- Joined
- Sep 4, 2014
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- 67
- Purraise
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I am posting not so much for advice on what to do, but for some "comfort" because I am feeling so horrible. Last night around 11 pm I was leaving the bedroom to come out and watch a tv show with my boyfriend. All of a sudden my one-year old male tabby (Max) very quickly attacked my leg, hissed, and skittered off. Unbeknownst to me, he was still exiting the room and he rubs the door ways and his tail was caught in the hinge side of the door when it closed. I was hysterical (never good in crisis) but BF confirmed the tip of Max's tail was gone. I was wailing and crying and then I saw it--a huge clump of hair in the door. And apparently, the end of his tail. OH MY GOD!!!!!
I have no words for how traumatized, guilty and upset I was and still am. We IMMEDIATELY put him in his crate (bagged the tail, what was left) and rushed him to the nearest e-vet (where we have been before with our other tabby who had a bout of hepatic lipidosis last yr and needed a feeding tube). Long story short, the vet confirmed the tail tip had been degloved and fur/skin removed and bone exposed (OMG...) and the only viable course of action is to amputate the damaged portion to prevent infection/necrosis.
So poor Max has lost about an inch or so (I think) of his beautiful fluffy raccoon tail. Because of me.
We left Max at the vet overnight, and received a call around 3:30 saying the surgery was a success, and 7 am call saying he was ready to go home. I had to work today so I am at work (after almost NO sleep) but BF is going to be picking him up and caring for him. From what the vet told me this is a common thing and cats are frequently getting their tails injured bc they get in the way. No matter what, I feel horrible and guilty that this was "my fault" and that I hurt my precious baby who I love more than anything (I don't have any human children).
I have every reason to believe he will recover from this but any words of comfort or stories you know of that are similar would be nice to hear.
Thank you <3
~Victoria
I have no words for how traumatized, guilty and upset I was and still am. We IMMEDIATELY put him in his crate (bagged the tail, what was left) and rushed him to the nearest e-vet (where we have been before with our other tabby who had a bout of hepatic lipidosis last yr and needed a feeding tube). Long story short, the vet confirmed the tail tip had been degloved and fur/skin removed and bone exposed (OMG...) and the only viable course of action is to amputate the damaged portion to prevent infection/necrosis.
So poor Max has lost about an inch or so (I think) of his beautiful fluffy raccoon tail. Because of me.
We left Max at the vet overnight, and received a call around 3:30 saying the surgery was a success, and 7 am call saying he was ready to go home. I had to work today so I am at work (after almost NO sleep) but BF is going to be picking him up and caring for him. From what the vet told me this is a common thing and cats are frequently getting their tails injured bc they get in the way. No matter what, I feel horrible and guilty that this was "my fault" and that I hurt my precious baby who I love more than anything (I don't have any human children).
I have every reason to believe he will recover from this but any words of comfort or stories you know of that are similar would be nice to hear.
Thank you <3
~Victoria