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My cat has sudden shoulder pain. Is it arthritis or an injury?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Longhair | Female | spayed | 9 lbs

My cats is experiencing shoulder pain. She will allow me to touch her in the area it hurts but not for long. This is the very first time I have seen her in this type of pain. How can I know if it arthritis or an injury?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Catherine Stecyk

Veterinarian

Published on May 8th, 2019

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Scarlett has some shoulder pain. Arthritis is typically in much older pets, and is very uncommon to occur in a cat's shoulder without a history of a significant injury to that joint in the past. I would be worried that Scarlett sustained a more recent injury, either to her joint, bones, muscles or tendons/ligaments. If Scarlett does not want to put weight on her leg, or seems painful when you touch that area, I recommend having her seen by your veterinarian at their next available appointment. Your vet can perform a physical exam to look for any wounds or external injuries, and an orthopedic exam to best localize her injury and determine the best therapy. I hope this is helpful!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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