My youngest cat Taz (nearly 2) was limping when i came home yesterday. He had been in the house all morning so im assuming he has done it inside as he didnt seem to be limping when i went out. Sometimes he puts a bit of weight on it, othertimes he is holding it up when walking. We have felt round his foot and occasionally he hisses when we get further up his leg, by the elbow part. Im keeping him in at the moment to try and stop him running around outside. he is still getting to the food quick enough (he is one little eater) and wanting lots of attention as always, do you think it is just sprained? i am waiting to see how he is tomorrow if it doesnt get any better then i will take him up the vets.

Hi my cat is about 2 & 1/2 yrs old and he is an indoor/outdoor cat. He came home today and he was limping on his right front foot. He somtimes get sticks and stuff stuck in his paws and I was looking & didnt see anything. Its been a few hours and now he is hardley putting his paw down at all when he walks. He is just kind of hopping around. I dont have much money right now to pay for a vet but I am worried. Should I just give him a few days to see if it gets better? He may have gotten in a fight or jumped from a tree and landed wrong. Im not sure what do you think?

Hi,
By far the most likely explnanation is a bite from another cat. Search his paw and lower leg very carefully, separating the fur and looking for one or more tiney punture wounds which have been made by another cat's teeth.

W

Hello!
My kitten has been sort of hopping on one front paw on and off for about a week. There are no cuts, no swelling, and she does walk on it sometimes. I don't really know if its anything. She sort of minds me touching it, she won't scratch or anything she just tries to pull away and meows. I don't know if there is anything wrong but I am worried.

why is she hopping? could it be a sprain?

Hi
My cat katie has been limping on her left back leg. She can kinda put weight on it and i checked for any bite marks but she growls when you touch it, she has slept all day and wont eat ir drink anything. Going to take her to the vets if they are open. I would be gratefull if u helped. Thanks
Rebecca

Oh i dont know how she done it, i just picked her up then put her down and i realised she coundnt put weight on her leg.

Hi,

You wil see from earlier posts that by far the commonest cause of this problem is a bit from another cat - often high up on the thigh and not in the foot itself. The bite wound can be very difficult to find in the fur, especially when the cat does not like being handled.

W

hi ive just got back from the vets, i thought my 10week old kitten had broken her leg as she could not walk on it and was crying, the vet thinks she might have a joint infection and give her a jab of pain killer, he said in the morning if she is still no better to bring her back, she is now back at home but fast a sleep she has not woken once since on the way back, im still really worried about her should i pick her up out of her travel box

Hi,

Just leave her in her box to come out in her own good time.

W

Hi,

I'd like a bit of advice if possible. We brought our kitten home yesterday (he is 14weeks old) and was walking completely normally when we saw him. The lady we bought him from owns our local cattery so I'm sure she wouldn't have sold him to us if he'd had a problem before. He did struggle a little as we tried to get him into the carrier to bring him home (its the only thing we can think might have done it) and now he seems to be limping. He has never been outside.

The damage seems to be to his left hind leg, he walks about quite happily (but with a rather wonky gait) but holds it up much higher than the right one when you pick him up. He has eaten and used his litter tray. He's avoiding jumping (to get on the sofa he puts his front legs on and drags himself up) but is fine with us touching his leg, it isnt noticeably swollen and he doesn't seem to be in any pain. We are going to the vets on Monday (3days time) for his vaccinations but do you think it sounds like something that might be serious and should we take him before?

Sorry for the essay but he's our first, and only pet and we're pretty worried about him.

Thank you very much x

hi , my cant seems to have hurt her back leg while i was at work, shes a house cat..hates the outside, , her left hind leg just kind drags along with her and she seems to be in pain, alot more so when she moves, i cant get her to eat or to drink and i cant get her to a vet for the next two days since al lthe vest her care more about money then they do animals.

Hi, Jason,

Jhange your vet if you are not happy with the one you attend. Your cat may have been bitten by anither cat, or he may have a broken leg or a dislocated hip; Impossible to say which without examining him.

