Limping And Lethargic 6 Month Old

[coniferously]

Hello all.
I recently adopted a kitten from a friend of mine last Sunday, whom we decided to call Theodore. We took him to the vet the very next day, on Monday, for his shots and a leukemia test. All went well; leukemia came back negative and he suffered from no side effects from the shots. Theodore has been a very energetic, SWEET, always purring, always kneading the air, just an all around great kitten and never once hissed or has been upset with the other 10 cats living here. He is truly something else.
Yesterday I noticed he was sleeping quite a bit, but didn't think anything of it because he is a kitten and he is still growing. He came for food yesterday morning, seemed fine, slept all day, came out for food the following evening, seemed fine, other than the sleepiness. He jumped on me during the day between meals, nothing out of the ordinary. Well, later that night, I noticed I hadn't seen him for awhile. I went straight to our upstairs study and found him lying in one of his favourite spots; behind the futon. I called for him and tried to entice him to approach me, which he usually does in quite a hurry, but nothing. All he did was look at me. I noticed he was laying on his left paw and seemed like he didn't want to move it. I gave him some treats to see if he'd eat, which he did, without standing up. I then tried playing with him, he refused to use his paws, only his teeth. I then pulled the futon out and grabbed him. He whined at me, didn't fight or hiss or bite, just little whines. I set him down and then realised he was limping on his front left leg. He limped over to the litter box, peed, then returned to the ground and laid down. I picked him up again, worried at his strange behaviour, and set him up on my lap on the futon. I got him to purr for quite awhile, whilst feeling his arm and paw. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, although, to the touch, he feels quite hot in general. After his initial purring had ceased last night, I have not been able to make this usually always purring kitten, purr.
This morning I fed all the cats, Theodore usually runs downstairs and tries to eat from every single bowl. Today, nothing. I walked upstairs to find him sitting just outside of the room he likes to stay in. I gave him his food, he ate standing up, then he just laid there. I picked him up and he seemed to whine more than he did last night. I let him go back behind the futon so he could rest. I then went to shower and my boyfriend told me he left the room to drink water, which is right outside the room. A good sign he moved to drink, however now it seems he is limping on his right front leg. I can't really tell because he isn't moving around enough for me to see him walk. He has since retreated back behind the futon as I am typing this.
He responds to his name, seems to want to play, but won't really move his front legs too much. We are taking him to the vet in a few hours, I just would maybe like some insight from someone who has experienced something similar.
Any ideas? I'm quite worried for my sweet Theodore. Anything is helpful.

-----
This is him right now:

 

[Antonio65]

You say he's hot in general, do yo mean that he could be feverish?
Do you see any other symptoms, like third eyelid showing , runny eyes/ nose?
Had he been vaccinated by your friend?
I hope your vet give you a quick and comprehensive answer. Theodore is stunningly beautiful!

 

[coniferously]

You say he's hot in general, do yo mean that he could be feverish?
Do you see any other symptoms, like third eyelid showing , runny eyes/ nose?
Had he been vaccinated by your friend?
I hope your vet give you a quick and comprehensive answer. Theodore is stunningly beautiful!

I feel as if he could be feverish, but I am unsure of that. Obviously you can't tell by feeling his forehead like we do as humans, but to me he feels warmer than my other cats.
Honestly I do not think he was vaccinated by my friend, it's hard to call him that, he is more of an acquaintance who asked if I would take a kitten if the girl he got Theodore for didn't accept him (I think he was trying to get back together with her or something, I really don't know).
However, we got him vaccinated last Monday, so a week ago today. He has been fine up until yesterday with the extreme amount of sleeping all day and then the limping towards the end of the night up until this morning.
He is not sneezing, no signs of URI. Third eyelid doesn't seem to be present at all, other than for a second when he opens his eyes, which I would consider normal. He isn't vomiting, coughing, nothing. I don't know what's going on with my baby.
This was him yesterday where he was sleeping all day.

 

[Antonio65]

So he had a firts shot of vaccine on last Monday?
Some kittens have bad reactions to the vaccine and show signs of lethargy or fever a few days later. I have read some cases like this in this forum in the past weeks, so it seems it isn't unusual.
I would call the vet who vaccinated him and tell him what happened. It could be related.
Please, let us know.

EDIT: Fever can be detected by touching their ears. If they're hot it is likely the cat have a fever.

 

[maggiedemi]

Did he get both Rabies and Distemper vaccines on the same day?

 

[coniferously]

So he had a firts shot of vaccine on last Monday?
Some kittens have bad reactions to the vaccine and show signs of lethargy or fever a few days later. I have read some cases like this in this forum in the past weeks, so it seems it isn't unusual.
I would call the vet who vaccinated him and tell him what happened. It could be related.
Please, let us know.

EDIT: Fever can be detected by touching their ears. If they're hot it is likely the cat have a fever.

A week later you think he could be having a reaction? I was just petting him and he began to purr and nudging me, he then emerged from behind the futon, walked sort of reluctantly on his front legs, but he wasn't limping, continued purring, then he walked out into the hallway, drank some water, then he laid down and is sitting here with me now. His ears actually feel quite cool right now.

 

[coniferously]

Did he get both Rabies and Distemper vaccines on the same day?

Yes, he got both a week ago at the same time.

