Our girl, Ralph, has a broken leg.
Ralph is, like most cats I’ve met, assertive. She likes attention, likes to be involved, likes to know what’s going on. As a result, when anyone comes to visit us, Ralphie is right there. As in right there under the car before you park.
So yes, I ran over Ralph. We’ve done dance hundreds of times. I drive in very, very slowly. She gets too close. I go slower. She gets out of the way. I park and we discuss traffic safety and proper greeting procedures.
Two weeks ago, our usual routine went awry.
A trip to the vet revealed her leg was broken (though thankfully no other injuries). She was sent home with a splint, pain medications and instructions to take it easy and keep the bandage dry.
We turned the mudroom into Ralph’s room with food, water, an old dog bed of Baxter’s, a litter pan and lots of treats. While she hated being in the house at first, proximity to Ellie (aka Giver Of Treats) has changed her perspective.
Also, she’s realized that being out of the wind, rain and, yesterday, snow, is not a bad deal. In fact, every time I tried to put her outside yesterday, she scooted around me to get back in the house.
She’s figured out how to walk on three legs and has made it back to the barn several times. She’s also made a few escape attempts the other way–through the mudroom and into the rest of the house (not happening, girl). She yowls when she needs to go outside (the litter pan is also not happening–she’s always been part dog).
A check-up last week revealed that the bones are still aligned, though they’ve not started to mend yet. With our at least 8-years-old cat, it may take awhile. For now, we’re doing our best to take care of each other and be comfortable in our new routine.
Home on 129 Acres 
We had a cat that was hit by a car while trying to cross a busy road. She ended up with a broken front leg. We had gotten a kitten and she didn’t like it. So she was spending more time outside. In the end the kitten helped with her exercise. As in: kitten wants to play – injured cat does not. Swatting kitten with good leg involved falling over, swatting at kitten with injured leg was all she could do. She never had a limp after all those “stretching exercises.” Sadly a friend has lost several dogs in their own driveway as the dogs would run around the cars when they got home. It’s a difficult thing to deal with but it does happen.
Just give her lots of love and – lots of treats.
That sounds like good physio. Ralph seems to be getting less and less incentive to move around. Something to do with all those treats perhaps…
My dad sliiiiightly ran over our elderly cocker spaniel when I was a kid–the little ding dong bounced off of the car and broke her leg. She ended up getting her cast off a little early because it was summer and she escaped to go swim in the pond. Her cast stank so bad that the vet said it was close enough and just took it off. 🙂
I feel like I sliiiiightly ran over Ralph. Despite Ellie telling everyone will listen that it was a big thump. Smell of the cast is one of the things I’m supposed to watch out for.
Aww, poor Ralph! Also silly Ralph. I imagine that must have felt pretty bad. I haven’t hurt a pet (that I can think of), but I’ve hurt my child by accident. I’m glad to hear that she’s recovering okay. Her bandage is pretty spiffy!
Oh, by the way, I’m not getting notified of your comments on my comments. I figured you would want to know.
It didn’t feel good, for sure. Thanks for the heads up on the comments.
Wishing Ralph a speedy recovery xo. I love her cast/bandage. Glad she gets to hang out in the mudroom :-).
The first thing Ellie saw when she saw the cast was, “Ralph have giraffe bandage!” Thanks for your good wishes, Angela. It’s nice to hear from you.
Oh dear! Unfortunately cats take much longer to learn lessons. I had one that got its tail caught in my car door and the same one got caught under the garage door (doesn’t everyone bypass the safety feature on those doors?) But after both of those mishaps she always came running to the car to be greeted.
I hope Ralph learns her lesson much faster. She sure does have a spiffy cast!
Maybe it’s connected to cats’ feeling that they’re the centre of the universe. The garage doors and cars should stop for them.
I hope Ralph is doing better each day. I’m sorry this happened, but I can imagine it.
I love seeing Ralph on your blog and on Instagram.
We had a follow up at the vet today, and he is very pleased with her progress. He also said she’s “just a lovely cat.” We agree. Her new pink bandage is also lovely!