When Should I Start Worrying About A Limp?

[pegleg]

This is Thomas, he was abandoned and found his way to my road and I've taken him in.

He was a bag of bones but otherwise doesn't have a scratch on him apart from limping on his front left leg.

I took him to the vet for a check up and he said he was healthy, it was probably a fracture and just to keep an eye on him.

He's been copying my two cats and after seeing him relaxing on top of the suitcases on top of the 2m high shelving unit, he has been limping on his back left leg. I haven't seen him up there since.

Both limps are improving slowly, he's a pretty relaxed cat but does occasionally want to join in with a game of chase. He's not sensitive at all on his legs and he eats, drinks, uses the litter tray, jumps up onto the sofa and windowsills fine.

What I'm wondering is how long does it take for something like this to heal? He's only just got to incredibly skinny from how-are-you-even-alive skinny so I'm wondering if that would make a difference. His paw pads were terribly calloused and that's all coming off too.

 

[pegleg]

 

[duckpond]

Cute guy! glad you took him in. I dont know how long it will take to go away, and im sure being so malnourished slows everything down. Did the vet give you any information on what to watch for, or time frame? Maybe you can call the vet and ask how long before you should start to worry? Sending him good thoughts for a full and speedy recovery!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

What a pretty baby, and how happy I am that he has found such a soft place to land! May all strays and ferals someday be so lucky!

As for how long this will take to clear up...I just can't tell you. Cats heal fairly quickly, but from your description of his general condition, I know that he will take a bit longer, as he just doesn't have the reserves that a well-cared for cat would have. I would think that if he isn't significantly improved within a month, another vet trip, or at least a phone call, would be in order. Of course, if he persists in jumping up and down from high places, you could be looking at significantly longer! I wish I could be more definite, but the sad truth is, when you're talking about cats, EVERYTHING is written in sand, not stone!

 

[pegleg]

duckpond He just said to keep an eye on it in case it gets worse. He knows I'll bring him back if it does.

Mamanyt1953 He's an absolute darling, 3 years old unneutered and not chipped. Poor thing's likely abandoned.

That's what I thought. He doesn't have any chips on his ears and is definitely a cuddler, not a fighter so was really malnourished. The people who feed the colony in my road put out cheap dry stuff which he was 25th in line for. He's perked up the last few days, though.

Thanks, it's taken him a while to put on weight so I thought it might take longer, I just wouldn't want to do anything neglectful.

 

[duckpond]

Sounds like a plan. love him, feed him and watch him hopefully he will get better every day. Sounds like your vet thinks he will be on the road to recovery.
Keep us updated on his progress

 

[ArchyCat]

Maybe feed him kitten wet food if you can find or kitten kibble if you can't. The extra calories and protein will improve his rate of weight gain. When he approaches normal weight, switch to what ever you're feeding your other cats. Then get him neutered. As his physical condition improves, the testosterone should start flowing again.

Thanks for taking this guy in! Keep us posed on progress. Good luck!

 

[Kieka]

As to how long, depends on the extent of injury and how well he is healing. My boy broke his leg and had muscle damage as well. It took about a year before the limp wasn't noticable but he still has a slight one if you look for it.

 

[chaucer]

pegleg I took in a semi-feral not long ago. I'd been feeding him for a year or two. That's him in my profile picture. Sometime last year I noticed him limping. When I did manage to get him to the vet, she told me he probably had broken his leg at the "ankle" area at some point and it had not healed properly. It was not x-rayed during the time he was there for neutering and shots. She also said he is FIV+ and not in as good of a condition -battle scarred and coughs a bit- as my other rescues, one of whom is also FIV +.

Since Jed has (mostly) been living in the house now -we're still working on that- he doesn't limp much. He hobbles though and will limp if he jumps from something and lands wrong or when the weather is cold or damp. He doesn't seem in pain, and I'm able to rub down his leg and foot without issue.

Please keep us updated on Thomas' situation. He so cute!

 

[Timmer]

He's good looking.
When I brought my Timmer home from the shelter he had a limp. When I took him to my vet for a check over he said the leg wasn't broken. He didn't know what else could be wrong. Within a week he stopped limping but i did notice whenever he got stressed out he would limp, so I mentioned it to the vet and he said it's hard to say but maybe in the short time he was a stray he got hit by a car or injured somehow, and stress would trigger that limping reaction to him. Most times it would only last for 15-20 min and he was fine.

Years ago I had another cat who actually fell out a forth story window and broke her front leg. I had it fixed and put in a cast. She kept getting the cast off every time the swelling would go down and so she had a limp the rest of her life. She was happy and healthy and lived to be 18 years old. Did all the things any other cat would do; run, play, etc.

 

[pegleg]

Hello everyone. I thought I'd give you an update.

Thomas is doing well, he's a normal weight now and eats when he's hungry.He still has the limp but it's much improved and only worsens when he's been curled up in some bizarre pretzel formation for some time.

I did see him up on the bloody suitcases again and it was worse for a few days so I'm going to see if I can rearrange the office. He does occasionally choose leaping from place to place as his favourite form of locomotion which doesn't help otherwise he's improving, slowly but still improving.

I still need to get him neutered and vaccinated but unfortunately my pricey dental work has become even more expensive dental work so that's got to wait.

chaucer what a beauty, shame he had a rough time but lucky for him he fund you.

He loves sitting on the windowsill and watching the world go by. I have no idea why he's hugging the bed frame.

 

[duckpond]

Pretty boy, thank you for the update! Im glad he is doing better! you will get it all worked out in time i am sure!

 

[chaucer]

Thanks for the update. Jed's limp will be more pronounced after he wakes up. I think it stiffens when he is inactive. It certainly doesn't stop him running and playing. As long as Thomas is inside and not spraying, you can probably hold out on the neutering until you can take care of it. Pet care is expensive.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

IF Thomas (knowing you are in Spain, I typed "Tomas" THREE TIMES before I got it right!) does spray in the house, be sure to use a good enzymatic cleaner so the scent is totally gone and he isn't attracted back to the same spot!

LOVE hearing that he is slowly improving. He's such a lovely cat, and it is heartening to know that he is now in a loving, caring home!

 

[pegleg]

He's not spraying (but he has taken to to the corner of the sofa) and I don't have any visitors until September so I have a few months to get him fixed. It's only 70€ but my job contract ends next month and the second job I've recently picked up might not be as well paid so I have to be careful, I earn very little. I don't want to dip into my buffer for mine because they're the ones I made a 20 year commitment to and can't risk not being able to treat them.

He has the habit of sitting and sleeping in really weird positions or he'll be half dangling off the sofa, this doesn't seem to help so I've taken to rearranging him. His limp on his back leg suddenly got worse this afternoon. His paw pads are sensitive, luckily he's quite transparent and lets me know what's up with vocalisations and body language. All the calluses appear to have gone, could that be the reason he's suddenly sore or could that be something else I may not have heard of before?

Mamanyt1953 He responds to both Tomás and Thomas, the stress on the last syllable doesn't seem to bother him. He's definitely learned what xuxes means. Apart from the limp, which he isn't helping with he's definitely getting on well. He even joined in on the passive aggressive trying to stop me leaving the house today.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

LOL, he sounds like a character!