Paralyzed cats require a high level of care, and they require an owner who will be patient and devoted to their needs. Coping with a paralyzed cat requires a lot of effort on the part of a cat owner, and it’s best if a paralyzed cat is in a quiet home with no other pets. Here’s how to deal with a paralyzed cat:
- Commit to the level of care your cat requires. Realize that you must commit to caring for your cat’s needs for the rest of his life. Be sure to discuss the situation in detail with the veterinarian so that you know exactly what to expect in terms of care requirements as well as the length and quality of your cat’s life. If you can’t make that commitment, finding an appropriate home for your cat or euthanizing him may be a more humane choice.
- Discuss the situation with your veterinarian. Pay particular attention to your cat’s quality of life. While many paralyzed cats can live years after they become paralyzed, others are in constant pain and develop sores or other conditions. In this case, you may need to face the difficult decision of euthanizing your pet. Though this choice is certainly a hard one to make, it may be the most humane option if your cat is in pain all of the time.
- Clean up after your cat. A paralyzed cat has no control of his elimination functions and will require you to clean up after him. You’ll need to clean cat urine and feces from carpet and furniture using a solution of vinegar and water to neutralize the odor. The vet can show you how to express your cat’s bladder, reducing the number of accidents. Often, this is the most difficult part of dealing with a paralyzed cat.
- Consider cat wheelchairs. If your cat is partially rather than fully paralyzed, look into a cat wheelchair, which can help some cats better cope with their situation. A specially designed cat wheelchair allows him to maintain some mobility.
- Help your cat cope emotionally. As you might expect, becoming paralyzed will be a difficult issue for your cat to deal with. Cats are very independent creatures; many paralyzed cats become depressed due to loss of mobility. Your cat needs lots of love an attention to help him cope with his paralysis. He will also need plenty of entertainment, since he can’t run outside or chase after toys.
- Establish a routine. Cats are independent, and have difficulty relinquishing control to their owners. A paralyzed cat’s schedule should be kept as routine as possible so that there are no unexpected surprises for your cat to deal with. Paralyzed cats will become anxious when confronted with an unexpected change since they feel powerless.
Paralyzation in cats is difficult to deal with, both for the cat and for his owner. Your paralyzed cat requires specialized daily care for the rest of his life. To help your cat cope with becoming paralyzed, they will need lots of extra attention.