Expert: Jessica - 2/11/2010

Question
Jessica, Hi, A couple of days ago I rescued a stray cat after it had been attacked by my brother's dog. The dog injured the cat's left back leg. We are a low income family and cannot afford to take the cat to the vet. I believe that the leg is dislocated. However, she has only went to the bathroom once in the past 2 days and she doesn't meow like she did when I first found her. It is more like a whisper. She was not bleeding out any orifices nor did she have any outward injuries or broken skin areas. She is very lethargic but also wants lots of comforting. Is there anything else that I can do for her, short of taking her to the vet? Thanks, Linda

Answer
Hi Linda.  Unfortunately, there isn't anything you can do for her without having a vet diagnose her.  It sounds possible that she's dehydrated, and if so, she will need fluids under the skin.  You can try encouraging her to drink by adding a little tuna water or chicken broth to her water, or you can feed her water with a syringe, but this is not going to be enough to combat dehydration that's already present.  Also, that leg should be pushed back into the socket if it's dislocated.  She may also need antibiotics.

I would call vets to see if there's any assistance for low-income clients.  In my state, there is a foundation for just this type of situation that provides funding for veterinary care when owners can't afford it.  Some vets will also lower their fees or offer payment plans.

If there is no help available to you, it might be best to bring the kitty to an animal shelter, where she'll have a chance to be examined by a vet.

Best of luck.

Jessica