If a cat falls into obstruction in the form of clotheslines or tree branches, the injuries may be more serious than from a simple fall.
If a cat falls, it can suffer varying degrees of injury. It may be limited to ordinary fright, but it can also break its legs, get a head or spine injury, or severe bruise of internal organs. If the cat is not very old and seeks veterinary help after an injury, almost any injury can be treated. Measures must be taken to prevent accidental falls of the animal. It is better to keep the windows closed, or be sure to install a net.
If a fall could not be avoided, first aid must be provided. A frightened animal may simply hide somewhere to lie down in a secluded place. We definitely need to find it and inspect it. In such a situation, the cat can behave very aggressively, so gloves will not hurt you to protect yourself from claws and teeth.
Cats are very patient and hardy. It is very difficult to determine by appearance whether an animal is in pain or not after a fall. It happens that after a fall, a cat quickly jumps up and runs away without external signs of damage. Although some time after this misfortune she may die from internal bleeding. Therefore, after any serious fall, you should definitely contact a veterinarian for help. If after a fall the cat continues to lie at the site of the fall, then you need to act very quickly and carefully. The best option is to carefully place the victim on a hard surface, such as a sheet of plywood, and take her to the nearest hospital.
Most often, animals that fall from a height die not from their injuries, but from shock!
What are the symptoms of serious injury after a fall?
A cat falling from a height of the 6th floor is considered more dangerous than, for example, from the 7th. The animal simply does not have time to group itself in the process and land normally. Falling from the ninth floor and above is dangerous because a fairly high speed develops, and the impact on the ground becomes stronger.
Cats love to sit on the windowsill and watch the world around them.
If an accident occurs, you need to find the animal as quickly as possible. Often owners, without noticing obvious signs, calm down and do not go to the veterinarian. However, even if the cat does not clearly show its poor condition, you should carefully monitor the animal’s behavior and pay attention to all the slightest changes.
Fractures and bruises
Most often, cats that fall from a height have bruises and fractures. Such phenomena are characterized by the following symptoms:
- With severe bruises, hematomas may appear at the site of injury; the cat does not allow the sore spot to be touched.
- Fractures are more difficult to detect - they can be open or closed. When open, the bone comes out, tearing muscle tissue and skin. Such a fracture is dangerous because infection can get into the wound. However, with prompt assistance, the risk to the animal is minimal.
- A closed fracture remains inside and cannot be immediately identified visually. A cat may have a simple crack in the bone, but without proper diagnosis and treatment, such an injury can cause negative consequences.
- A pelvic fracture is characterized by the inability to raise the hind legs.
- Damage to the limbs is noticeable if the animal is unable to lean on them and keeps them in an elevated state.
- With fractures, the limbs are unnaturally rotated, very mobile, and if there are cracks at the site of injury, an inflammatory process appears.
When palpated in the painful area, cats show aggression and try to dodge.
Cats are always trying to find some kind of loophole.
Bleeding
Bleeding can be internal or external. You should pay attention to the following symptoms:
- presence of bleeding from the nose, ears, mouth;
- the presence of serious wounds on different parts of the body;
- an enlarged abdomen indicates possible damage to internal organs and internal bleeding;
- the presence of blood in the urine indicates possible kidney damage;
- blood from the anus can also be a sign of internal organ damage.
Important! If your pet's mucous membranes become pale, it practically does not move and blood flow is noticeable, you should immediately consult a veterinarian.
Traumatic brain injuries
Head injuries are not always noticeable unless they are obvious. The cat may behave quite normally. However, if there are some signs you should be wary:
- problems with coordination, awkward movements;
- limping gait;
- lack of activity, the pet often sleeps and does not want to move;
- presence of aggression, the cat does not recognize its owners well;
- If the condition worsens, it is possible that convulsive manifestations may occur throughout the body or some parts of the body.
Brain concussion
When a concussion occurs, an animal may vomit and gait may be impaired. In most cases, after a fall from a height, the cat is lethargic and does not eat anything and sleeps constantly.
Sometimes cats can just get stuck and get hurt
Which floors are more dangerous to fall from?