 

[coniferously]

He just got up and doesn't seem to want to put pressure on his front legs at all, he is, but he cried as he got up off the floor and a bit as he walked back behind the futon. Maybe he jumped off a cat tree and hurt his front?
I would call my vet and ask, however it is a walk-in clinic and they open at 10am. If we call when they open, by the time we got there we would have to wait three hours before being seen. That's the usual wait time if you get there even 20 minutes after they open. Everyone always arrives like 30 minutes to an hour early just so you can get in and get out.
Do you guys still think it's a good idea to take him? Or should we just call and see what they think, let him rest up for a couple days, and then see how he is after that? I really don't want to drag the poor thing all the way there for them to just tell me he is fine and probably sprained something and needs to rest. I'm really at a loss.

 

[Antonio65]

Does he whine or hiss when you touch and/or press his front legs?
If he hurt his feet or legs jumping down the cat tree I think that only a vet is able to tell if there's any injury.
But as long as he is able to walk on four there's nothing broken, and this should be the good news.

 

[coniferously]

Does he whine or hiss when you touch and/or press his front legs?
If he hurt his feet or legs jumping down the cat tree I think that only a vet is able to tell if there's any injury.
But as long as he is able to walk on four there's nothing broken, and this should be the good news.

He has never hissed once ever, however he pulls his legs away if we start feeling them, not angrily, just gently moves them, he whines mostly if we try to help him up or move him, or when he gets up on his own and walks. Just small little whines, nothing horrendous. But yeah, I didn't think anything was broken when I felt his legs, I don't know what it could be though.

 

[coniferously]

About to leave for the vet. I'll let you all know what they say. Fingers crossed it isn't anything serious

 

[Antonio65]

Fingers and tails crossed here!
If he whines when you try to move him it could be that he feels pain along his body? Ribs or belly?
Hopefully it is nothing serious!

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

He just got up and doesn't seem to want to put pressure on his front legs at all, he is, but he cried as he got up off the floor and a bit as he walked back behind the futon. Maybe he jumped off a cat tree and hurt his front?
I would call my vet and ask, however it is a walk-in clinic and they open at 10am. If we call when they open, by the time we got there we would have to wait three hours before being seen. That's the usual wait time if you get there even 20 minutes after they open. Everyone always arrives like 30 minutes to an hour early just so you can get in and get out.
Do you guys still think it's a good idea to take him? Or should we just call and see what they think, let him rest up for a couple days, and then see how he is after that? I really don't want to drag the poor thing all the way there for them to just tell me he is fine and probably sprained something and needs to rest. I'm really at a loss.

I hope your kitty will be okay!

I also use a walk-in vet clinic, and right when they open is their busiest time. The vets often recommend trying to wait to come by until 3-4 hours after opening time, when the rush is over... there are usually no wait times then, and I can also almost always get the vet I prefer when they are less busy in general.

 

[mamahen]

About to leave for the vet. I'll let you all know what they say. Fingers crossed it isn't anything serious

I foster for a feral cat rescue. So we're always bringing "something" home. For the past month we've been passing around calici virus. That sounds like what your boy has. The good news - it will go away. The bad news - they feel like crap.

My guys had high fevers 105-106 +. I highly recommend you ask the vet to show you how to take temp on your cat. It really helps to know how high you are dealing with. It really is quite easy to take a temp. Also - feel the paw pads. When they have a high fever, they are extremely hot.

 

[coniferously]

We just left. In the car currently.
Theodore had his temperature taken about 3 times. His fever was between 105-106 all three times. Needless to say, I am extremely worried.
They gave him fluids in the office to help bring his fever down and we got antibiotics to give him twice a day. The vet also recommended wiping him down with a wet towel to help him cool off. My vet is not a full-service vet, so they said if his temperature is not down to 102 or 103 later tonight, after his antibiotics, we will need to take him elsewhere ASAP. He mentioned it could be calicivirus, which we believe all my.other cats had about a year ago now, however our other 6 or 7 month kitten at home we've had a couple months now has not gotten sick once. The vet also said the lameness in his from arms could be from just the lethargy. I don't know what to do. I'm so worried.

 

[Antonio65]

That's why I told you about the vaccination. Where I live rabies and distemper are not required, but the three strains of the vaccine include calicivirus. Sometimes kitten that are weaker than others can get something from the vaccine.
Hope you can keep the temperature down today.

 

[coniferously]

If all my other cats were sick a year ago now, what are the chances they will catch this from him? It was hellish giving antibiotics to.. 14 cats then, twice a day, plus they had an oral rinse because they had sores in their mouths and drooled excessively. Well, a few of them at least. I don't think I can go though 11 cats being sick again. It upsets me so much and I can't lose them, I love them all to bits.

 

[Antonio65]

If your cats are all regularly vaccinated against calicivirus the chances of a contagion should be nearly equal to zero.

 

[mamahen]

Calici virus is sort of like the flu in humans. Many strains, and the vaccine may not protect from all. Out of 7 kittens: all 7 had sneezes. 1 had high fever, limping, lethargy, no eating and tongue ulcers. 1 had high fever, lethargy and no eating.

My vet gave sub-q fluids, pain meds, and a fever reducer shot. Her fever went down & then back up (not as high), then back down.

It's rough watching them feel bad

 

[maggiedemi]

Is it caused by them giving the Rabies and FVRCP Distemper vaccines together? I was thinking of spacing them out next time my cats get them, but it is hard to take them to the vet more than once, they are still quite feral with strangers.