My cat's back legs stopped working and she's cramping. What to do?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm very sorry to hear that Alfie's back legs stopped working acutely. This is really concerning, and I would have him evaluated by a veterinarian right away. This could be due to some sort of trauma/injury, like to his back/spine. It could also be a neurologic problem. It is also possible for cats to get something called an aortic thromboembolism (ATE), which means a blood clot gets lodged in their aorta (the body's major artery) right where the vessels to the hind legs branch off. This is also called a saddle thrombus, and results in acute loss of blood supply to the hind legs, which is extremely painful. Regardless of why Alfie has stopped using his hind legs, I recommend having him examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Your veterinarian can try to localize the issue and decide what treatment is best. I hope this is helpful!

This is an emergency, as your cat could be suffering from a riding thrombus, which is a blood clot that keeps blood flowing from the aorta into the femoral arteries. This is a very painful and life threatening condition. She could also have been a victim of a traffic accident hurting her spinal cord. Please take her to a veterinarian or an emergency room right away. The vet will want to do radiographs and a blood test and your kitty will need treatment depending on the diagnosis today.

If your cat cannot move his back legs, this is an emergency that needs immediate veterinary attention. Its possible that he may have thrown a blood clot to that has ruined his ability to have circulation to his back legs. Or he may have had something tramatic happen to his spine. Either way, Jebat needs to be seen by your veterinarian immediately. Hope he feels better!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would strongly recommend having him seen by a veterinarian sooner rather than later. I am worried that he may have thrown a blood clot to his back legs causing paralysis. This is known as a saddle thrombus and can be quite painful and serious. This is typically due to heart disease. The sooner he is seen the better. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

I am very sorry to hear about Baby boy. I would recommend bringing him in to a vet right away for examination. Being unable to walk is considered an emergency and can many causes, including a saddle thrombus (blood clot blocking supply to the hind legs), a neurological problem such as trauma to the spinal cord or a herniated disk in the spine, a stroke is possible but less common in animals, vestibular disease, brain lesions, electrolyte imbalances due to diabetes or kidney disease, musculoskeletal problems, and more. He truly needs veterinary attention ASAP for his best chance at recovery. Best of luck to you and Baby boy!

If Alfie is walking backwards, that can be a sign he is in pain. It may hurt too much to walk correctly. It's possible he could have gotten into a fight or he may have been injured. I believe he needs to see a vet now, so I urge you to take him into one immediately. Best of luck.

I'm sorry to hear Princy is having issues. If she is unable to walk or move her back legs it would be best to bring her to a vet ASAP so they can check for issues with her muscles, nerves, broken bones, illnesses, etc.