W

Hi
2 weeks ago my cat got into a fight and recieved a bite on his front leg. I took him to the vet and he was given injections and anti biotics. A week later he started limping severly again, i took him back, another £60 injection and told there didnt appear to be any infection, possibly he had sprained it and this takes time to recover from. well, its a week later, and he still limps, sometimes trying to avoid using the paw. Is this really normal?

It can take everal weeks to recover from injuries like this.

Hi

My cat has fallen from the window. He is 12 weeks old. He is walking ok with a slight limp and does not cry out when i touch it. There is no swelling that i can feel . do you think it is a sprain or could it be broken? Many thanks

He would not have just a 'slight limp' if his leg were broken. It is probably only a sprain - give it a couple of days and get him checked by a vet if no better after the weekend.
A common injury after such a fall is to the hard palate - the head keeps going after the legs have absorbed the impact on the body, and the lower jaw sometimes smashes up against the upper jaw. Look inside his mouth and see if the palate has a red line down the middle. If so, that may need veterinary attention.

Hey, Erm my cat came home today with a limp, I dont think its broken as shes only in pain whilst putting weight on it and other than that shes eating, drinking and purring like normal.

The only problem is she is due in a few days (maybe a week and a half at most, im not sure) and Im hoping theres no complications, this is my first and its first time witnessing and giving birth so if the pain doesnt pass before then, Im afraid that there will be more pain than normal giving birth as its her back leg giving the problem

any advice

Rest and containment for a few days should be enough.

hello my kitten is about 5 weeks old and has had a hard life his mother died when he was only a week and me and four friends took in her litter and have bottle fed them well the one we have is limping it is his back right leg he is indoors and we have a year old cat that plays but is super nice she can get rough some times but is normally good at being nice and not bite we are not sure if he was stepped on or if he was bitten or if he got caught under one of our chairs what can we do i am so scared about my little boy please help me

Hi my cat went out yesterday, I had to go out and find her as she would not respond to my calling which she always does, (especially when its raining because she associates my calling to the open door.) It took rattling of her favourite treats for her to appear from where she was hiding. when she appeared she was moving slowly and gingerly but does not appear to be in any pain. I'm not sure if this is a front as she is a bit of an alley cat. She is not jumping up on things like normal she is more climbing up the sofa to get up but she is eating drinking, purring and seeking attention and affection as normal. What could this be, i dont know if she may have had a minor bump by a car or whether she has been fighting which would not surprise me. Any help or suggestion would be very much appreciated.

Hi, Peggy G,

Your kitten's leg is unlkely to be broken at such a young age. If it has not imprved in 3 or 4 days you my wish to get it seen by a vet,

Hi, James 10,

This most likely to be the result of a bite from another cat, and may go sptic. If it does not improve after a few days it may need antibiotics

My cat just came home (9pm) after being away for 24 hrs ( not unusual for her), with a limp/non-weight-bearing front right paw. Is there any harm in waiting until the am to have her seen by our vet. There is no bone protruding out, ie. is contained. Poncho has eaten since retruning and is now sleeping on the couch. She is quiet but when I touch her she does seem uncomfortable.


Thanks for any suggestions,
tw

we have a stray kitty whose 2 we thing he got bit by another cat he's favoring his left front paw we can touch it and he puts a little bit of weigh on it we are very poor we have 3 cats we own no money for a vet what can we do to help him its not bleeding or swollen. thank you for any help

48 hrs ago my 2 year old cat leaped from a high shelf and landed on her back hip. For the first day she was putting little pressure on it and limping around. Its not swollen or hot to the touch and her gums are pink, not white. She is moving around and putting some pressure on it, but I can tell its sore. I can touch her leg and she jerks it back but doesn't cry or get aggressive. Yeasterday she was walking on it a little and took another jump, which I think aggrivated it again.

