My 14-year-old cat is sleeping constantly after a limp episode. Why?

I would recommend that you have Xavier examined by a vet. Limping can be caused by a sprain, a fracture, joint issues, etc. Cats are good at hiding pain, so if you see a limp you can know it is is painful. Also, sleeping more and not purring are often signs of pain. The vet will do an exam and maybe x-rays to determine the most appropriate treatment.

I'm sorry to hear that Jinx seems painful and has been sleeping more than normal. It is possible that all of his signs are related to arthritis, but sleeping more could be due to underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, cancer, among others. To answer your question, yes, you should take Jinx to the vet for further evaluation. He will certainly need a physical exam and may also need some lab testing to assess his internal organ function. I hope that all goes well!

It sounds like she is in good health for her age, but that being said, any abrupt change in behavior is a good reason to go to the vet for an exam and senior labwork, if you haven't had that done lately. Cats are excellent at hiding symptoms of illness, so this could be an early warning that she might be developing a medical condition that needs attention. If you're concerned enough to ask about it, then it is a significant enough change to warrant investigation.

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.

Older cats do tend to sleep more than younger cats, but if this is a sudden increase in lethargy, then I would recommend that you have Smokey checked out by a vet. After a thorough physical exam, the vet will probably recommend bloodwork to check for internal medical illness, such as diabetes, infection, kidney disease, etc. If the bloodwork is normal, they may discuss changes that have occurred around the house, or may recommend a trial of pain medications in case Smokey is painful from arthritis.

Certainly as cats age - and at 10 years old Jack is considered a "senior" cat - they start to sleep more. However, cats often give us almost no real signs that they are experiencing illness other than an increase in the amount of time they are asleep. So it's easy to write off what is truly "lethargy" as just more sleeping. It may sound like an unimportant distinction, but in a species that is so difficult to interpret, I'd always default to getting a checkup before just assuming that this is a normal change associated with aging.

Hi Courtney! It sounds like Millie is in pain, and that’s why she can’t jump on things she used to, is walking stiffly, and is sleeping a lot. Please do not give her any human pain medications as many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. You need to take her into a vet today or tomorrow to get checked out. I hope this helps!