cat has tail missing but no bleeding

cat has tail missing but no bleeding

RESPONSE:

You don’t say when the cat lost his tail, how much of his tail is gone, etc. I can only assume that because you said there is no bleeding that it has been fairly recent. Tail injuries are really painful to cats and because it sounds like the whole tail is gone you won’t be trying to save it, but it should be treated by a vet to make sure there is no infection starting in the remaining stub.

The cat tail is an important part of the anatomy for a cat. It helps with balance; it is used to judge distances when walking narrow paths, and also communicates moods by flicking or swishing it. Another important function is helping to control elimination processes like urination and fecal activity. The tail is actually a continuation of the spine but the spinal cord does not extend down this far. This means that injuries to the tail do not damage the actual spinal cord but they can cause severe nerve damage. Because the spinal cord ends so high up, nerves exiting the cord to provide control and sensation to the tail, hind legs, large intestine, anus and urinary bladder must extend along branches to reach their destinations. Since urine retention can lead to infections and other serious problems it may have to be manually assisted or get medications to help. Stool softeners may be needed to assist with constipation.

Although cats like the Manx have adjusted to having a short stubby tail, it will be a major adjustment for any other cat to find itself without one. First you have to have a vet determine if there is any other damage. Is the cat having diarrhea? Is the cat dribbling urine? Is there a dilated anal sphincter? Is there incoordination of the rear legs? Is there bloody urine? Is the cat in pain? All of these are indications of nerve damage and that kind of damage is notoriously slow to heal.

It is highly unlikely that this is going to heal itself and considering the pain the cat must be feeling (although they don’t exhibit it), please have a vet look at him. He may need special pain killers (drugs such as aspirin are deadly to cats) and if there are other injuries…the sooner they are dealt with the better it will be for your little furry friend.

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