I called a vet who told me that she needed xrays and pain killers but I feel like it may be just a bruise and heal on its own. Its not getting worse, maybe just the same or a little better. Should I take her for xrays immediatly, or should I wait a few days to see if it will heal? How long before I should really worry?

My cat recently ventured outside but i noticed he is limping on his back left leg when he returned. He seems to be eating normally .how would i know if just sprained or broken?How much does it cost to for surgery on a cat ?

Lame Cats

There have been lots of postings on the website about cats that are lame. AS a result I thought I would be better to give one answer to everyone and try and cover most of the angles.

If your cat goes outside (or if you have more than one cat) and you have not seen it have a fall then more likely than not the cat has been bitten, almost certainly by another cat. Sometimes people think the cat has been bitten by a fox or dog but this is not common and the leg is usually broken if this happens. In the first 24 hours there may be no swelling or heat at the site of injury but lameness itself is an indicator of pain. If the cat has been bitten then usually swelling occurs within 24-48 hours. This may be localised eg to the foot (abscess usually) or maybe extend up the whole leg (cellulitis) depending upon where the cat was bitten.

If the abscess bursts and pus comes out then the cat may heal itself by licking at the wound and keeping it open. In any event bathing the area with salt water (half a teaspoon of salt in a coffee mug of warm water, or better use Epsom salts) will help draw out the pus and speed healing. If the foot is affected then holding in the salty water for 5 minutes is best. This needs to be done at least 3 times a day. The more often you do it the quicker it will get better. The important thing is to keep the wound open (which may be very small) so the pus can get out. In many cases this is enough.

If there is cellulitis (the leg is swollen) then you really need to go to the vet for antibiotics. If you are bathing a wound and it does not improve greatly in 48 hours or if your cat goes off its food or is otherwise unwell then you should go to the vet for antibiotics.

Many people think that their cat may have a broken leg, especially if they have seen it fall. Like us the can have a sprain or a strained muscle and this can be painful and take a long time to get better. If your cat is limping then it is doing so because it is in pain. Certainly if this persists for more than 24-48 hours it would be kindest to go to the vet and get some painkillers and to make sure nothing is broken.

Sometimes broken bones are obvious because there is a bend in the leg which should not be there in which cases you must go to the vet. In other cases broken bones are not obvious. Broken toes will usually sort themselves out without any treatment (apart from painkillers) but it is for your vet to decide this. If an important bone is broken then this needs dealing with and unlike people a cast is not really useful and the cat often needs metal work put in the leg to repair it; unfortunately this can be expensive. Some bones heal well but other bones, especially if they are in lots of pieces after an injury, can be difficult to heal or take many months. Sometimes your vet may suggest removing the leg as the best option – cats do really well on 3 legs so don’t panic that they may be crippled. They will still climb trees and get on your roof!

One thing that often surprises people is that cats that fall short distances (less than 2 floors) often have worse injuries than those that fall from very great heights. This is called ‘high rise syndrome’ and is because the further the cat has to fall, the more chance there is that it will land on its feet and be ok. Short falls (less than 10 feet) therefore often cause worse injuries.

One injury that is common is a dislocated hip (either from a fall or a road accident). Cats often adapt within a few days to this but it is still very painful. This is best treated by replacing the hip but often needs surgery to keep it in place because the torn ligaments do not keep it in place. You need to see your vet about this.

What is important to remember is that limping means your cat is sore or in pain and if it continues it is kindest for your cat to see your vet and get help. Often with experience, especially if your cat is a fighter, you can spot a cat bite early and treat it before you need to go to the vet. Whatever happens your vet is there to help so don’t delay going if you are worried.

At the end of the day if you are concerned you should always go to a vet and remember that limping means pain – if it was you you would take an aspirin (never give human drugs to cats as many are very poisonous) so go to your vet and get some drugs to make your cat happier!

Sometimes lameness is due to nerve injury (the cat may stand on the top of its foot or drag the leg); if this is the case then you need to see the vet.

Lame Cats

There have been lots of postings on the website about cats that are lame. AS a result I thought I would be better to give one answer to everyone and try and cover most of the angles.

