Abstract

Background:
Cat fractures are common injuries in small animal practice. Although many studies have described fracture patterns in cats around the world, limited data are available from Kuwait and the surrounding region.

Aim:
This study aimed to investigate the risk factors and anatomical distribution of fractures in cats who presented to the Gulf Pets Clinic in the Capital Governorate of the State of Kuwait and to evaluate their association with age, sex, breed, and fracture location.

Methods:
A retrospective study was conducted using the medical records of 325 cats diagnosed with fractures at a veterinary clinic in Kuwait between October 2024 and October 2025. The collected data included age group, sex, breed, and the anatomical location of the fractures. The fractures were confirmed through clinical examination and radiographic evaluation. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, were used to summarize the data. Fracture cases were analyzed according to the primary fracture diagnosis recorded in the medical records. Although some cats presented with multiple fractures, these cases represented only a minor proportion of the study population and were included according to their principal fracture classification. Therefore, the polytraumatized cases were not evaluated as a separate category.

Results:
A total of 325 cats with fractures were included in this study. Male cats accounted for 63.7% of cases, whereas cats aged 1–3 years accounted for the largest age group (31.4%). Domestic mixed-breed cats were most frequently affected (54.8%). The most common injuries involved the hip region (8.6%), lumbar vertebrae (7.7%), pelvis (6.8%), femoral head (6.8%), femur (6.2%), and humerus (6.2%).

Conclusion:
This study provides basic information regarding the risk factors and anatomical distribution of fractures in cats in Kuwait. Young male cats and domestic breeds were most affected, and several anatomical areas showed a higher frequency of fractures. These findings may help veterinarians better understand fracture patterns in cats and support future clinical and epidemiological studies in the region.

Key words: Epidemiology; Feline fractures; Kuwait; Risk factors; Trauma.