How do I tell if my cat is in shock after an injury?

Our question this week was:

How do I tell if my cat is in shock after an injury? Today she fell off the bed and is limping, her left hind paw seems to be what is affected. She is now hiding and I can see her but I cannot reach her. What do I do?

Deb Still

Answer

Hi – thanks for your email. I’m sorry to hear about your cat. Signs of shock can include weakness, lethargy, fast or slow heart rates, pale gums and other mucous membranes as well as other signs.

If your cat fell off the bed and is limping and hiding, she is probably having some pain/discomfort and is scared.

I’d recommend that you find her and take a closer look. Make sure she is breathing okay, her gums are pink and she is acting fairly normal, just “scared”. If she is still limping, she could have broken her foot or suffered some soft tissues injury.

Your veterinarian can examine the foot and do a radiograph (x-ray) to determine if it is broken.

I hope this helps,

Best of luck!

Dr. Debra