Traditionally, the most dangerous floors for a cat to fall are considered to be from the 3rd to the 5th. The fact is that this is such a height that is already dangerous, but at the same time insufficient for the cat to have time to regroup in flight and fall on its paws.
Floors 5 to 9 are considered the safest, because... at such a height, the cat already has time to regroup, but its shock-absorbing capabilities are still enough to withstand injuries from a fall.
But in general the pattern is this: the higher the floor, the more dangerous it is. But there are cats who have successfully fallen from the 11th floor, getting off with only a slight fright.
First aid for falling from a height
What to do if a cat fell from the 3rd floor? Carefully examine the animal and go to the doctor. In most cases, this height does not pose any particular danger to cats.
The cat fell from the 5th floor: consequences, what to do
If a cat fell from the 6th floor, then you need to immediately take the necessary measures and provide first aid to the injured animal. It includes several actions that should be carried out in the first couple of hours after the fall:
- First of all, you need to find the cat and examine it without touching it.
- If the animal cannot move, then you need to try to put something flat under it - a sheet of thick cardboard, plywood, the bottom of a carrier, the head needs to be fixed.
- The pet is immediately taken to a veterinary clinic or taken home, but they try to ensure peace.
- If the cat is unconscious, resuscitation is carried out - the mouth is opened, the tongue is pulled out, the nose is closed with the fingers. Then artificial respiration must be performed through gauze - air is blown into the animal’s mouth. It is important to monitor the movement of the diaphragm.
- Bandages soaked in solutions of furatsilin or chlorhexidine are applied to areas of open damage. If necessary, replace with fresh ones.
- If internal bleeding is suspected, cold compresses may be applied to the cat's abdomen and head.
Important! Arbitrary use of medications and self-treatment is not allowed. Such measures often lead to negative consequences.
After a fall, you should not move the cat intensively, try to feed or drink it, try to straighten dislocations or apply a splint, or tilt its head back.
If a kitten falls from a height, the owners do not always know what to do and are often lost. When your baby falls out, you need to see a doctor very quickly. Kittens have a less developed immune system and body as a whole; a small loss of blood will negatively affect their condition.
How can you tell if a cat has broken its leg?
Even a person far from veterinary medicine can understand that a kitten or an adult cat has broken its leg. This is indicated by external symptoms that accompany a violation of the integrity of the bones of the open limbs.
If there is a closed fracture, when the skin remains intact and the broken bone is not visible, indirect signs will help to recognize the problem.
External signs
You can find out that your pet has an open fracture of the hind or front paw by the following signs:
- Violation of skin integrity. At the site of the skin rupture, muscles, ligaments, bones and their fragments are visible.
- Bleeding of varying intensity. Caused by damage to blood vessels.
- Strong pain. The animal becomes restless, meows pitifully, and does not allow you to approach it. If you try to touch yourself, you may bite. The pet experiences pain when moving and in a passive state. In some cases, due to shock, there is no pain syndrome.
- Impaired mobility. Damage to the paw bone makes it impossible to use it. The animal does not rely on the injured limb, keeps it suspended and moves on 3 legs.
- Changing the natural position of the injured paw. It is pressed in or turned the other way.
- Crunching when palpated. On palpation, a characteristic sound is heard and bone displacement is felt.
Symptoms of a fracture that has no visible manifestations
For a closed fracture:
- The four-legged pet meows pitifully. Not understanding what is happening, he cannot find relief from the pain and behaves aggressively.
- The cat presses its damaged paw, leaning only on its healthy paws when moving. If the bone is only cracked, this sign may not be clearly expressed.
- The appearance of the sore leg changes. The degree of change in the physiological contour of the injured organ largely depends on the type and nature of the fracture. Deformation of the damaged area is also caused by reflex muscle contraction, the appearance of a hematoma, lymphatic extravasation, and edema.
- Extra-articular bone mobility appears. This occurs with a complete fracture of the paw.
- Crepitation occurs, i.e. a characteristic crunching sound in the area of damage. The crunch appears as a result of the friction of bone fragments against each other. This symptom is typical for fresh injuries. It does not accompany all fractures, since soft tissue and blood clots may appear between damaged bone fragments.
- Swelling appears at the site of injury, which increases in size over time.
