Kittens, and cats in general, can break the bones in their legs easily. Sometimes the break may go unnoticed by the cat's owner, as cats can tolerate quite a large amount of pain without obvious symptoms. Luckily, kittens and cats are famous for their bone healing abilities. Your kitten's broken leg should heal with no problem, but there are some things you can do to keep your kitten more comfortable during the healing process.
Things You'll Need
- Soft cat bed or area for sleeping Low food and water bowls Soft cat treats (edible)
Instructions
How to Take Care of a Kitten's Broken Leg
Protect the cast. Your kitten will more than likely come home from the vet in a cast, unless it's a minor stress fracture. Make sure you protect it by keeping the kitten from licking it (it will probably itch) or trying to scratch it off with her paws.
Provide a comfortable place to sleep. Your kitten will not be able to move easily, so if her old cat bed required some climbing to enter it, you need to provide her with a new, easy-to-enter sleeping area. This could be as simple as a soft pillow on the floor.
Remove temptations. Cats love to jump on things, but this is not a good idea with a leg in a cast. Remove any tall cat furniture and any other items, such as stools, that make it possible for your kitten to jump up to favorite places, such as a kitchen counter. If your kitten is used to being on the couch, try to lift him up rather than waiting for him to jump up.
Use the full course of any medication the vet gave you. Antibiotics are usually given with broken bones in cats, and they only work if the entire cycle is finished. It is hard to give kittens pills, so try wrapping the pill in a soft kitten treat and then gently pushing it down her throat if she won't eat it. (Squeeze her jaw carefully to get her to open her mouth.) It is a distasteful job, but necessary.
Keep your kitten calm. Do not let him go outside, and do not tempt him to play with favorite toys. If you have an active dog in the house, keep the dog in another room so that he doesn't chase the kitten.
Move food and water dishes to the floor, if they were up in a high place. Make sure they are low to the ground so the kitten does not have to put much, if any weight on her leg in order to eat. Try putting her food on a saucer rather than in a bowl.