31 Jul 2026
Cat recovering well after clinicians discover tooth fragment embedded deep in its leg.
Chris Simpson
Job Title
Tigga may have got into a scrap with another cat, leading to the unusual leg injury.
Pet owners have been urged to keep a close eye on their cats after suspected fights after vets uncovered an unusual case of recurrent swelling.
One-year-old domestic shorthair Tigga was brought to Vets for Pets’ Barnsley Hospital after developing a swelling on his left front leg for the second time this year.
After a CT scan highlighted an area that required further investigation, practice owner and vet Peter Richards conducted surgery on the leg, discovering a tooth fragment embedded deep within the tissue.
The Barnsley team believe the fragment may have been left behind following a cat fight that occurred earlier in the year when the swelling first appeared, with the wound then having healed over.
Dr Richards said: “Tigga’s case was unusual, but it is a good example of why it is so important to investigate pain or swelling that does not settle or returns after appearing to improve.
“Cats are very good at carrying on as normal, even when something is uncomfortable, so owners may not always realise there is a deeper issue.
“Thanks to the CT scan we were able to locate the source of the problem, remove the fragment and help Tigga make a full recovery.”
Tigga is now back home, healing as expected and recovering well.
The practice is urging owners to monitor their cats after suspected fights, even if any wounds appear minor or seem to heal quickly, and to consult their vet in the event of swelling, limping, licking at a sore area or changes in behaviour.