What diagnostic methods are needed in a clinical setting?
A cat pees on the bed: what should the owner do?
In veterinary clinics, first of all, a thorough diagnosis is carried out. It allows you to identify all damage - visible and invisible - and select the most appropriate treatment. To make an accurate diagnosis, the following examinations are used:
- general blood and urine tests;
- X-ray examination of the chest to determine fractures and bruises of the ribs, lungs and other organs;
- X-ray of the spine, bones, joints, hip to exclude fractures;
- ultrasound examination of internal organs to determine the condition and presence of damage.
If necessary, the doctor will prescribe additional examinations that will help determine the cause more accurately.
If necessary, place an IV
Causes of lameness in cats
Lameness is a violation of the motor function of an animal, in which there is incomplete contact of one of the limbs with the ground. In this case, the body weight is transferred to healthy paws. The owner may notice stiffness of movement, uneven, slow gait. The animal refuses to perform usual movements (jumping on the sofa, jumping from a height). The cat does not allow the affected limb to be stroked and constantly licks it.
Veterinary experts note many reasons why a cat stops
Long claws. Untimely cat manicure leads to the fact that excessively long claws interfere with the normal support of the limbs when the animal moves.
In addition, the claw can grow into the soft tissue of the paw, causing pain and leading to lameness.
- A common cause of a cat limping on its paw is a splinter. Fluffy fidgets love to climb trees. Such fun often leads to sharp wooden splinters getting stuck in the delicate tissues of the cat's paw. Having stuck into the paw of an animal, the splinter causes pain and discomfort when moving, changing the gait.
- The causes of sudden lameness in a pet are most often injuries such as bruises, dislocations, sprains and torn ligaments. The activity of an animal often plays a cruel joke on it. Jumping from heights is a common cause of sprains and tears of the cruciate ligament. Limb injuries are observed in free-ranging cats.
Running away from dogs, participating in fights with relatives, climbing trees and hills, furry pets are often subject to dislocations of joints, bruises and problems with the ligamentous apparatus. The most common traumatic dislocations are observed in the hip, elbow and wrist joints.
A more serious cause of severe lameness is a broken limb. In this case, the owner can observe not only the presence of lameness in the animal, but also the dragging of the injured paw. As a rule, the animal tries not to step on the broken limb due to severe pain and holds it suspended.
- The owner often observes the cat limping after an injection. This phenomenon is temporary and is due to the fact that during the injection the needle was inserted too deep into the muscles. After a few hours, the lameness caused by the intramuscular injection stops.
- A persistent problem in a young animal may be caused by a genetic disease called hip dysplasia. This pathology of the musculoskeletal system occurs in many breeds of domestic cats and is a negative sign that breeders should get rid of. With dysplasia in cats, the owner may observe that the cat is limping on its hind leg.
As a rule, strong changes in a pet's gait can be observed at the moment when the animal begins to move after sleep or rest. As you walk, the severity of lameness decreases. Fast-growing cat breeds, such as Maine Coon, British and Bengal cats, are predisposed to this disease.
- In the first stages of the viral disease calcivirosis, the owner may observe the so-called lameness syndrome. At the same time, the pet also notices increased joint pain. This is due to the localization of the calcivirosis virus in the connective tissue of the joints.
- Osteodystrophy is another cause that occurs when phosphorus-calcium metabolism and vitamin D absorption are impaired. Softening and deformation of bones develop, which leads to gait disturbances and lameness. Breeds such as Scottish Fold and Scottish Straight are susceptible to the disease.
- Arthritis and arthrosis are common causes of lameness in older animals over 7 years of age. In addition to the pronounced symptom, the elderly pet experiences swelling of the joints, increased local temperature, and pain when palpated.
- A serious reason why the cat began to limp constantly could be oncological pathology - osteosarcoma. Most often, the disease develops after 6–7 years.
The variety of factors leading to lameness must be taken into account by the owner when detecting this phenomenon in a pet.
We recommend reading about how to remove a cat from a tree. You will learn about the reasons for the pet’s new habitat, independent rescue steps, rescue companies, and rescue methods by the Ministry of Emergency Situations. And here is more information about how to wean a cat from picking up wallpaper and furniture.
