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My 9-month-old kitten's hind legs are weak and he can't stand. Why?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Hi I have a kitten he is about 9 months old. He seems small for his age. A couple of times it seemed that he lost some mobility in his back legs and could not stand or jump. His front legs seemed unaffected. He just snapped out of it and started walking normally. Any idea of what might cause this?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jeffrey Milner

Veterinarian

Published on May 10th, 2017

At the age of nine months, most cats are essentially full grown. They might still grow a tiny bit, but at this point you are seeing their adult size basically. Some cats are larger than others with the smallest ones around 4 to 5 lbs and the largest around 18-22lbs. If he is having issues with mobility in his hind end, I would have a veterinarian examine him for any pain or neurologic deficits. At nine months old, it would not be very common for a painful condition to arise though juvenile inflammatory conditions can occur. If he is currently not experiencing any symptoms, now would probably not be the best time to have a vet look at him as they will not be able to see to what you are referring. The next time this occurs, schedule a visit. I would also consider the possibility of a tick borne disease in any case of lameness in a dog or cat, particularly those that are not using preventive products.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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