What is best to feed a cat recovering from serious injuries?

by Deb Court
(Solihull, West Mids, UK)

Hi there,

My cat is recovering from a recent dog attack. She was in severe shock and had a suspected punctured lung. She was stabilized with oxygen, fluids and pain relief, and the x-rays showed no broken bones. Incredibly, my cat has no puncture wounds (unlike me, as I rescued her from the fight and received both cat and dog punctures), and has been able to come home from the veterinary clinic.

My cat is moving around, albeit very gingerly, as her back legs are clearly very sore and she is fairly wobbly. I am able to administer pain relief from a syringe and she has taken some water, some cat milk and some Sheba gravy from a spoon.

I just would like to know what is the best thing to give her to aid her recovery & build her strength? Her coat doesn't look too great and I can clearly see that my cat has a long way to go before achieving a full recovery, but I just want to give my cat the best chance.

Many thanks & kind regards,
Deb


Dear Deb,

I am so sorry to hear that your cat has gone through such a struggle, but am happy to hear that she is recovering. I would not want to interfere with any advice you have been given by your veterinarian, and I would hope that your vet has provided some advice regarding what to feed your cat, but would be happy to provide some recommendations based on my own experiences.

Royal Canin does make a food called Recovery, which is a diet designed for cats recovering from surgeries, injuries, and cancer or related treatments. Your cat may benefit from this special diet, as many sick or recovering cats are a bit pickier when eating. This diet can also help your cat gain the weight she may have lost during her hospitalization.

If your cat lost a lot of blood and was anemic, which you would need to verify with your veterinarian, she may also benefit from iron supplements to help regain her strength. Otherwise, I would suggest feeding lots of canned cat food, as she is likely to show more interest in canned than dry cat foods, and offering fresh food several times a day.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery,
Dr. Neely