Painkiller for cats?

[sangtarah]

Our elderly cat has a very sore leg. We don’t know what she did to it, but she’s fragile anyway, and I imagine it didn’t take much to hurt herself. Is there any painkiller we might have at home that is safe for cats? 
She has been losing weight steadily for the past year, down to just 5 lbs. She turns 16 in July. I’m scared and sad that she might not be with us much longer.

[Guest]

Can you call your vetand see if they would call in a prescription? I've gotten meds for pets at a regular pharmacy before, and they have drive through.

[ktgrok]

Unfortunately, nothing you have at home would be safe. You need to call the vet. Also, check carefully for any swelling - cats have this weird thin skin that tears easily, and then also closes up and "heals" fast. This can leave a slower healing pocket under the skin where bacteria can get trapped and multiply, leading to abcesses. I large number of sore legs or limping cats have an abcess. A warm compress and antibiotic ointment will buy time, and you can get a script for antibiotics. Still need to call the vet but will have more of a targeted approach. 

Could also be joint issues - cats get arthritis too. If you don't see an abcess or hot areas, that's my next guess. Or some kind of cancer 😞

But check for an abcess, then call the vet. Hugs. 

[Kebo]

Don't give any over the counter painkillers, they can be toxic to cats.   I agree to check for any wounds or tender spots that might give a clue as to why the leg is sore.  

There are some treatable possibilities as to why your kitty is losing weight.  Hyperthyroidism is very common and can be successfully treated.  Renal failure is even more common, and less responsive to treatment, but there are still some things you can do to extend her quality of life.  There are other possibilities as well of course (Diabetes, cancer, IBD, etc) -- a good exam and bloodwork would go a long ways towards sorting it out.  Good luck!

[ktgrok]

1 hour ago, Kebo said:

Don't give any over the counter painkillers, they can be toxic to cats.   I agree to check for any wounds or tender spots that might give a clue as to why the leg is sore.  

There are some treatable possibilities as to why your kitty is losing weight.  Hyperthyroidism is very common and can be successfully treated.  Renal failure is even more common, and less responsive to treatment, but there are still some things you can do to extend her quality of life.  There are other possibilities as well of course (Diabetes, cancer, IBD, etc) -- a good exam and bloodwork would go a long ways towards sorting it out.  Good luck!

Yup. I need to get my cat's bloodwork done. He's a senior and we do it every year, expecting to see hyperthyroidism, but so far haven't. He's due again, and lost more weight, and his appetite is even higher, so thinking this will be the time. But darn it, DS was supposed to have started a new job as a vet assistant in March, with the associated discount, and now they are freezing new people until business picks up. so no discount. Sigh. Hoping to hold out a few more weeks and just keep feeding him never ending amounts of Sheba, his new favorite. I think he likes it because it is more expensive for less food and more packaging for me to open. He's a jerk that way, lol. 

[sangtarah]

She’s been to the vet a lot over the past year. She has kidney issues, but refuses the renal food (all kinds). Her thyroid is a little off, and we give her meds for that. I don’t expect her to improve much on those points, but I hate to see her in pain. 

[Kebo]

3 hours ago, sangtarah said:

She’s been to the vet a lot over the past year. She has kidney issues, but refuses the renal food (all kinds). Her thyroid is a little off, and we give her meds for that. I don’t expect her to improve much on those points, but I hate to see her in pain. 

It sounds like you have a pretty good handle on her circumstances then.   If she won't eat the renal diets, just use a good quality canned food and maybe add a bit of extra water to it.  Unless she is one of those stubborn cats that won't eat canned food ...

There are safe pain relievers for cats, but they aren't over the counter.  And with her compromised kidney function, they should be carefully chosen and dosed.  I hope you are able to get her feeling more comfortable soon.