Old cat fell, now growls when touched on hip. Does she need a vet?

Poor girl. It soundsl ike Masha may be experiencing arthritis. Pets can get arthritis in their joints and also along their spine (spondylosis). You can try giving her joint supplements (Cosequin over the counter) to see if this helps with her mobility for the next week or so. However, if she is still not able to regain her mobility, a vet visit is needed to have her spine and leg radiographed to properly diagnose the underlying problem. I don't suspect that her lameness issues have anything to do with her history of FLUTD. I hope this helps and best wisehs getting Masha some relief from her joint pain. I would not recommend giving her any over the counter pain medication because these are quite toxic to cats in particular. Your vet should be able to prescribe something to alleviate her discomfort that is safe and effective. Best wishes and take care.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Suzi. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian right away. She will likely need x-rays of her sore limb to ensure that she does not have a fracture. From there, pain medication will be prescribed to help her feel better. In the meantime, do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to cats. I hope this information helps!

Hello. It is very likely that Chloe experience a small vertebral or pelvic fracture at this time, or even suffered a little nerve damage. Most of the time we do not recommend very much treatment other than a short course of anti-inflammatory medication & rest/confinement. Since she is still showing some symptom, it is possible she is still in a little pain, so it is best to try to curtail her jumping. We do have to be careful with any pain medications in cats, but a trial with some of the available ones would show if there is something that we may be able to do for her. X-rays may show something & you can certainly opt to do more advanced imaging such as a MRI, but it does seem as if there was some damage done back in January. Your vet will probably want to reexamine Chloe. Hopefully, she will put her on medication to see if it relieves her symptoms. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. It is impossible to say exactly what might be going on, but we should rule out the possibility of a bruised rib or small fracture. Your veterinarian may need to clip some hair down to the skin to see what things look like. It is good that everything else is well with her so it does not sound like there is anything serious. But if your vet suggests an x-ray, this might be a good idea. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Wow, I’m glad she is walking fine and using the box. You’re very lucky she wasn’t more injured. I expect she is bruised and painful. I recommend keeping her quiet and monitoring her to make sure she’s eating, drinking and walking normally. There is no safe over the counter pain medication for cats. If she’s still painful or becomes worse I recommend a veterinary exam. They can give a safe prescription medication for pain in cats if needed. Cats generally heal well on their on their own given time and rest. That was a bad fall though so please to take her in right away if you see a medical problem develop. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Ariel.

If the lameness has persisted for 3 weeks and you notice that there is a difference in the shape of the shoulder area and leg position, I fear that the injury could be more serious than a sprain. Muscle injuries normally recover in 4-5 days of rest and antinflammatories. I would recommend to have him reassessed, there is a medication that can be given at home prior to the visit to help with the stress, I would ask your vet. Hope this helps !

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Oscar. If he is acting normally and not limping, he should be fine. However, you will want to monitor him closely. If the lameness recurs, this indicates that he is still painful. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medication as these can be toxic to cats. If he acts sore again, he will need to see his veterinarian!