My cat's front leg is in pain, but I see no injury. What should I do?

Poor Tom! Without seeing him I cannot say for sure what he has injured. He could have simply sprained a muscle or broke a toenail. Unfortunately, he could have also broken a bone. I would strongly recommend to have your vet take a look at him. Your vet will be able to localize the pain and take x-rays if needed. They will be able to get him started on pain meds and the proper treatment plan to help him feel better. I hope this helps!

I'm sorry to hear Tina isn't feeling well. If she isn't using her leg, there could be a broken bone, an abscess that is painful, or a sprain that is causing her discomfort. In addition, if she has an open wound it could be painful, need stitches or starting to become infected. I would recommend that she be evaluated by her regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause of her discomfort, any diagnostics (such as X-rays) that may be needed and any treatment that may be necessary (antibiotics, pain meds, etc.).

Poor Tyr! My cat is also named Tyr! You can't rule out his leg being broken without an x-ray. He is in a lot of pain if he won't walk on the leg, and unfortunately there are no OTC pain medications you can give him. Many human ones are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. You need to take him into a vet today to get this diagnosed and treated. I strongly urge you to take him into a vet now. Best of luck.

Ploffie is quite handsome. This could potentially heal on its own if it is a minor soft tissue injury or a minor fracture, but he needs to be confined and not allowed to roam or jump. My concern is that if it is secondary to an abscess or some type of infection or a large displaced fracture then it may not heal. If he isn't improving, I would try to figure a way to catch him and take him to your vet. Your vet will be able to determine the cause and get him started on the proper meds. I hope this helps!

Yikes. I'm concerned from your description that his leg could be dislocated or fractured. I would highly, highly recommend a vet visit so you know what's wrong, can formulate the best plan to treat him, and perhaps most importantly get him started on pain meds! In the meantime, keep him confined so he's using that leg as little as possible. Put him in a room with nothing to jump on, with his litterbox, food, and water all there, and a bed or soft blanket on the floor. If that's not possible, a large dog kennel can also work for confinement, if you can fit his food/water/litterbox and a blanket inside. A dislocation will not fix itself without vet attention, and some types of fractures require surgery to improve. However, soft tissue injuries (such as sprains), and even some fractures can heal with rest and time. Cats can be amazing healers. Do *not* give him anything for pain. There are no human medications that are safe or effective for him, and anything you give him could be dangerous, and could get in the way of more effective medications your vet might prescribe. Additionally, don't try to wrap or splint the leg, as you may do more harm than good. I would also discourage you from trying to massage it, since that will only cause further pain for him if he does have a traumatic injury. Hope that helps.

I would take your cat into a vet immediately. This will be extremely painful for him, and he needs treatment for the broken leg. Leaving it untreated can lead it to heal incorrectly affecting his ability to walk. It can also cause nerve damage. Unfortunately you cannot give him any human pain medications, as many human ones are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. He absolutely needs veterinary treatment for it, please take him into a vet now. Good luck!

Hi and thanks for posting. If you feel Jasper is experiencing pain in one of his legs, the best thing to do would be to have him evaluated by a veterinarian. Your vet will need to do an exam and may recommend taking x-rays to check for fractures or other injuries to the legs so he can be appropriately treated.