Cause of cats broken ribs

[VFT]

I want to get some opinions on what could cause the injuries my sisters cat sustained to be sure I am not just being biased about the situation. Thanks in advance.

She took the cat to the vet because it had been having some breathing issues, like a weazing sound. The diagnosis was 6 broken ribs. The cat never got out of the house ( so was not hit by a car) the only people the cat was around were my sister and her husband. Sister thinks the cat must have fallen somehow onto the tile floor/ an object, or that he slammed himself into the doorway by where the litter box is terrified of a small snake she had found there.

I think injuries that severe, even in an older cat (15) must have been caused by a severe trauma. And I think the husband kicked him. The cat has always been fearful and has lunged at her husband before when he would come into a room the cat was in and felt cornered so I can imagine the scenario in which this played out. But now I am concerned for the well being of my pregnant sister and my soon to be nephew. I feel like she is ignoring huge red flags.

His injuries were so severe that the broken ribs were collapsing his lungs, making him stop eating and ultimately after extensive veterinary care to try to save him, that the husband dramatically protested to providing, lead to his death. I am I wrong to think that the evidence only supports the theory that the cat was kicked?

[Paks]

I doubt a kick would produce that much damage but being thrown against something like a door jam would or it the cat was stomped on. Basically the force of a moving object against an stationary object is greater than the force of a moving object against an object that moves from the impact.

[Mango20]

Sounds like a kick, or maybe thrown across the room onto something, is the most likely scenario.

[jen-s]

O.M.G…:eek:

Poor cat. I’m not a vet, but that would definitely make me rather concerned for a hell of a soccer kick or a stomp.

[cowboymom]

I knew a German Shepherd that had all her ribs broken from a kick from an abusive husband of a friend of mine. So easily, could be what happened to the cat.

When I read the title I thought in my household it would be because the cat fell off the piano again or got tripped over.

If you have a scenario where you could even envision someone doing that then it’s certainly possible.

[VFT]

Thank you everyone for your responses. I was hoping that the vet would have said something to my sister, or even called animal control based on the injuries the poor cat suffered. Then perhaps my sister would confront the issue instead of telling herself it was a fall or something.

They live on the other side of the country and I have actually only met her husband once at their wedding, but I feel like I can’t believe it would have been anything else besides an abusive human that could have injured the cat like that.

[french_fry]

What is it that makes you suspect the husband besides the cat being leery of him?

If you have seen other red flags or have always had a weird feeling about the husband, I would willing to bet money that the cat was kicked or stomped on. If you otherwise trust the guy and know him to be a huge animal lover I’d think this was coming a little out of left field. (Assuming that’s not the case or you wouldn’t be posting this question.)

I think it’s very rare for an injury like that to be accidental, barring a really unfortunate accident trip/misstep landing on the cat.

[french_fry]

Also, I would add that if my BF or I accidentally caused injury to our cat we would IMMEDIATELY fess up to each other and our vet to make sure she was getting the most informed, complete care possible…no matter how upset or embarrassed we were.

[saje]

Even if the husband is in some way deliberately responsible for the cat’s injuries (and if so may he suffer with infected hemorrhoids for the rest of his days!) it does not automatically follow that the wife and kids are in danger.

A lot of people hate cats, see them as vermin, and have no compunction about doing horrible things to them. These same people would never think of doing anything to a human or a dog or something they see as worthy of love and respect. I personally could not remain civil to such a person, let alone married to them! But my views on animals in general and cats in particular are not everyone’s…

RIP poor kitty

[VFT]

French Fry, I agree with you that if it was an accident then someone should have made sure the vet knew what was going on and gotten the cat immediate attention. My sister did not realize how severe the injuries were when she noticed the breathing issue and made an apt at her regular vet, waited a few days for the apt, then that vet diagnosed the cat with asthma, despite taking chest xrays! She took it to another vet the following day still concerned and the second vet found the broken ribs.

Like I said I only met her husband once at their wedding so I don’t really know him at all other than what my sister, who I talk to frequently on the phone tells me. I have gathered that he was not fond of the cat, he does have an elderly cat of his own that he seems to be kind to. A month or so before the issue with the broken ribs the cat had a urinary tract infection and was peeing all over the house, my brother in law was complaining/ starting fights with my sister because he had to always clean it up due to her being pregnant and avoiding any sort of cat excrement. When the cat was hospitalized for the broken ribs BIL kept telling my sister the cat is old just put him down, and you care more about that cat than me fighting with her and causing completely unnecessary drama. The one night the cat came home from the vet, it returned the next morning because he still refused to eat, my sister was giving him his pain meds and the cat bit her pretty badly. The bite is understandable given the situation, but BIL started going on about what about when that cat bites unborn baby etc. instead of being a decent human being/ supportive husband.

Additionally a week or two before the cats injury my sister found out that BIL has a bad gambling problem that he has been hiding from her for their entire relationship. He had been lying about trips to the casino, and has accrued a bunch of debt because of it that she didn’t know about. That’s why I wanted some other opinions on the injuries, that I am not just biased because of his other behavior. But there has definitely been tension in the house because of his other issues, which I believe he took out on the cat.

[redalter]

I am so sorry!

[QUOTE=VFT;8386445]
French Fry, I agree with you that if it was an accident then someone should have made sure the vet knew what was going on and gotten the cat immediate attention. My sister did not realize how severe the injuries were when she noticed the breathing issue and made an apt at her regular vet, waited a few days for the apt, then that vet diagnosed the cat with asthma, despite taking chest xrays! She took it to another vet the following day still concerned and the second vet found the broken ribs.

