My senior cat is suddenly favoring a back leg. Should I be concerned?

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.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would strongly recommend having him seen by a veterinarian sooner rather than later. I am worried that he may have thrown a blood clot to his back legs causing paralysis. This is known as a saddle thrombus and can be quite painful and serious. This is typically due to heart disease. The sooner he is seen the better. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These are general signs that can be seen with a lot of conditions. It could be due to a neurologic condition or perhaps an orthopedic condition causing some kind of pain or discomfort. If this continues, I recommend you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to start with a good physical examination and possibly diagnostics to get to the bottom of this so that therapy if any can be started. Have a great day!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on the x-rays, I do not see any immediate concerning changes. However, on the right leg where the elbow is, it appears that there may be an increased density (bone sclerosis) of what we call the cortical bone. This may indicate early disease or something is beginning to affect the bone. I would recommend providing adequate rest for her for the next 4 weeks as well as give an anti-inflammatory to reduce any inflammation / pain she may be experiencing. I would recheck the x-rays in 4 weeks to see if there has been any change with the bone. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further!

So sorry that he is having this problem. You could try a joint supplement, like Dasuquin or Cosequin for cats, and see if that helps. If not, he should be examined by a vet to determine the cause. Your vet can take an x-ray to help diagnose and then determine the best way to treat. He may need an anti-inflammatory and pain medications and your vet can prescribe.

I am sorry but we at Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach are unable to prescribe or recommended medications, this can only be done by your treating vet who knows and has recently examined your pets. Rest and confinement will help prevent further injury but I strongly recommend a full physical exam to determine the type of injury and the options to manage it and reduce pain

At his age, he likely has some arthritis. I suggest you get him started on a joint supplement. https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198944_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=120626 Give it a good 4-6 weeks to see if it helps him. If not, then please post again and we'll see if we can give you some more suggestions.