Cats falling from a height - treatment in the clinic
After sterilization, the cat asks the cat: is this normal and what to do?
After research and diagnosis, suitable treatment is selected. At the first stage, the cat is given special sedatives to relieve the state of shock and relieve the animal from stress. Severe nervousness leads to disruption of the functioning of all organs.
If necessary, surgery is prescribed to eliminate internal damage. In case of fractures, the bone tissue is connected and plaster is applied.
If you have a traumatic brain injury, you may need to use a ventilator.
The animal is prescribed a number of suitable medications that will help rapid recovery, and droppers with medicinal solutions are placed. The cat's condition is monitored daily.
For fractures, plaster is applied to the damaged areas
Treatment of concussion in cats, cats and kittens
Specific studies on concussion in cats have not been particularly effective. X-rays or MRIs do not provide complete information about the injury. Therefore, you should contact a qualified and experienced veterinarian who can, based on clinical data, correctly assess the cat’s condition and make a diagnosis.
The doctor first assesses the complexity of the injury and administers medications to the animal that prevent the development of cerebral edema and support the functioning of major vital functions. It should be taken into account that a strong concussion in a cat can disrupt the pet’s usual lifestyle.
Drug treatment consists of prescribing painkillers, vascular and sedatives. If the cat’s condition is severe, then additional medications are prescribed to support cardiac and respiratory activity. In case of nervous or aggressive behavior of the animal, sedatives are prescribed, which should be taken for a long time.
Consequences
If a cat falls from the third floor or lower, then in most cases there are no serious consequences. The animal is in shock for a while and then lives a normal life.
If you jump from the sixth, seventh or higher floors, the risk of serious damage increases significantly. The consequences of a cat falling from a height are immediate and secondary.
The first group includes arrest of the respiratory process and heart, serious blood loss, and shock.
Secondary consequences arise after some time. These include inflammatory processes in internal organs, impaired functioning of the kidneys and liver, infections entering the wounded surface, and blood poisoning.
With correct and timely assistance, negative consequences rarely occur.
Important! It is necessary to quickly take your pet to the hospital to reduce the risk of developing malfunctions in the functioning of organs and systems.
If you don't have access to a veterinarian
It is not always possible to quickly deliver a pet to a specialist to diagnose its condition. But, despite the fact that this is the most correct solution, you can help your cat at home, not forgetting that it is not a complete replacement for visiting a veterinary clinic. Home measures will only help the cat hold out until you find a specialist.
A fallen pet must be calmed down and given feline painkillers if available.
You can alleviate your pet's condition in the following ways:
- First of all, give the cat a sedative. In a state of severe stress, he may simply not feel pain, thereby aggravating his difficult situation. Fitex and Stop-stress are suitable as sedatives.
- Stop using painkillers even if you see that your cat is suffering. Most likely, your medicine cabinet will not have special painkillers for cats. Human medications can do more harm than good.
- Treat open wounds with an antiseptic to prevent infection.
- Do not attempt to fix fractures without proper knowledge. Placing your pet on a hard surface is enough to get him to the doctor;
- If your cat begins to bleed heavily, secure it with a tourniquet to avoid extensive blood loss;
How to prevent a cat from falling out of a window
Cats love heights, so they don't feel much fear. The result is often falls and serious injuries. It is possible to protect an animal from such a situation by following safety rules:
The safety of the animal depends on the owner
- If the animal likes to sit on the windowsill, then it is recommended to take care of durable mosquito nets that can withstand serious pressure.
- Nets should also be placed on the balcony to prevent the possibility of falling from it.
- When leaving the apartment, be sure to check all the windows; in the absence of the owner, cats become even more curious.
- If your pet experiences falls from the bed, cabinets, or other places while sleeping, you should contact your veterinarian for an examination. Perhaps this is a sign of some disease.
If a cat falls from a height, then in most cases the fault lies with the owner. Inattention and absent-mindedness lead to similar consequences. The injured animal is carefully and quickly taken to the hospital for diagnosis and selection of the most appropriate treatment. Following preventive measures will help avoid accidents.
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Prevention: what to do?
