www.biscuitcat.co.uk

Biscuit's Story

Biscuit is a big and I do mean big, ten year old ginger tom.

On Thursday the 5th August, 2010 at around 9:30pm, he was struck by a car. Despite stopping and looking, the driver was unable to find Biscuit who badly injured had gone to ground.

The following day unable to walk, he was discovered by a neighbour dragging himself across her lawn in an attempt to get home.  Very kindly and without knowing who Biscuit belonged to (he is chipped and had a collar, but managed to free himself of that some weeks ago), took him to a nearby vet.

Biscuit had sustained a broken pelvis, dislocated hip and dislocated vertebrae.

The story continues...

Friday 6th August, 2010

I phone the vet and can hear Biscuit in the background, he is making a hell of a racket.  I am told that he has no feeling in his rear legs and is not responding to deep pain stimulus.  They are concerned about shock (none of us knew at this stage that he had survived nearly 18 hours since the accident) and so sedate him and place him on a drip.  

Bones can be repaired and mend, soft tissue  regenerate. However, as is common with these types of injuries, nerve damage can present real problems.  If Biscuit no longer had control of his bladder and couldn't pee, all might be lost.  Given his severe injuries, I was given the option to simply say goodbye and have him put down.  I decline in favour of waiting 24 hours or so to see if he will improve and at least have a pee.

Cat's that are unable to urinate face various potential complications.  First, the delicate muscles which control the bladder can easily stretch if it becomes overfull.  If this occurs, then even if the cat recovers from its other injuries, it may well be incontinent.  Second and much worse is that if the cat is unable to empty its bladder, infection can set in and untreated, quickly lead to death.

Saturday 7th August, 2010

Receive an update phone call to let me know how Biscuit is doing.   He hasn't had a pee, but has eaten a small amount.  He still doesn't appear to have any feeling in his rear legs.

I visit Biscuit later in the day at the veterinary hospital.  He is very sedated, but still responds with a meow when I say his name.

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© Chris Payne 2010