My senior cat's limping for weeks after a fall; is her leg serious?

I am sorry to hear about Luna. If Luna is limping there are many different possible causes, including soft tissue injury (such as a muscle sprain/strain, torn ligament), a fracture (it isn't always obvious when a pet breaks a bone if the fracture is not displaced), a torn or sore toenail, a skin infection of the toenails or bottom of the foot, nerve disorders, or in older pets tumors of the muscle or bone. I would recommend examination by a vet if the issue has been present since Sunday with no improvement. Unfortunately there are no safe pain medications available over the counter for cats, so I would just try to keep her quiet/restrict her activity/keep her indoors until she can be seen.

You are correct that it could be a strain, or there may be an abscess and you've simply missed it. Given that he's been limping for three days after rest, I would take him into the vet today for an exam. He will need pain meds, and the vet can do a physical exam and possibly x-rays to diagnose why Samson is limping. Please do not give him any human pain meds, many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given.

Restrict Spaghetti's activity as much as you can. No excessive running, jumping or rough play. If the lameness does not begin to resolve in the next 24-48 hours, have her seen by your vet. Go sooner if you notice any swelling or if the lameness worsens.

You didn't mention if it was a hind leg or a front leg. There are different possibilities for injuries based on which leg is injured. She may just sprained the leg but if she is holding the leg completely up and not putting any weight on it then it could be broken and she needs to see a vet. If she is putting weight on it but just limping slightly then just watch her for a few days. If it doesn't resolve then she should see a vet.

The chance that there is a blood clot contributing to these clinical signs is very unlikely. Typically, when something like this happens, your cat would be in absolutely uncontrollable pain, screaming and crying like nothing you have every heard. You might also notice that the feet and limbs are noticeable cold. This doesn't sound like the case. In all likelihood, Autumn simply sprained or strained something and is now experiencing some discomfort as a result. One other cause of shifting or sporadic lameness in the limbs are tick borne diseases such as Lyme disease. While these are far more common in dogs, they can definitely occur in cats as well. Depending on your geographic region, the type of tick borne diseases that are most common will vary considerably. Hope this makes sense. Get Autumn into the vet for some examination if the symptoms don't subside in the next day or so. Just don't try and give any over the counter pain medication at home as there are none that are safe for cats.

Yes, if Darrow is still limping after a few days, I recommend to have him examined by the veterinarian. Continued limping can indicate a fracture or ligament tear. The veterinarian will get a better idea from a physical exam and may recommend radiographs. I hope this helps.

Hi, I would start with monitoring him for the next 24 hours, limit his exercise and movement, keep him indoor and watch if with extra rest there is improvement. If NO improvement still unsteady and lameness persist then take him to the vet for support such as pain relief and investigation. Hope it helps and Bob will feel better soon.