My elderly diabetic cat is wobbly and unsteady. Is it neuropathy?

Poor Hamm! It's common for diabetic cats to develop a condition called diabetic neuropathy, which is characterized by weakness and lack of coordination in the rear legs. Affected cats will also sometimes stand or walk with their entire hock (the lower part of the leg) flat on the ground, which is called a plantigrade stance. I would recommend calling your vet or taking Hamm in for a check-up to discuss this issue and confirm that it is due to diabetic neuropathy and not some other problem. If so, many cats with this problem improve once their high blood sugar is under control - so Hamm may need some testing to check his glucose levels and see if his insulin dose needs to be adjusted. Weekly vitamin B12 injections have also been shown to help with this condition in some cats, so this is something that you could discuss with your veterinarian as well.

Hi. It would be helpful to know how old she is, what your veterinarian has already done. I would be concerned about either a back issue such as a disc, neuropathy possibly caused by diabetes, or someother type of neurologic issue affecting the back legs. I would recommend you ask your veterinarian for a referral to a neurologist. They would be able to imaging of the area to look more closely. I would also recommend a full blood panel to check internal functions and for diabetes. Good luck

She may. have some arthritis pain that is causing this (and its more obvious when she's on an uneven surface such as the bed), or she maybe having some age related weakness, or possibly some issues with her back or spinal cord causing the stumbling. You can take her to your vet for an exam, pain medication may be helpful, or if your vet suspects more of a neurologic issue therapies such as acupuncture or laser may be recommended.

Sorry to hear about Missy's current condition. The symptoms you are describing can be caused by things such as transient hypoglycemia, an infectious or inflammatory process, a neurologic condition, inner ear infections, or a cardiac condition resulting in weakness. If this kind of symptom persists for more than a day, or stops then repeats itself again, I would strongly recommend a physical exam with a veterinarian to rule out some of these conditions. DIagnostic testing will likely be required to do this. Hope this helps!

Beast could be suffering from a metabolic disease like diabetes that can affect balance and neurologic function, for example. I recommend a full workup if this behavior continues, including blood work and potentially radiographs to look for signs of metabolic or neurologic disease, infection, or arthritis.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The signs you describe can be caused by an irregularity in the spine - this may cause the bones to compress the actual spinal cord, damaging the nerves that are responsible for controlling the back legs and tail. A veterinary neurologist would be able to further diagnose the condition and propose a treatment plan, your original vet may be able to recommend one. I would be happy to take a look at x-rays or bloodwork and answer any questions you may have about them!

This does not sound normal and I recommend to have her examined today. A blind cat generally does not have trouble walking. Instead they tend to walk slowly and cautiously but they are not unbalanced. A sudden onset of neurological signs is always concerning and could indicate poisoning, a stroke from a blood clot or even potentially infectious diseases which can infect humans like Toxoplasmosis. I recommend to play it safe and have Kiki examined today. Especially with a concern for infectious disease for humans. I hope this helps.