Cats are nimble and lively animals, but it is nevertheless possible for them to hurt themselves. A cat injury may entail anything from a sprain or pulled muscle to a bone fracture or flesh wound. Generally, there are two types of cat injuries. Acute or short-term injuries develop when your cat hurts himself during activity. These injuries typically include broken bones, cuts, scrapes and other damages that are associated with a fall or accident. The second type of injuries are long-term ones that develop over time. While short-term injuries require medical attention, they typically heal in a brief period of time. Long-term injuries may progress and cause further problems if left unattended. For this reason, it is especially important that you learn to recognize the symptoms of long-term injuries in your cat.
Change in Gait
Long term injuries often involve repeated overexertion of a part of the body. If your cat runs, walks or moves around in a way that causes stress to one or more of his body parts, he may develop muscle strains or stress fractures, among other things. One of the key symptoms of these long-term injuries is a change in your pet's movement.
Watch if your cat appears to limp or favor one leg. Additionally, notice the shape of his back as he walks, as this is another sign of potential long-term injury. Cats suffering from these types of injuries may also move unusually slowly, or have difficulty sitting down or getting up.
Immobility
Long-term injuries may cause progressive deterioration of a part of your cat's body. As the pain or discomfort increases, your pet is likely to move around less and less. Many owners mistake this for lethargy or a change in behavior, but these are also important symptoms to be aware of.
If your cat refuses to get up to eat or fails to respond to stimuli that usually arouse him to action, he may be suffering from some sort of pain.
Loss of Appetite
Some long-term injuries are internal. Your cat may have pain in his mouth or another part of his body that prohibits him from eating normally. Notice if there is any food remaining in his dish after he finishes eating. If you have multiple cats, consider feeding them separately in order to ensure that the other cats do not overeat. Left untreated, this loss of appetite may lead to dangerous weight loss and other health problems as well.
Change of Behavior
Because cats cannot express their pain directly, they oftentimes show it through changes of behavior. If your cat begins to act strangely, either in his interactions with people or the behaviors that he does around the home, this may be a sign of a potential health concern or long term injury.
If you are at all suspicious of a physical or behavioral issue that your pet seems to have developed, do not hesitate to take him to a veterinarian for examination. Prompt treatment may save him from additional pain or other complications.