Cat limping for a few seconds only

[AB00]

greetings, so I caught my cat (1.5 years old, female, spayed) doing this wired thing, she would limp rising front left paw, for a few seconds maybe even for one second then walking normally and run normaly, always the same paw. I've seen it 4 times in a week, once she was play fighting with the new kitten, then ran with a limp for 2 seconds then it was gone, and once she was grooming that area but had to move mid-groom.

Is that normal?

I touched the paw, held it, moved it, she seems fine. yet i read some terrifying things about cats with cancer acting like this, i will get her to a vet, but i'm almost certain he will just check real quick and say she is fine, what sort of tests, x ray should I ask for?

there are no changes other then she became more cuddly, a lot more, but it's winter here and she did become cuddly at the same time last year, other than that she is eating well and running around fine.

Appreciate any help

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. How long has this been going on? Does your cat go outside where she can be exposed to places that might have caused a bit of an injury (jumping, crawling into small places, etc)? If so, keep her inside and see if it improves on its own. No swelling of any sort? How about an issue with one or more of the claws on that paw? Do the paw pads look irritated or swollen?

At a minimum you could have an x-ray done of her front left leg. Although, it is not impossible that it could be cancer, I would refrain from jumping straight to that as a concern at this point.

 

[fionasmom]

There could be some very easily explained reason for the limping, such as a minor injury when she was playing. So don't panic just yet, especially since you are going to take her to the vet. She is young for most any serious condition to be causing this. If she had anything that you could see, like an abscess or an ingrown or injured nail, you would have spotted it by now. Same for a growth on the paw or a clear injury that you are aware of like a broken bone. Do you sense numbness in the paw when you touch it.....hard for you to figure out, I know, but it is cold?

I would start with asking about injuries which you may not be able to see yourself. As for a careful exam of the foot, especially if your cat does not want you to do that with her. General xrays might be in order. You could also ask for blood work if the vet thinks that this might have a more systemic cause. Since you are worried, ask the vet to rule out more serious conditions. He should be able to do this based on his experience and knowledge of symptoms, not by running unneeded tests.

 

[Caspers Human]

If I fall asleep on the sofa in the evening, after dinner, I often wake up with a stiff arm or a sore neck.

If you have ruled out other problems, it is likely that your cat just has a "stiff paw" the same as humans get.