h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Mort? Any advice?

Hi Speckly - sorry, my brain is on holiday.

I think you should take her back to the vets. Tail tips are difficult top heal and it may bit that the bit she can feel is tingling or the tip has even got a bit infected.

Does she chew at it at all? The sudden dashing about may be that some of the nerve endings suddenley hurt/itch or have like a pins and needles feeling, and she tries to run away from it (bless her)

But i would take her back to the vet to be on the safe side, as if it isnt healing and gets infected then it can track up the tail.

Hope that helps, and hope she is ok

*hug for Pud*

Thanks Godmother Mort, that does help.

I don't think she bites it, at least I've not seen her at it if she does. It seemed to be getting better while she was taking antibiotics, but it's decidedly worse again now .

I'll take her back to the vets on Friday. Do you think it will be all right to leave it till then?

Yeah, Friday will be fine. As she doesnt feel the tip then she won't be tempted to chew it but i wondered if the end of the bit she could feel was irritating her, particularly if an infection had crept in.

Sometimes they may decide to take the tip off up to healthy tissue to get a good sutured seal if it doesnt heal, but it would depend on how bad it isnt healing. Sometimes they do eventually, but weighing up a 10 minute operation with a months healing, it is sometimes better to just have a clean end of the tail. so it is all fixed in 10 days.

Don't worry, she will be fine. It may just need a bathe and a longer course of antibiotics.

*hug for Pud, Speckly and Fatty too*

Thank you Mort.

It's grand having you here to stop all th worrying (my speciality). You're an NHS Direct for cats. The kitten enjoyed her hug, but would like you to know you now have a loving cat scratch across your face. She does it out of love, catlove.

But, seriously, thanks

Fatty

Should we bathe it? Would bathing it in hot(ish) tcp water do any good, that's what I'd be tempted to do if it was a similar injury on one of us, but I don't really know if TCP would hurt her if she groomed it.

She's lost about half of the fur on the last inch and a half or so of her tail. The wound is visible now, it was hidden by fur before. Is she doing that or is the hair falling out? Is that something to worry about

I hope thay don't have to cut the end of her tail off. She has such a pretty tail.

iuf the hair has come away then it may be that she has been licking it.

Salt water - warm - is the best thing to bathe it with if she will let you, don't use any antiseptics on her.

It does sound like she may need the tip off, but the vet will have a better idea when he see's her.

Don't worry, she will be ok. (although i know you will anyway)

Lizardy and Pud can share the same salty water (she has a stye(sp?) on her left eye.)

Just out of curiosity, why is antiseptic bad?

Cats are extra sensitive to some products - for instance, surgical spirit used to sterilize injection sites may occasionally irritate the skin.

Some flea sprays are used half as often on cats as they are on dogs due to their sensitivity.

Salt water (saline) works well as a general bathing solution for them.

Some cats react to things like powder carpet fresheners and even washing powders.

So to be on the safe side it is best to stay away from antiseptics - even for dogs. They are formulated for humans and the skin of a dog/cat may react differently to them.

Thanks, that makes sense.

I have to feed Pud soon. I'm dreading picking up a pouch and finding that it is lighter than usual.

I just got lizardy to read that and she's now too. It's nice to share the wig around.

I know - i was very nervous about feeding my two tonight, but all was ok, and when i bought some more today i squeezed the packs to make sure there were no leaks!

Just back from the vet. It's going to have to come off. Could be as much as half of her tail. Now I have enormous guilt, for stepping on her and for not taking her to the vet as soon as we knew she'd injured her tail. She's going in to have it done on Monday.

Will she be all right? Will cutting it off fix it completely? How long will it take to heal and what are the risks? I know anaesthetic is never really 'safe' but is there much of a risk of further infection?

Sorry to wail and keen at you, but I trust you to tell me the truth, no matter how grisly.

(Spoiling kitten silly this weekend)

Sorry, i haven't got back to you earlier.

How is Pud. Has she had her operation yet?

Give her a kiss from me

Hi Mort!

How be thee? Yes, kitten has had her tail done, and very sweet it looks too. It was about two p'raps three inches. Not quite half, certainly. She's doing fine, but she's got a headcone on, so she's p****d off that she can't groom. We did take it off this morning so she could have a clean, but she started eating her tailend so we put it back on.

She got pills to take, and her stiches come out a week Thursday. And then, hopefully, she won't be back to the vet for many a day.

Secretly, though, I hope the fur on the last inch of her tail doesn't grow back, because it looks os hilariously sweet, all thin and surround by a bush of a tail further down. I never realised cats' tails were sooo straggly. Bless

So yes, thanks for asking , you've been a boon. A positive boon.

And the missus whispers in my ear, did you get the pic Pud signed in blood (my blood)for you?

Fatty