My cat limps when waking up, then uses her leg. What's wrong?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. There are many causes of lameness in a leg. A penetrating injury, soft tissue injury (strain / sprain), bone trauma (fracture, arthritis), etc. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine Billu so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. 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.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Based on the information you have provided, and the attached pictures, I am also very concerned that Sprinkles may have sustained significant trauma, causing her to be non-weightbearing lame on her left hind leg. Whether she was hit by a car or potentially fell and injured her leg, it sounds like she is in a significant amount of pain. She also looks like she has abraded skin (a wound) on that leg as well, which is at risk of becoming infected. I recommend having her seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible to have her injuries addressed. He/she will perform a full physical exam to localize her pain and determine if she has other, more life-threatening injuries such as damage to her chest or abdomen. X-rays may be indicated if a fracture is suspected. Ultimately, pain medication and antibiotics can be prescribed to help ease her pain and prevent infection. Importantly, NEVER give pain medication that is intended for humans to your pet, as these can be fatally toxic. I hope this is helpful!

That is possible or a dislocation or some trauma to the soft tissues. Either or which is painful. I would recommend your kitty be seen for an xray, treatment plan, and pain medication. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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.

It could be soft tissue damage from an injury causing limping but it could also be a result of an orthopedic issue. Kittens can also get viral infections like calicivirus that can cause limping. I'd recommend keeping Binks quiet by confining her to a small area and not allowing her to run, jump, or use stairs. If she continues to limp or any other abnormal signs develop she should be examined by a veterinarian as she may need X-rays or pain medication. Please remember there are no safe over the counter pain medications for cats so you will need to get these from a veterinarian. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Binks is on the mend soon!

Poor Kosho! She could have accidentally injured her limb at night while you were asleep. She could have severely strained a ligament, torn a ligament, broken a bone, or potentially could have an osteosarcoma. An osteosarcoma is a tumor of the bone in cats, the most common bone tumor cats can get. It would cause sudden and severe lameness. Unfortunately, cancer is always a possibility in an old cat. I would take Kosho into the vet today for an exam. The vet can do a physical exam, routine blood tests, a urinalysis, and x-rays to determine what is causing her limp and how best to treat it. She will also need some pain medication as well. Do not give her any human pain medications. Many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. Please take her into a vet now.

If you cat goes outdoors, this is very likely the result of a cat bite. It is amazing how small a cat bite wound can be, but under the skin, infection is building up. Have Coco evaluated tomorrow by your vet because if this is a bite wound, the sooner antibiotics are started, the sooner she will start feeling better. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.