My cat is lying down a lot and reacts to leg touch. What should I do?

Poor Tigre! He certainly could be limping from a fight or may have a foreign body in his paw. It's very concerning you can't touch his leg without him crying, and that indicates he is in a lot of pain. So does the limping. Unfortunately there are no OTC pain medications you can give him, many human ones are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. He really needs to see a vet first thing in the morning for these problems, two weeks is a long time for a cat to be in pain. The vet can diagnose what is causing his symptoms so he can be treated properly. Please take him into a vet first thing in the morning. I would also speak to the vet about neutering him. Intact males frequently get into fights over females and territory, and neutering can reduce aggressive behavior. Good luck, I hope this helps!

I am sorry to hear your cat is having lameness. Cats are masters at hiding pain and illness so they don't typically scream out unless there is substantial pain there. But limping and a pet not willing to place a foot down is an indicator of a certain level of pain there or else they would put entire weight on the limb and paw. This most likely is not a fracture because that pain would be very evident with her not allowing you to touch it and there would be a substantial amount of swelling there. So that leaves a muscle sprain or ligament partial/complete tear. The key is to localize where on the leg the pain is coming from, look for obvious swelling, and then treat the pet with anti-inflammatory medication if sprain is suspected or do an x-ray if the knee or joint is suspected as the source of the pain to rule out a ligament rupture. Unfortunately there are no safe over the counter pain meds available for cats but your vet has safe products to prescribe for your cat for conservative treatment at the very least to see if this will improve her condition.

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!

Poor CJ! It sounds like he is in pain if he's walking slower, struggling to lay down and get up, and cannot bend to clean himself. I would be concerned that he has a problem with his neck or back. It possible he was injured. My advice is to rest him tonight, and take him into a vet first thing in the morning. The vet can diagnose what is causing his pain, and can treat him for it. The vet can also prescribe pain medication as needed. Please do not give him any human pain medications, many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. Best of luck.

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.

Hi and thanks for posting. Cats do not show pain like we do and they do a great job at hiding it. If she is making noise when you touch the leg, then it means she is in pain. Bella could have a fractured leg or pelvis. She may also have a ligament tear or other injury. I would recommend Bella see her veterinarian to have an exam and x-rays to help determine what the injury is where it is so she can get treatment and start feeling better soon.

Poor Oreo! It sounds like she has injured herself, and it could be due to a strain. I recommend resting her for the next 48 hours. No running, jumping, or playing. Keep her confined to a small room to limit movement, and do not allow her outside if she is allowed outdoors. If she still appears painful after this time, then I would take her into the vet for an exam. The vet can diagnose where the pain is coming from, and can dictate a treatment plan for it. She may also benefit from some pain medications, which the vet can prescribe. Please do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given.