I was not here when whatever happened happened, but I came home to find (Spayed Maine Coon (suspected) approx 2 yrs, 13#) cat nursing her right rear. I found a claw seriously uprooted and inflamed. I trimmed what I thought was safe to remove, and then doused the area with 2% lidocaine (band-aid antiseptic wash is real lidocaine).
Was that safe?
I don’t have a collar - is there a homemade version that would work?
She HATES being held on her back, but once the drug kicked in, she was calm for a minute or so.
I have never trimmed a rear claw - is the “if it isn’t red, it can be cut” rule apply?
At least she can hobble without applying direct pressure on the (middle) affected claw.
Is there anything a vet could do beyond wrapping it in gauze and use topical with an E collar?
Money is tight, and this is not the best time to be finding a vet for her. My neighborhood vet shop does not inspire confidence.
Since the OP is looking for advice, let’s move this to IMHO.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
Sounds like she got a claw tightly caught in something (carpet, rug, curtain), paniced, and pulled it free, tearing it in the process. That happens.
Cats usually recover fine from that, even if nothing is done to fix it. So everything you did is extra, and will help it heal faster & cleaner. Good job! (You are becoming a well-trained servant, which is what cat owners eventually are. 
Your questions:
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homemade collar: sure, any rope or string will do in an emergency. Twine, clothesline, shoestring, old sock, strip of cloth, etc. The cuff off a worn-out shirt works well, because the button makes it easier to get on & off. A narrow thing, like a shoestring is not so good (especially for a big cat like yours) since it puts all the pressure on one spot and can tend to choke the cat if she pulls on it.
Note that if this is the first time this cat has worn a collar, there is a risk that she gets it caught on something and chokes herself. Commercial collars have special connections that break away in that case. You might want to make sure that your homemade collar isn’t too strong, or only leave it on her when you are around.
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trimming rear claw: basically, they are done the same as a front claw. Trimming away the torn part & rough edges will let it heal faster, without catching on things. With the injury, you may have to trim off more than normal. Putting antiseptic on it was good, though it would probably heal fine without it.
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Vet: this is pretty much what the Vet would do. Watch her, if she doesn’t start walking on that foot at all in a couple of days, take her to the vet. Also, watch that claw for signs of infection: redness, swelling, bad smell – if you see/smell that, take her to the vet.
P.S. Now might be q good time to start looking around for a Vet that you do like, before it is desperately needed. Asking other pet owners for recommendations is often the best way. Note that you should be able to find a vet that is understanding of your financial situation, and is willing to look at keeping treatments economical, and doing only what is really needed.
Good luck!
Thanks for the help
She is “resting comfortably” (sleeping, as she usually does). If she was going to react to its ingestion, this is probably it - “sleep until problem resolves itself” is the cat’s universal problem-resolution technique
Is your concern that the cat might lick the lidocaine wash off her foot? It would probably be ok. The cat probably won’t enjoy having lidocaine on her tongue, after all. You might wipe her foot off with a warm washcloth next time you look at it.
Aside from that, just keep an eye on it. As long as it doesn’t look infected or re-injured, you can hold off on the vet. If she worries at it, you’ll probably need to have it removed.
She’s walking normally and seems to be paying it no attention - when jumping up onto the bed, she still lands rear legs first. I didn’t trim the (long, dense) fur between the pads, so visuals would require holding her on her back (see above re.) and messing with the injured claw directly (it now tends to tuck up and to the side - I cut off the part which protruded beyond the plane of the paw.
I’m going to watch - she is a devoted creature - unless there is a sunbeam available, she curls up next to me.
Again sleeping