If your cat goes outside (or if you have more than one cat) and you have not seen it have a fall then more likely than not the cat has been bitten, almost certainly by another cat. Sometimes people think the cat has been bitten by a fox or dog but this is not common and the leg is usually broken if this happens. In the first 24 hours there may be no swelling or heat at the site of injury but lameness itself is an indicator of pain. If the cat has been bitten then usually swelling occurs within 24-48 hours. This may be localised eg to the foot (abscess usually) or maybe extend up the whole leg (cellulitis) depending upon where the cat was bitten.

If the abscess bursts and pus comes out then the cat may heal itself by licking at the wound and keeping it open. In any event bathing the area with salt water (half a teaspoon of salt in a coffee mug of warm water, or better use Epsom salts) will help draw out the pus and speed healing. If the foot is affected then holding in the salty water for 5 minutes is best. This needs to be done at least 3 times a day. The more often you do it the quicker it will get better. The important thing is to keep the wound open (which may be very small) so the pus can get out. In many cases this is enough.

If there is cellulitis (the leg is swollen) then you really need to go to the vet for antibiotics. If you are bathing a wound and it does not improve greatly in 48 hours or if your cat goes off its food or is otherwise unwell then you should go to the vet for antibiotics.

Many people think that their cat may have a broken leg, especially if they have seen it fall. Like us the can have a sprain or a strained muscle and this can be painful and take a long time to get better. If your cat is limping then it is doing so because it is in pain. Certainly if this persists for more than 24-48 hours it would be kindest to go to the vet and get some painkillers and to make sure nothing is broken.

Sometimes broken bones are obvious because there is a bend in the leg which should not be there in which cases you must go to the vet. In other cases broken bones are not obvious. Broken toes will usually sort themselves out without any treatment (apart from painkillers) but it is for your vet to decide this. If an important bone is broken then this needs dealing with and unlike people a cast is not really useful and the cat often needs metal work put in the leg to repair it; unfortunately this can be expensive. Some bones heal well but other bones, especially if they are in lots of pieces after an injury, can be difficult to heal or take many months. Sometimes your vet may suggest removing the leg as the best option – cats do really well on 3 legs so don’t panic that they may be crippled. They will still climb trees and get on your roof!

One thing that often surprises people is that cats that fall short distances (less than 2 floors) often have worse injuries than those that fall from very great heights. This is called ‘high rise syndrome’ and is because the further the cat has to fall, the more chance there is that it will land on its feet and be ok. Short falls (less than 10 feet) therefore often cause worse injuries.

One injury that is common is a dislocated hip (either from a fall or a road accident). Cats often adapt within a few days to this but it is still very painful. This is best treated by replacing the hip but often needs surgery to keep it in place because the torn ligaments do not keep it in place. You need to see your vet about this.

What is important to remember is that limping means your cat is sore or in pain and if it continues it is kindest for your cat to see your vet and get help. Often with experience, especially if your cat is a fighter, you can spot a cat bite early and treat it before you need to go to the vet. Whatever happens your vet is there to help so don’t delay going if you are worried.

At the end of the day if you are concerned you should always go to a vet and remember that limping means pain – if it was you you would take an aspirin (never give human drugs to cats as many are very poisonous) so go to your vet and get some drugs to make your cat happier!

Sometimes lameness is due to nerve injury (the cat may stand on the top of its foot or drag the leg); if this is the case then you need to see the vet.

Anonymous User Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am in the US, but just in need of advice, I have
> a kitten, she is about 8-9 months old now, I came
> home to find her curled under my bed, she wouldn't
> come out to me and I had to crawl under ther to
> get her. Her front, right foot, right at the bend
> in the leg and foot, she is just letting it hang
> there, refusing to put any weight on it, it seems
> to be a bit more lose than her other fron foot,
> she didn't fight me when I was looking it over, I
> can't find any type of bite mark, or any other
> wound, the only time she fussed was when I trying
> to softly straighten the foot. Like I said, I
> believe it hurts where the joint is... I am really
> worried about her, she is sitting here at my side
> just laying wth me and doesn't want me to leave
> her side, I lost my job and have no money for the
> vet, Do you think it is broken? And if so... I
> really should find a way to pay for the vet
> shouldn't I?
> Katy

Lame Cats

There have been lots of postings on the website about cats that are lame. AS a result I thought I would be better to give one answer to everyone and try and cover most of the angles.

