(This fictional story has been created for educational purposes only and does not depict a real pet or owner.)

Around dinner time, Erin heard a miaow at the back door and saw Wendel, her domestic shorthair cat, standing near the glass, waiting to be let in after a day of outdoor adventures. However, when she opened the door, the cat limped uncomfortably in, moving his hindlegs very gingerly and awkwardly. He had a drink of water and then put himself to bed, so Erin decided to see how he was in the morning.

The next morning, Wendel was still not walking normally, so Erin called her local veterinary clinic to ask for advice. The nurse she talked to explained that outdoor cats commonly become lame due to musculoskeletal injuries from trauma, or cat fight wounds, so she advised that Erin bring Wendel straight down for a vet check.

On assessment with the vet, Wendel hissed as he was gently palpated around his hips. Given he was normally a very placid cat, Erin and the vet were concerned that Wendel was significantly injured. The vet couldn’t find any signs of cat fight wounds, so Erin consented for Wendel to be admitted for general blood tests, sedation, and X-rays of his back end.

On X-rays, it was revealed that Wendel had some fractures in his pelvis, though the pieces were still sitting in the correct positions. His spine, tail and legs appeared to be intact. The vet phoned Erin and got her consent to perform an abdominal ultrasound as well, which showed no evidence of free fluid in his tummy (which could have suggested internal bleeding or a ruptured bladder).

Wendel stayed in hospital to begin his treatment, which consisted of pain relief, monitoring of his ability to toilet, and strict cage confinement to allow his pelvis to heal. Once he was comfortable enough, he was sent home for ongoing confinement. Eight weeks later, X-rays confirmed that Wendel’s pelvis had healed, and his wonky walk had returned to normal. Erin has decided to keep him strictly confined to the garden from now on!