[thedoc (OP)]

Jenny Plumb  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Hello,

I wonder if you can answer a weird phenomenon experienced by a cat recently. A friend's cat was injured just behind its elbow and had to be stitched by a vet.

On enquiring why they did not bandage the cat to protect the wound, the vet said that they had been told not to bandage cats there because they fall over and cannot get up!

Intrigued, we loosely wrapped a scarf around our friend's cat and he immediately fell over on his right side and could not get up. On taking off the scarf he stood up and walked across the room. The experiment was repeated and again the cat fell on his right side  and could not get up. Other animals seem to be bandage there with no ill effect so what makes a cat unable to stand up or walk when a bandage is applied there?

Thank you,

Jenny Plumb
Woodham Walter,
Essex

What do you think?

[CliffordK]

Looking up Cat Leg Bandage on Google, I see numerous images of cats with bandages.

Cats do incessantly groom so I would think that there would be issues with cat grooming and bandages.  This website indicates that cats will quickly pull off their bandages, and suggests a cone or similar device to prevent them from grooming.



The knee joint is important for walking.  Disable the knee joint, and one must compensate with the hips (or shoulder for front legs).  Thus it may take some time to get used to, but most animals should be able to learn to compensate.

Perhaps your scarf was excessively bulky, so not only are the joints less flexible, but there is also excess weight and bulk, making moving the legs difficult.  You might try more of just a bandage, or a tighter wrapping of a lightweight rag.

[cheryl j]

I would think it has to do with grooming for the most part but I was told once that cat wounds heal from the inside out, instead of forming a scab and granulation layers over the top.