My cat broke a hip. How to keep him still? Cast or brace options?

Question

Good morning, my cat (15yo) broke a hip a few days ago, my vet just said he has to be still for about a month but the cat always tries to move and walk, is it possible to put a cast on that leg or give him a brace so that the leg it's more stable and it doesn't bend in a wrong way? Thank you! Anna

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA · Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, without performing surgery, there isn't a good way to immobilize a broken hip. Placing a cast on the leg will only add weight to the leg and further pull the fractured hip out of place. Often what we mean by staying still is the equivalent of bed rest in humans. The best way to accomplish this is to get a large dog kennel and make this your kitty's new home. You can place a litter box, food, and water inside the kennel, and he should be confined to the kennel until the hip is stable. This can be quite stressful for a cat, so make sure spend plenty of time with him, find toys that he can safely play with, and consider supplements for stress like Zylkene or Feliway feline pheromone diffuser.

My cat broke a hip. How to keep him still? Cast or brace options?

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