If your cat goes outside (or if you have more than one cat) and you have not seen it have a fall then more likely than not the cat has been bitten, almost certainly by another cat. Sometimes people think the cat has been bitten by a fox or dog but this is not common and the leg is usually broken if this happens. In the first 24 hours there may be no swelling or heat at the site of injury but lameness itself is an indicator of pain. If the cat has been bitten then usually swelling occurs within 24-48 hours. This may be localised eg to the foot (abscess usually) or maybe extend up the whole leg (cellulitis) depending upon where the cat was bitten.

If the abscess bursts and pus comes out then the cat may heal itself by licking at the wound and keeping it open. In any event bathing the area with salt water (half a teaspoon of salt in a coffee mug of warm water, or better use Epsom salts) will help draw out the pus and speed healing. If the foot is affected then holding in the salty water for 5 minutes is best. This needs to be done at least 3 times a day. The more often you do it the quicker it will get better. The important thing is to keep the wound open (which may be very small) so the pus can get out. In many cases this is enough.

If there is cellulitis (the leg is swollen) then you really need to go to the vet for antibiotics. If you are bathing a wound and it does not improve greatly in 48 hours or if your cat goes off its food or is otherwise unwell then you should go to the vet for antibiotics.

Many people think that their cat may have a broken leg, especially if they have seen it fall. Like us the can have a sprain or a strained muscle and this can be painful and take a long time to get better. If your cat is limping then it is doing so because it is in pain. Certainly if this persists for more than 24-48 hours it would be kindest to go to the vet and get some painkillers and to make sure nothing is broken.

Sometimes broken bones are obvious because there is a bend in the leg which should not be there in which cases you must go to the vet. In other cases broken bones are not obvious. Broken toes will usually sort themselves out without any treatment (apart from painkillers) but it is for your vet to decide this. If an important bone is broken then this needs dealing with and unlike people a cast is not really useful and the cat often needs metal work put in the leg to repair it; unfortunately this can be expensive. Some bones heal well but other bones, especially if they are in lots of pieces after an injury, can be difficult to heal or take many months. Sometimes your vet may suggest removing the leg as the best option – cats do really well on 3 legs so don’t panic that they may be crippled. They will still climb trees and get on your roof!

One thing that often surprises people is that cats that fall short distances (less than 2 floors) often have worse injuries than those that fall from very great heights. This is called ‘high rise syndrome’ and is because the further the cat has to fall, the more chance there is that it will land on its feet and be ok. Short falls (less than 10 feet) therefore often cause worse injuries.

One injury that is common is a dislocated hip (either from a fall or a road accident). Cats often adapt within a few days to this but it is still very painful. This is best treated by replacing the hip but often needs surgery to keep it in place because the torn ligaments do not keep it in place. You need to see your vet about this.

What is important to remember is that limping means your cat is sore or in pain and if it continues it is kindest for your cat to see your vet and get help. Often with experience, especially if your cat is a fighter, you can spot a cat bite early and treat it before you need to go to the vet. Whatever happens your vet is there to help so don’t delay going if you are worried.

At the end of the day if you are concerned you should always go to a vet and remember that limping means pain – if it was you you would take an aspirin (never give human drugs to cats as many are very poisonous) so go to your vet and get some drugs to make your cat happier!

Sometimes lameness is due to nerve injury (the cat may stand on the top of its foot or drag the leg) or a blood clot (usually one or both back legs and often the cat is crying in pain and the feet are col; if this is the case then you need to see the vet immediately.