Cat Limping Slightly, But Otherwise Acting Normal

[amar82]

Hi, I'm a bit confused by my cat's behaviour over the last couple of days. I noticed she has a slight limp, every time she walks I can see her left leg giving way ever so slightly.

However, she is acting completely normal - eating, drinking, pooping, and even running around and jumping up her cat tree onto her shelves up high. I also picked her up and investigated her paws - she let me touch them and look at the nails, pad, etc. and didn't seem to be in pain when I touched them.

Does anyone have an idea what might be causing her limp?

 

[duckpond]

even indoor only cats can hurt themselves. or could be something else, not an injury. If she is still having the problem after a few days i would see about having the vet check her out?

 

[kuuipo14]

Yes, take her to vet, it could be a simple injury for the vet to fix.

 

[amar82]

even indoor only cats can hurt themselves. or could be something else, not an injury. If she is still having the problem after a few days i would see about having the vet check her out?

Hi, yes I've kept her in one room overnight and during the day today so that she has less room to run and jump and has a chance to heal if she needs to. If she's still doing the same in a couple of days I'll take her to the vet. It's just so strange that there's zero sign of pain, she lets me examine her paws, etc. and she's acting completely normal other than this limp! Maybe the cold weather has brought out an previous ache!

 

[Purr-fect]

Im not a cat expert, but in my experience of living with them most of my life.....cats tend to hide injuries. Perhaps this is part of their defence mechanism.

Often, if not usually, if when we have taken our cats to the vet for an injury, the cat seems perfectly fine at the vets. It can actually be a bit embarassing for us.......lol.

To show injury in the wild is to invite being attacked.

Just because your cat seems normal in every other aspect except for her limp, I suggest you monitor her VERY closely for other signs or further worsening.

If possible, you might even video her limping so you can show the vet.

 

[amar82]

Hi, just to give an update:

I took her to the vet and showed him a video of her limping which he watched a number of times. He gave her a good check all over and said he could find nothing wrong. He said it could be that she has taken a knock. He has given me some metacam to give to her, which I have done. He said to keep her from jumping too much and as much rest as possible, so I've blocked all the places in the bedroom she could jump on apart from the bed and am keeping her in there for a few days. So far, she's still limping. Vet said after three days of the metacam and rest, if she's still limping to let him know. This is the start of the second day at the moment.

 

[kuuipo14]

Hi, just to give an update:

I took her to the vet and showed him a video of her limping which he watched a number of times. He gave her a good check all over and said he could find nothing wrong. He said it could be that she has taken a knock. He has given me some metacam to give to her, which I have done. He said to keep her from jumping too much and as much rest as possible, so I've blocked all the places in the bedroom she could jump on apart from the bed and am keeping her in there for a few days. So far, she's still limping. Vet said after three days of the metacam and rest, if she's still limping to let him know. This is the start of the second day at the moment.

I am glad you took your kitty to the vet, I hope she feels better. Was there any sign of arthritis?

 

[ManekiNekko]

Hoping your kitty is doing better soon.
My cat had similar symptoms recently and it ended up being a herniated disc.

 

[amar82]

Just to give an update...

It seemed like she was recovering, so over the Christmas period we let her out in the main living area. Unfortunately it must have been too soon as she soon started to show signs of the limp again and it seemed worse. So we went back to the vets, they took a radiograph and prescribed forced rest and more Metacam, as well as a medicine to protect her stomach whilst she was taking the metacam, and a natural supplement that also helps reduce inflammation. We have had to sleep on the couch since Tuesday as our bedroom is the only place that we can entirely block places to jump, and that's small enough that she can't run around too much - had to take the bed down also!

But today is the sixth day of the forced rest, and from what we can see of her walking around in the bedroom, the limp is gone and she is no longer raising her right paw off the floor (this is something she started doing over Christmas). After New Year's we also got the radiograph results back and what they could see was the 'tarsals' (between the 'wrist' and paw' were inflamed on her front right side. It certainly seems like rest and some help with managing the inflammation was all she needed. However, tomorrow will be the first day without using any Metacam to help with the inflammation. If we notice the limp returns, then will have to go back to the vet for some more advice. Really hoping it doesn't come to that.

We are going to keep her in the bedroom for another week, to be sure she doesn't overdo it too soon after recovering from the inflammation. I have put a Feliway diffuser in there to keep her relaxed. She hasn't protested too much - just a few cries now and then, and I'll go and sit with her whenever possible. Fingers crossed after two weeks of rest she will be fully healed!