Like I said I only met her husband once at their wedding so I don’t really know him at all other than what my sister, who I talk to frequently on the phone tells me. I have gathered that he was not fond of the cat, he does have an elderly cat of his own that he seems to be kind to. A month or so before the issue with the broken ribs the cat had a urinary tract infection and was peeing all over the house, my brother in law was complaining/ starting fights with my sister because he had to always clean it up due to her being pregnant and avoiding any sort of cat excrement. When the cat was hospitalized for the broken ribs BIL kept telling my sister the cat is old just put him down, and you care more about that cat than me fighting with her and causing completely unnecessary drama. The one night the cat came home from the vet, it returned the next morning because he still refused to eat, my sister was giving him his pain meds and the cat bit her pretty badly. The bite is understandable given the situation, but BIL started going on about what about when that cat bites unborn baby etc. instead of being a decent human being/ supportive husband.

Additionally a week or two before the cats injury my sister found out that BIL has a bad gambling problem that he has been hiding from her for their entire relationship. He had been lying about trips to the casino, and has accrued a bunch of debt because of it that she didn’t know about. That’s why I wanted some other opinions on the injuries, that I am not just biased because of his other behavior. But there has definitely been tension in the house because of his other issues, which I believe he took out on the cat.[/QUOTE]

First, let me say I am sorry for what your sister is dealing with, and being pregnant at the same time.

I think you are right. Knowing none of the people involved, and just going on what you’ve posted, I think it is the case that he took it out on the cat, and got what he wanted. Cat is gone.

That poor cat. :no:

[Horsegal984]

Ok, so knowing nothing more than what you posted here, 6broken ribs in a cat is a severe injury. It causes what’s called a flail chest, and it doesn’t progressively get worse over a period of several days/week. It is immediately obviously life threatening and is quite evident to anybody that it’s not normal, as one section of the chest sucks in badly while the cat inhales and the rest of the chest moves outwards.
Video: http://youtu.be/gF7p06_z37s

So, with that said, none of this really adds up to the way it’s dictated here. I think there’s either more to the story all the way around, or the second vet actually diagnosed an old healed injury as a new problem. I’m sorry for your sisters loss, but I think it’s a hell of a jump to assume the husband did anything to the cat, especially as it doesn’t sound like it had a flail chest and may have been misdiagnosed.

[Paks]

[QUOTE=saje;8386409]
Even if the husband is in some way deliberately responsible for the cat’s injuries (and if so may he suffer with infected hemorrhoids for the rest of his days!) it does not automatically follow that the wife and kids are in danger.

([/QUOTE] Yeah because if it did then the FBI would consider animal cruelty a serious crime that needed to be tracked. Oh I guess they do. http://www.livescience.com/48343-fbi-targets-animal-cruelty-as-serious-crime.html

[pezk]

Unless your sister lives in an apartment and the cat fell out a window to a sidewalk 3 stories below etc, my guess would be the husband kicked, stomped or threw the cat against a wall. Considering his gambling secrets and who knows what else, I guess the husband took it out on the cat.

The gambling secrets are pretty severe. Maybe your sister should get some counseling about her relationship with him. Is it worth it? What happens when the baby cries and no matter what he does he cant get the crying to stop? What does he do with his frustration then?

I would worry. As far as the vet goes, I have come across vets that don’t want to get involved even if they suspect a pet has been poisoned or beaten. Not the way I would view my responsibility as a vet. Find a new one.

[VFT]

[QUOTE=Horsegal984;8386752]
Ok, so knowing nothing more than what you posted here, 6broken ribs in a cat is a severe injury. It causes what’s called a flail chest, and it doesn’t progressively get worse over a period of several days/week. It is immediately obviously life threatening and is quite evident to anybody that it’s not normal, as one section of the chest sucks in badly while the cat inhales and the rest of the chest moves outwards.
Video: http://youtu.be/gF7p06_z37s

So, with that said, none of this really adds up to the way it’s dictated here. I think there’s either more to the story all the way around, or the second vet actually diagnosed an old healed injury as a new problem. I’m sorry for your sisters loss, but I think it’s a hell of a jump to assume the husband did anything to the cat, especially as it doesn’t sound like it had a flail chest and may have been misdiagnosed.[/QUOTE]

There may be more to the story, but what I have posted here is all I know. And I found the severity of the injury concerning, which is why I asked the question. I appreciate all the responses and the different perspective. I know that the vet who diagnosed him consulted with a surgeon who put an external brace on the cat that was attached to the broken ribs to pull them out away from his lungs. The surgery did improve his breathing somewhat, but he still passed away 2 days later while at the vet. The vet who diagnosed the broken ribs initially diagnosed congestive heart failure and when taking xrays to confirm that found the broken ribs.

Thank you for your response and for the video!

[VFT]

[QUOTE=pezk;8386869]
Unless your sister lives in an apartment and the cat fell out a window to a sidewalk 3 stories below etc, my guess would be the husband kicked, stomped or threw the cat against a wall. Considering his gambling secrets and who knows what else, I guess the husband took it out on the cat.

The gambling secrets are pretty severe. Maybe your sister should get some counseling about her relationship with him. Is it worth it? What happens when the baby cries and no matter what he does he cant get the crying to stop? What does he do with his frustration then?

I would worry. As far as the vet goes, I have come across vets that don’t want to get involved even if they suspect a pet has been poisoned or beaten. Not the way I would view my responsibility as a vet. Find a new one.[/QUOTE]

I agree with your perspective pezk. I know they are going to counseling, but I am also concerned about when the baby frustrates him.

When my sister told me about the injuries I did tell her what I thought and asked her if she had considered it, she said she doesn’t think he did it. So I don’t really see anything else I could do about it, but I found the situation concerning.

Thank you everyone for your insights!