Cats with broken ribs should stay very still to avoid lung puncture, so don’t let him struggle–if he prefers to lie down or sit up, let him do it. If your pet stops breathing, ventilate him to keep his oxygen level up. To assist respiration, make a funnel by wrapping your hand(s) around his muzzle.

Rib fractures in cats can generally be treated conservatively. The adequate treatment of concurrent intrathoracic injuries, such as pneumothorax and lung contusions, is most important for survival. Adequate pain medication is also important to facilitate breathing.

Conclusion: Rib fractures in cats may be clearly associated with trauma, or may be an incidental finding in cats with comorbidities. Cats with diseases that cause prolonged respiratory effort or coughing, metabolic diseases, or certain neoplasms, are at increased risk of spontaneous nontraumatic rib fractures.

Bones usually take 4 to 6 weeks to heal. Follow-up X-rays are normally taken to monitor healing.

Signs of Fractures

1. Changes in gait. Your cat might avoid putting weight on one leg.
2. Restricted movement. Cats normally have excellent mobility.
3. Changes in usual behavior. Your cat will have patterns of behavior that are familiar to you.
4. Vocalization.
5. Swelling.

The cartilages of the last pair of ribs end freely; these ribs are often termed ‘floating ribs’. The sternum consists of eight sternebrae beginning cranially with the manubrium and ending caudally with the xiphoid cartilage of the xiphoid process.

The bottom line is, even if your cat stays safely indoors, trauma or diseases that cause life-threatening internal bleeding are still possible. Know your cat’s baseline health, including her resting respiratory rate and gum color, and learn the signs associated with internal bleeding.

If you think your cat has suffered a fracture, see your vet immediately. Never assume a fracture will heal on its own.

Cost of Surgical Fracture Repair in Cats For a basic fracture repair an average total bill is around the $1,500 mark, but for more complex surgery $4,000 plus is not unusual.

Feel your cat’s ribs Run a hand gently over your cat’s side. If you can’t feel its ribs, or it feels like there is a big layer of fat over them, you might just have an overweight cat. On the other hand, if you feel too much rib, that’s also a problem.

In addition to rib fractures, cats can have “pulmonary contusion” (lung trauma), “pneumothorax” (free air within the chest cavity causing a collapsed lung), and “flail chest” (abnormal movement of the chest wall when multiple rib fractures are present). No laboratory tests are required to make the diagnosis, but other diagnostic tests may include:

This is because the ribs can puncture the lungs, causing extreme breathing difficulties. Signs of rib fractures in cats are: Assess whether your cat has a broken tail. The bones in the tail can be fractured like any other bone. A big cause of tail fractures is being slammed in a door.

The primary symptoms seen are from pain. Cats will try to hide their pain, so watch for these signs: Crying, howling, moaning, or growling, especially if touched. Not walking, or not using a limb or tail. Not eating or grooming. Swelling or bruising at the injured area.

Identifying the Signs of a Fracture Assess whether your cat has a jaw fracture. These include both physical and behavioral signs that your cat is having problems with its jaw. Look for the signs of a limb or pelvis fracture.