Kitten with a swollen leg

Valli

Earlier this eveing I noticed our kitten (born in May) has a swollen leg (left front).
She's hobbling about on 3 legs. Kids told to keep her in - none of us have stood on her (kids are teens) - she can get under our feet sometimes but not today.
I AM taking her to the vets first thing - but any thoughts?

She does go outside and chases all sorts of insects - but her whole leg is swollen,not just 'an area'; also I have checked her over and no reaction to suggest a partulcar area was painful (i was looking for a thorn or similar)

I haven't insured her yet - she hasn't been spayed and I assume I will get a better quote when she has been spayed.

We have an older cat BUT they haven't been fighting

hethmar

No one can guess at the cause. It may even be a break, so the most important thing is to get her to the vet asap. Please update us. xx

ellay864

One of my old cats came in once hobbling and in a lot of pain...we thought she'd broken her leg at first. It turned out she'd been bitten (never found out what by!) right at the top of her leg but the whole leg was swollen to twice it's normal size. I'm assuming she only plays out in your garden and doesn't go out on her own as she's not spayed yet?
Another cat of ours got trapped in a neighbours shed door and got a crush injury to her leg - that made it balloon up.
In both cases it hurt the cats when we tried to touch it anywhere, not in any particular area

Valli

The odd thing is she doesn't react to it being touched at all.

I (and DD) are taking her to the vets first thing - they open at 9. Cat carrier is prepped, with an old, clean towel in there.

I know WE haven't crushed her (ie trodden on her) though she does get underfoot sometimes. She does try to climb walls though... so she could easily have fallen on it. She's had her jabs and goes out into the garden - that's why i think it might have been an insect bite.

Oh - she does jump onto the gerbil cage too... so possibly a bite there. But I wouuld have expected a 'vocal' reaction - like ourt older cat, she 'talks' (probably because we all talk to her) Anyway the kids (17 and 14) have been told to keep her in.

Other than for jabs/fleas/spaying I have NEVER had to take a cat or kitten to the vet before!

gettingready

Hope your kitty is ok - I get some wasps flying in the flat sometimes (even now, in this cold - weird) and think George got bitten last week, his leg was not swallen but he was limping one day and looking half dead on the next, just lied there not moving.. got antiinflamatory and antibiotics from the vets and was as good as new few days later but it was scary at the time....

George is insured but my excess is £85 and the vet fee was just under £90 so...

Actually I may re think the cat insurance as with 4 kittens at nearly £70 per monthsh for all of them and with such high excess.....

Valli

@ getting ready - why not put the cat insuarnace money IN a separate savings account? By the end of a year, assuming you don't draw any you will have £700+ in there - after two years you could probably cover all emerbecies anyway.


UPDATE

this mornign she is absolutely fine! No swelling - walking on all 4s (and running around like the demented asbo kitten we know and love!

I was up at 5 and she went to her scratch post and scratched with both front paws.

I will put it down to a sprain probably caused by her running up walls habit - she runs up the outside of the house- gets 6' - 7' up!

She is a black tabby - you only see the stripes, on the side, in the sun! And they're black on black IYSWIM. Seems I am destined to own tabbies (she's the 4th!)

(She's fine - I'm not judging by the typos LOL)

gettingready

Valli wrote: »

@ getting ready - why not put the cat insuarnace money IN a separate savings account? By the end of a year, assuming you don't draw any you will have £700+ in there - after two years you could probably cover all emerbecies anyway.

Valli, that is what I plan to do.. I have to have the dog insurance as Zara is a big dog and goes out so more chances of needing it.

Kittens are/will be indoor pets so less chance of things going wrong and £70 per month can be put aside for emergencies. Will cancell the insurance, with such high excess it makes no sense really.

*****************

Glad your kitty is ok.... My lot , from the 4 of them 3 were already limping a bit, 2 got over it within 24 hours only George landed at the vets as his must have been a different reason than "falling off the bed and spraining a leg while playing with the others" LOL

picklepick

What would you do if your cat were to develop diabetes or another life long illness that needed treatment of £2000 or more a year for the rest of their lives?

This is why I have insurance. Not to cover the emergencies but to save me having to make that decision should one of my cats become seriously ill.

Glad your kitten is ok Valli

HappyMJ

picklepick wrote: »

What would you do if your cat were to develop diabetes or another life long illness that needed treatment of £2000 or more a year for the rest of their lives?

Then I'd buy a lottery ticket.

Quote from the Guardian....
"The researchers studied veterinary records for 14,030 cats and found 61 had been diagnosed with diabetes."

What illness would cost £5.50 per day anyway? Diabetes is one of the most expensive but it's only about £3 per day and besides I'm not around at regular 12 hour intervals to administer an injection. Anyway the risk factors aren't there she aint male she aint a pedigree cat she aint overfed if anything she's underfed and at little risk.

gettingready

Oh yes.. lottery ticket

How many lottery tickets for the 64 per month?

gettingready

Valli- great to know the kitty is fine......

Give her a little belly rub from me

My black one with white chest and socks seems to have some stripes on the black but her fur is like baby bird still (she is very young) so will see what happens when the normal fur grows....