My 1-year-old cat has a broken leg. What are her treatment options?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed | 1 year and 7 months old
What is your advice for this 1 yo female with broken leg. Operate or not, if yes what type of operation and what should be done
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on August 26th, 2019
Yes, surgery is required, the bones cannot heal as the leg is unstable and the ends are not touching. The bones could be manipulated back into place and secured with pins or amputation could be considered
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
-
Published on March 1st, 2019
It an definitely heal, the preffered approach would be surgery, this will guaranty proper healing but if this is not an option a cast or special splint will likely be enough for her to be able to walk again.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
My cat fracture her front leg, i need a second opinion do you think there is a possibility of healing?
It an definitely heal, the preffered approach would be surgery, this will guaranty proper healing but if this is not an option a cast or special splint will likely be enough for her to be able to walk again.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My 8month old cat got a fracture on its hind leg that didn't puncture through the skin. The vet put a splint on it and said he would need surgery or amputation. It's not fractured on a joint or anything. I feel the vet is just frying to get money, wo
Generally in a young kitten such as LB the bone will heal fine with a splint if it’s a simple fracture. After a day or so it will start to heal and no surgery should be done then. If it doesn’t heal well, and he is a lot of pain then you could consider amputation. He looks comfortable in the photo so I’d let it heal with the splint. Make sure the splint doesn’t cause pain and that there is no odor or swelling. If there are complications during the healing process the need for surgery or amputation goes up. Thanks for using Boop by Petco to help you care for LB.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Stray cat estimated 3 months old found with presumed broken hip and leg. Took him to 3 vets but we live in a country where vets aren’t the best and they said there’s nothing we can do he’s too small to go into surgery. What do you recommend we do? Sh
It's a little difficult to see in your copy of the x-ray, but it looks like the left femur might be fractured. If the broken bone is above the knee then a cast won't help because it's not possible to stabilize the fracture. If they have recommended pain medication and rest I think that probably is the best option with a broken hip - kittens can heal quickly and it's possible that he will have decent function in the leg. If not, then a surgery called a femoral head osteotomy might be an option once he's big enough for surgery.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My cat came inside my house, after escaping outside through the window, with a broken front leg. I'm not sure how this happened. Maybe he got hit by a car or in a fight with another cat. I took him to the veterinarian and suggested I amputate his fro
Without having an xray done it is almost always impossible to determine if it can be repaired surgically or if amputation is needed, i strongly recommend having the leg xrayed before getting to such a conclusion.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hi doctor I have a street cat...from about 3 weeks it has fallen from the 5th floor, its vertebral column , pubis and fore arm have been broken Fortunately, the vertebral column and pubis have recuperated But the problem is in its fore arm. It has a
I would also likely recommend amputation if the wound is not healing as the possible complications and pain involved would likely be much worse than the surgery. Cats do very well with three legs, especially if it is a young cat! If you would like another opinion I would recommend consulting with a boarded surgeon as they have more training in fracture repair. Good luck!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I got a cat on street broke her pelvis, I wonder if she can heal on her own or we have to do the operation. With infection and anemia, still stay in hospital.
Poor girl. This is severe break and the pieces are not at all aligned. Unfortunately because the two bones are not aligned properly to heal back together naturally, this likely needs surgical correction. Poor kitty. : ( I recommend discussing with the vet about surgery for this poor kitty to help align the bones. I am not an orthopedic surgeon however, so a consult is needed to discuss if this particular break is repairable surgically or if there are other things that need to be done. Best wishes with your stray kitty Wen. Take care!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
So at the shelter I work at there is a cat who was likely HBC. He has some feeling in lower back legs but cant move them yet. He has a fractured spine, when I asked our shelter vet whether surgery or anything else could be done she said "not really"
Hi and thank you for using Boop by Petco. Poor kitty. Without doing an exam there is no way to completely determine if surgery is an option. That said, even if surgery is an option, that is not surgery that most general practitioner or shelter veterinarians would be able to do or have the appropriate equipment for. If surgery was an option, typically MRI is first needed to assess the spinal cord, then surgery would be performed by a board certified surgeon. The cat would then need extensive physical therapy and even if everything goes perfectly, there is no guarantee of return to function. In most cases this scenario would cost many thousands of dollars. Many owners and shelters cannot afford that level of care, so alternatives such as cage rest and pain management may be tried or euthanasia may be needed in some cases. I'm sure it is not a case of the shelter vet being unwilling to help this cat, but that the resources are not available. In the case of limb fractures, often
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Would a break in front right elbow require amputation, or will a splint, cast, or hobble possibly work?
That looks like a pretty nasty fracture. My first recommendation would be orthopedic surgery. The surgeon may recommend plates or other devices to get the bone back in alignment so that it can heal. If that is not an option in your area, then amputation would be my next recommendation. Due to the location, a cast or splint will not provide enough stabilization to allow the edges of the bone to knit back together. If the bones can be re-aligned, a hobble can be attempted, but the failure rate is quite high.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My cat's behind leg broken right the dot _./ Can it heal by itself? (left one)
I would take your cat into a vet immediately. This will be extremely painful for him, and he needs treatment for the broken leg. Leaving it untreated can lead it to heal incorrectly affecting his ability to walk. It can also cause nerve damage. Unfortunately you cannot give him any human pain medications, as many human ones are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. He absolutely needs veterinary treatment for it, please take him into a vet now. Good luck!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hello, a 2.5 months kitten I think he broke his leg today. He is a feral kitten living in my garden, Vets on the phone in Beirut told me that he is too young for any eventual operation. Is it true?I put some child ant-inflammatory in a bit of tuna, b
Please do not give him any child pain killers, these are very toxic to cats. surgery can be tricky at this age, but it is possible to have it done, although if it is a simple fracture- a splint and strict cage rest for 4-6 weeks could be enough to heal. for now leave him in cage rest to minimize his movement, if it is an open fracture he must see a vet urgently.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Have A Vet Question?
Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.
