My cat is limping badly but acting normal. Emergency vet needed?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If you are able to get to a veterinarian right now, I would do so. Waiting until the morning would mean that she is in a lot of pain until then. If you get her seen right now, she can receive appropriate pain medication to help relieve this discomfort. This may be a fractured bone and not having any pain medications until the morning would mean that she is in extreme discomfort until then. I would recommend having her seen as soon as possible so that she is not in pain. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello. I would have this looked at by your vet tomorrow. The most common thing we see in cats are bite abscesses & it is really amazing how hard it is to sometimes find a bite wound. A cat's bite can leave a tiny needle like puncture & an abscess can begin to develop within hours. It can be very painful & make Buddy feel sick. Your vet can quickly determine if this is the cause of his lump, lance & treat it & Buddy will be feeling better very soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello Anisa! Limping means he is in pain, and pain could make him lethargic as well. Unfortunately there are no OTC pain medications you can give him, as many human ones are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. I think you should take him into the vet first thing in the morning. The vet can diagnose why he is in pain, and can treat him. I hope this helps!

You are correct that it could be a strain, or there may be an abscess and you've simply missed it. Given that he's been limping for three days after rest, I would take him into the vet today for an exam. He will need pain meds, and the vet can do a physical exam and possibly x-rays to diagnose why Samson is limping. Please do not give him any human pain meds, many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given.

As your cat hasn't been eating and is limping it is best to schedule a veterinary appointment ASAP. The limp could be caused by a number of things including injury to the leg, such as a break or sprain, wound or infection from a bite or scratch, or muscle or nerve damage. If the limb is hurt severely enough or if infection is present it may make your cat not want to eat. Until you can get to the vet, limit all activity to prevent further injury to the limb, and try to entice eating by warming up some wet food or adding some warmed boiled chicken to your cat's food. However it is necessary to schedule a vet appointment ASAP.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cat. He needs to see a veterinarian today. The limping can be due to a bite wound on the leg. If it is a bite wound, I worry about an infection developing underneath the skin. The eye needs to be addressed as well. The tissue protruding can be a laceration of his third eyelid. He will need to have his eye assessed for damage to the surface of the eye as well. Depending on his exam findings, he will likely need antibiotics and possibly surgery depending on the state of his wounds. I hope this information helps!

With Gingy being an indoor and outdoor cat (I I am assuming he was outdoors based on saying he came in), I would be concerned about trauma such as a bite wound or something else going on that could lead to an abscess. I would recommend trying to at least call your veterinarian to see if they would like to see him or if they would prefer you to wait till Monday. If you cannot get a hold of your veterinarian and then my brain continues I recommend trying to find an emergency veterinarian to see him. In the meantime keep them indoors, watch for any increase in swelling or pain but do not give any human pain medication as it can be very toxic to cats.