that'll stop her doing it! So I was wondering if it would be OK to give her an extra dose to help with the pain until I can get her to the vet tomorrow? She usually has 1/2 a tablet a day and she sometimes had a whole one if the fur pulling gets bad, but I don't know what'll help her today? A whole one? More than that might be overkill, I just don't know.

I hate that I can't get her to the vet today, but the out of hours cost is just insane! How do they expect people to come up with that much money?! But that's another matter I guess.

Any advise on what I can do to keep Bast comfortable for the next 15 or so hours would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Lou.