A guide to 10 common cat injuries

Meowch! While our agile feline friends are capable of some truly astonishing athletic feats (like the ability to jump five to six times their own height from a standing start!). Their daring exploits can put them at risk of some rather spectacular failures too.

The urban and suburban environments that most cats now find themselves in can also contribute to the higher risk of feline injuries, due to the high density of cars, dwellings, dogs and other cats, the predominance of hard surfaces like pavement, the presence of high balconies and tall fences, and the reduced number of natural refuges such as trees or thick foliage.

Here’s a rundown of ten of the most common feline injuries, so you can keep an eye out for your little fluffy daredevil and call in the medic team if required.

Swallowing foreign objects

Foreign bodies (aka non-food items) may be swallowed by curious cats (particularly young, bored or very food-motivated individuals!), potentially causing choking, gut obstructions, poisoning, or in the case of button batteries, internal burns.

Some of the more common foreign bodies eaten by cats include string, needles and thread, rubber bands, and cooked bones.

Symptoms that your cat may have eaten a foreign body can include:

• Lethargy
• Vomiting
• Abnormal stools, or not passing stools
• Abnormal drooling
• Pawing at their mouth
• Retching or choking

If you suspect your cat may have eaten a foreign body, it’s best to seek immediate veterinary advice, as prompt treatment will improve your cat’s chance of a safe recovery.

Poisoning risk: Household hazards, plants and dangerous substances

Cats can ingest poison by either directly eating the substance, or by grooming it off their fur or paws.

Common poisonous substances that can affect cats include:

• Poisonous plants such as lilies
• Household items such as cleaning products, insecticide sprays, human medicines such as paracetamol and anti-inflammatories, and essential oils
• Garage or “tool shed” chemicals such as motor oil, paint and coolant

Cats can show a variety of symptoms, depending on the type of poison they’ve eaten, which may include:

• Poor appetite or lethargy
• Vomiting or diarrhoea
• Tremors, seizures or weakness
• Drooling or pawing at the mouth
• Changes in drinking or urination

If you ever suspect your cat may have eaten something toxic, consult your veterinarian or the Australian Animal Poisons Helpline immediately.

Vehicle accidents: Why roaming outdoors is risky for cats

Unfortunately, even streetwise cats can be caught off guard by a vehicle, particularly very quiet EVs or parked vehicles taking off. Road traffic accidents can sadly cause serious or life-threatening injuries to cats, including:

• Internal organ injuries, e.g. lung bruising, bladder rupture, liver damage
• Internal bleeding leading to shock
• Head trauma
• Fractures
• Soft tissue injuries
• Spinal injuries

Unfortunately, internal bleeding or organ injuries may take hours to days to show their full effects, so even if your furry friend seems fine initially, an immediate veterinary recheck is recommended after any suspected vehicle trauma.

Cat fights and bite/scratch injuries

Unfortunately, even otherwise nice cats can be very unpleasant to each other when it comes to feline turf wars!

Cat fight wounds often become infected because of the bacteria carried on their sharp claws and teeth. When these bacteria are “injected” under the skin with a puncturing bite or scratch, they can often develop into either:

• An abscess: an accumulation of pus under the skin, or
• Cellulitis: a diffuse infection spread through the soft tissue of the bitten region

Both these issues cause painful swelling around the bitten/scratched site, can make the cat feel unwell, lethargic and feverish, and usually require veterinary assessment and treatment.

Falls and high-rise syndrome

Sadly, the ‘cats always land on their feet’ rule doesn’t always help when it comes to a cat falling several storeys onto pavement.

City cats can be at risk of falling out of apartment windows or off balconies, particularly when doors or windows are left open in hot weather, and if the cat is young and excitable or skittish. Kitties who fall more than two storeys will often suffer a particular set of serious impact-related injuries referred to as high-rise syndrome, which include:

• Chest trauma
• Head/facial injuries, e.g. broken teeth or jaws
• Limb fractures
• Internal bleeding

The good news is that, cats are remarkably resilient. Studies on ‘high-rise syndrome’ have found that around 90% of cats survive falls when they receive prompt veterinary care.

Tick paralysis

Just like dogs, cats can also be at risk of tick paralysis, which occurs when a paralysis tick

(Ixodes holocyclus) attaches to the pet and releases a toxin into their system. This toxin causes progressive signs of weakness over a period of hours to days, and can be fatal, particularly without prompt treatment.