Valeria Oleinik, a veterinarian at the 911 clinic, advises closely monitoring the safety of cats, which often like to climb to heights and jump from there. Therefore, before leaving for work, do not forget to check all windows and balcony doors; for greater safety, it is recommended to install window protective nets. If a cat dies after falling from a great height, the owner does not need to blame himself, although it is not easy to survive such a loss. It is important to draw the right conclusions from the current situation and try to eliminate the factors that caused the tragedy.
How to provide first aid?
If a cat has disappeared from your apartment, you will most likely be able to find it on the street. You need to carefully look for the animal under a tree or bush, because often after an injury the cat tries to crawl away and hide. If the cat does fall from the balcony and there are all signs of damage, it is important to provide him with first aid:
An animal that has been seriously injured should not be handled.
- If damage to the spine or skull is suspected, it is prohibited to pick up the animal or try to move it. This will cause even more damage and unbearable pain.
- If a cat falls from the windowsill and loses consciousness, do not bother him. It is necessary to check the respiratory function, and if it is absent, try to perform artificial respiration.
- If a concussion occurs, your pet may vomit violently. If the cat does not get up on its own, you should raise its head so that the vomit does not enter the respiratory system.
- If a cat has damaged internal organs after a fall, it is important to immobilize it. To relieve pain, it is recommended to apply a cold compress to the stomach and head.
- If the injury is serious, the animal will not eat or drink water. You should not force him to take food by force; at this moment the body does not need food.
Wounds, cuts, bleeding
If you have wounds or cuts after a fall, you can treat them as usual and apply an aseptic bandage. If the wounds are quite deep, it is better to immediately move towards the clinic. Your pet may need stitches.
If there is heavy bleeding, you should try to stop it by applying a tourniquet or a strong bandage. If the blood is arterial (it is much darker in appearance), then only a strong tourniquet can save your pet from fatal blood loss. However, we must remember that a limb tied with a tourniquet after two hours without blood supply can receive irreversible damage.
If internal bleeding is suspected, it is recommended to apply ice compresses to the cat’s tummy and head. If it is clear that the cat is in great pain, you can give a painkiller, but only the one recommended by the veterinarian, since human analgesics can lead to serious consequences under certain conditions (bleeding, internal pathologies).
Cat care
If your cat has a tendency to fall over sometimes, there are some important things you need to keep in mind. Make sure you keep them away from the stairs in your home to avoid a serious accident. You can buy gates from your local pet store to block off the stairs.
Those who have acquired a cat from a shelter will want to know the medical history. This will help you understand what conditions your kitten may be in. This will make it easier to understand why they keep falling.
When you take your cat to the vet, he or she will likely want to run several tests, including x-rays and blood work. This will help narrow down the possible reasons for this behavior.
It is definitely possible that you can reduce or eliminate this behavior in your cat through medication or surgery. Keep in mind that your cat's prognosis depends entirely on what caused her to fall.
Open window
Not all flights end safely. Most jumpers suffer injuries - both physical and psychological. “The black beast,” as her owner calls her, Masyanya fell from the 5th floor and only broke the nail on her hind paw. But after that the cat was replaced. Masyanya remained as playful and understanding, but she began to go to the toilet exclusively under the sofa, on chairs and mattresses. She no longer tried to go to the window. Desperate to cope with the toilet problem, the owners gave Masyanya away.
But even fear and injury can’t always stop a cat’s desire to jump. Arina's cat Stuka fell from the balcony twice, receiving bruises on his hind legs. They stopped letting him onto the balcony. But one night Stuka jumped out of the kitchen window and disappeared into the darkness. Arina recalls: “The loss was discovered only in the morning: we were sleeping in the room and did not suspect anything. I searched, called, asked people... the children found him on the playground - the cat sat up in a tree.” After this, the window was sealed with nylon mesh. For a month the cat enjoyed the views from the window through the mesh cells and jumped again, tearing the corner of the mesh away from the window with his teeth. He was gone for a week. They searched and posted missing persons notices. Arina was already completely desperate when a woman called her and said that the cat was sitting under her window and yelling in a bad voice. Now there is a blocker on the window, and at night Stuka sleeps in the corridor.
