Sore tail.

Dr. Marie replied:

It certainly sounds like Marley is painful. When cats are in pain, the most common thing for them to do is to hide and not move much.

There are a few things that could cause pain like you have described. The most common thing for a cat of that age would probably be some type of injury to the tail such as being stepped on or having it caught in a door. If this is the case, then there's a good chance that things will improve on their own within the next 48 hours. But, if you think that she is really uncomfortable then seeing the vet to get some pain medication would be a good idea. There is no over the counter pain medication that is safe and effective for cats.

A back injury could be a possibility as well although this is not as common in cats.

Does Marley go outside or have access to other cats? Another possibility is some type of abscess near her tail. It is not always super obvious when this happens. Sometimes there can be a wound under the skin that is infected and can't be seen underneath all of the fur. If she will let you, take a good look at her tail and legs and see if you can see any type of wound or red area on the skin. If there is a wound then Marley really does need to see a vet as this type of problem will only go away with antibiotics prescribed by the vet.

We do see arthritis issues in cats, but usually this would be in an older cat and wouldn't come on all of a sudden like this.

If Marley is eating ok then it is alright to keep an eye on her and just keep her quiet for a day or two. If things haven't improved after the weekend then I would have her seen by a vet. However, if she is not eating much then this can be a sign of something more serious and I would have her seen today.

I hope she feels better soon!

Dr. Marie.

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