Common symptoms of tick paralysis in cats include:

• Weakness or wobbliness
• A change in miaow
• Laboured breathing
• Retching or vomiting
• Dilated pupils
• A loss of appetite or difficulty eating

If you suspect your pet may have a tick, perform a tick search all over their body (but particularly focusing on their head, neck and shoulders) by using your fingertips to gently feel along their skin. If you find a tick, remove it with a tick removing tool or tweezers.

Regardless of whether you find a tick or not, if you’re still uncertain and want to be cautious, seek veterinary care as soon as possible.

If your pet is displaying symptoms, keep them as calm as possible – as stress can worsen any breathing difficulties – and take them to the vet immediately.

Collar injuries

While collars are an important means of immediate identification should your pet ever become lost (in addition to their more fail-safe microchip), they can also be a hazard, particularly if poorly made or fitted.

Collars can cause strangulation if they become hooked over an object (such as a fence post), while collars fitted too loosely can result in your cat’s jaw or leg becoming entrapped.

Ensure your cat’s collar has a quick-release mechanism, and that it’s fitted appropriately; tight enough so it sits against your cat’s skin, but loose enough that you can still easily fit one finger beneath it.

Tail injuries

Feline tail injuries most commonly occur from them becoming caught in a door or fence, or under a car wheel. Crush injuries can result in tail bone fractures, while tail pull injuries (where the cat continues moving but the tail is pinned in place) can result in nasty shearing soft tissue wounds, nerve damage, or even spinal damage.

Cats with tail pull injuries may drag their tail, have swelling around their tail base, and be very painful on handling around their rump or tail. If spinal or nerve damage has occurred, they may also show abnormalities in their ability to urinate (such as dribbling urine) or be walking oddly.

If your cat is showing any of these symptoms, a prompt veterinary assessment is required.

Nail and paw injuries

Paw pad injuries can occur if your cat walks over something hot, sharp or caustic (such as concentrated cleaning solution, which can also lead to symptoms of oral irritation if your cat tries to lick it off their paws).

Nail tearing injuries can sometimes happen due to sheer bad luck, but are more likely if your cat is struggling to escape danger (such as an aggressive dog or cat), or if their nails are overgrown.

Paw or nail injuries should be checked by your veterinarian if:

• They cause your cat to limp
• If your cat is persistently licking at them, or
• If the affected paw or toe appears swollen or is oozing discharge.

Dental and mouth injuries: Chewing hard items

If cats chew on cooked bones (whether fed deliberately or pilfered from an unattended rubbish bag), this can put them at risk of tooth fractures, and mouth, throat or gut injuries, as the cooked bone becomes harder, more brittle and more likely to split into sharp shards.

Pets with bone related mouth/throat injuries may demonstrate symptoms including:

• Difficulty or reluctance to eat
• Blood spotting from their mouth
• Pawing at their mouth
• Abnormal drooling
• A bad smell from their mouth

If you notice any similar symptoms in your cat, it’s best to have them assessed by your veterinarian.

How to cat-proof your home and environment

While accidents can always happen, you can reduce your cat’s chances of serious misadventure through eliminating the obvious hazards from your household and preventing them from roaming outdoors.

Indoors, you can minimise the likelihood of common kitty injuries by:

• Using sturdy, lidded household bins, and not leaving full rubbish bags around
• Double-checking that any plants you bring into the home are safe for cats
• Ensuring human medications and household chemicals are kept securely shut away
• Supervising your pet with any battery or string-containing toys
• Using pet-safe cleaning products and avoiding pet-toxic essential oils
• Keeping sewing/knitting baskets away from your pet

For apartment kitties, take extra care to keep windows or balcony doors shut, unless they’re covered with a sturdy, secure screen, or can be locked into a slightly ajar position that your cat can’t squeeze through.

To protect your cat from outdoor dangers, check out our article on keeping cats safe at home, and ensure that garden sheds and garages are left securely closed (once you’ve double-checked that your pet hasn’t already snuck in!)

Lastly, consult your veterinarian about safe and effective tick prevention options for your cat, and if you are in a tick prone area, learn how to search your pet and remove any ticks you find.

When to seek veterinary help

If you notice any signs of illness or injury in your cat as discussed above, it’s always safest to seek a prompt veterinary assessment. If your cat seems sore, minimise the risk of injury to yourself and them by gently lifting them in a thick quilt or towel, and then placing them in a carrier.

Never give your cat any human medications or pet medications that weren’t specifically prescribed for them, as this can cause fatal toxicities.

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26 May 2026