Cat Limping - Any advice/thoughts?

[Baz84]

Hey,

Long Story Short:
-Father (yes!) accidently left garage door Open
-My Wedge Siamese 1.1 years old fled. Weight 11 pounds and very muscular
-Found 8 miles away ~2 months later
-EMACIATED 4.9 pounds, wounds (they look more like pressure ulcers but whatever), limping, fleas, supremely anemic etc
-Today ~ 2 months later. No Fleas, weighs 10 pounds, wounds healed, no anemia/perfect labs (kidneys, liver etc), he feels more "meaty" instead of "muscular"... but at least he's healthy right?... was a VERY long journey of force feeding/drinking (broths, baby cat food, syringe feeding etc), hospital hydration stays, creams, laser cold therapy, $$$$$$, medications, probiotics etc etc
-On May 1st, the joined the other cat in the house. No problems there (we had them separated in case)

Anyway - the limping! I don't know what to do about it. He had an XRAY done - no fractures per Vet (at the county shelter that found him). But the Vet (another Vet - day/night Vet at clinic) said it wasn't the very best XRAY but is almost positive no fractures or dislocations. Thinks maybe Trauma or Nerve Injury.... this was 2 months ago after I found him (when I spend the first set of days driving him in and out of vets and spending $$$$$$$). MD said that was the least of his worries at the time and said he needs to first make it.

But 2 months later he's still limping... so if he hurt himself through trauma - wouldn't I see some improvement? Nerve Injury - I don't know much about. I'm concerned. It breaks my heart to see him limp. He hesitates before he jumps - still jumps though. Jumps down easier than jumps up (usually that is when he hesitates). He still has attitude and chases other cats - sometimes "limp" running other times less limp running. Remains active... but watching him limp I feel helpless. I have see him occasionally "curl" his arm - but the Vet says it's probably his should... I have NO idea. We did 3 sessions of cold laser therapy for the entire arm/shoulder. No improvements. Any advice/thoughts? I feel like I should take him to another Vet (making it a third Vet) for another Xray/Look... but man the costs are piling up. Am I being impatient? Anyone been through this before?

I just need some advice/direction. Any thoughts are appreciated

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi
I personally would help him with pet steps. Realizing that limiting his behavior and activity otherwise might be tough, but think about your situation and see if there's more you could do to help.

 

[BeccaCat]

Hi there, I'm sorry your kitty is limping. I could be 100% wrong here, but it's possible he just had an injury that makes him now have a limp. Two examples, I tore all of the ligaments in my left ankle in like 1990, and it still gives me pain today even though everything is healed. On bad days, I have a bit of a limp. Second example, Tessa, my 3 year old Tonkinese, came from a very sketchy background - I know very little about her. When we first got her I said to my family "look how she struts!" Well now I don't think it's a strut as much as a wonky walk. She hurt her paw a couple weeks ago and ended up at the vet. The vet watched her walk down the hallway and said "oh yes, she's definitely favoring that left side, watch how shes walking" and I told her "Tessa always walks like that". She has since we got her, and she still does even though her paw is better. Tessa is incredibly scrappy, and I think she was banged up as a kitten. She came from a bad breeder, got shuffled from home to home, and eventually found her way to us. For all she's been through she is super loving, but she sure does think she's the boss! Anyhow, I think she probably got hurt/beat up by other cats/or ?? as a little kitty - and perhaps that's why she has her wonky walk.

I hope your kitty bounces back from this and gets rid of his limp. But even if he doesn't he can live a happy life, just might not be as spry. And I think Furballsmom is right about the pet steps. That might help him a lot. I hope he feels better and I'm glad he's got such a good pet parent!

 

[fionasmom]

Have they suggested other imaging to you? Not trying to spend your money and you may want to evaluate whether or not this would help and if you would do anything with the information.

Do you suspect pain? Often neurological injuries result in a numb feeling, more than pain. Have any vets indicated to you that he is in pain? He has made a remarkable recovery and sounds as if he has very good quality of life.

I had a GSD who had complete congenital nerve damage in his rear legs with absolutely no sensation of pain...not like this was all a good thing, but I wonder if when your boy hesitates to jump, it is because he is making an adjustment because he can't feel something in his leg, more than pain.

 

[Baz84]

Everyone thank you!

fionasmom thank you for your good advice - No the Vet did not recommend additional imaging. And you are right.. I wouldn't know what to do with the information. I just hope he's not in pain or it effects his confidence - he's still causing problems/chasing the Maine Coon away from my bedroom. That being said, he hasn't wrestled with him like he used to before.

Noticed cat continues to limp....
-He hesitates when he jumps up and down but does it anyway
-We witnessed him jump up 4+ feet in the air 2 days ag (WHAT!!!)
-He limps when he walks/doesn't like to put a lot of weight on his foot
-When he sees my brother (who he doesn't like) - he will run on all 4 legs....
-When I massage his leg to assess - he doesn't seem uncomfortable.

I'll continue to monitor and see.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Keep in mind that x-rays alone won’t diagnose a soft tissue injury, so that is where something like an ultrasound/CT scan/MRI might come in handy. Some soft tissue injuries, depending on the severity, can take months to heal and are often treated with anti-inflammatories and pain meds. The anti-inflammatories can also help speed up the healing process. Nonetheless, just because your cat can walk on the limb doesn’t mean he should, which might mean exercise restriction or even cage rest. Without additional testing, it is hard to say how the injury would be best treated.

I remember reading a thread on this site (several years ago) where a cat had torn a ligament in their front leg - the vet said the way it was injured and how it was healing, the ligament was likely shortened in what could result in a permanent limp. In that case the OP opted for laser therapy, but I don't know how many treatments were done and the success/failure of it as they never returned to this site to elaborate.

 

[bdub258]

Everyone thank you!

fionasmom thank you for your good advice - No the Vet did not recommend additional imaging. And you are right.. I wouldn't know what to do with the information. I just hope he's not in pain or it effects his confidence - he's still causing problems/chasing the Maine Coon away from my bedroom. That being said, he hasn't wrestled with him like he used to before.

Noticed cat continues to limp....
-He hesitates when he jumps up and down but does it anyway
-We witnessed him jump up 4+ feet in the air 2 days ag (WHAT!!!)
-He limps when he walks/doesn't like to put a lot of weight on his foot
-When he sees my brother (who he doesn't like) - he will run on all 4 legs....
-When I massage his leg to assess - he doesn't seem uncomfortable.

I'll continue to monitor and see.

Hello! This is my first time posting here. My cat is experiencing the EXACT same thing. Have you had any luck with his injury? I'm getting my cat in to see a vet so we can do xrays but he is still jumping and his leg just seems to be getting worse.