A case report of blunt abdominal trauma in a cat; challenges and strategies for diagnosis and treatment

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Moosa Javdani 1
Amin Mohamadi 2
Pegah Khosravian 3
1 Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord- Iran.
2 Mehregan Veterinary Clinic, Shahrekord- Iran.
3 Medical Plants Research Center, Basic Health Science Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
10.22034/ijvcs.2026.14885.1087
Abstract
Cats experiencing blunt abdominal trauma face life-threatening complications including internal hemorrhage, organ rupture, and shock. The most commonly affected organs include the liver, spleen, kidneys, and bladder, with hepatic and splenic injuries carrying particularly high mortality rates. Unlike dogs, cats have a remarkable ability to compensate physiologically until they reach critical thresholds, meaning they may appear stable while harboring severe internal injuries. Failure to detect many internal injuries after the initial trauma, inadequate bleeding control, poor initial assessment and monitoring, delayed surgical intervention, inadequate resuscitation strategy, and missed extraperitoneal injuries can be considered the main reasons for the unsuccessful treatment of these patients. In addition to obtaining a trauma history and extensive physical examination, ultrasound and radiology-based evaluation, abdominocentesis, and serial laboratory tests are considered to be the main parameters in the diagnosis and treatment of these cats. In the present study, while describing a cat with a blunt abdominal injury with unsuccessful treatment, the diagnostic challenges and treatment complications of these patients are presented by reviewing more than 40 scientific articles and reputable websites from 2000 to 2025.
Keywords
feline
blunt abdominal trauma
diagnostic challenges
treatment complications
Subjects
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Iranian Journal of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Volume 19, Issue 2 - Serial Number 33
Fall and Winter 2025/2026
March 2026
Pages 106-120