Why is my senior cat suddenly wobbly with clicking joints?

Hello. I assume you are concerned about Scottish Fold Osterchondrodysplasia. This is a progressive musculoskeletal condition in pure & some cross bred Scottish Fold kitties. The condition can manifest as young as 2 months, so I wonder why your veterinarian is hesitant to take x-rays in an adult cat like Mimi ( you indicate she is 20 months of age ). Most affected cats will have a thick, short, inflexible tail, & shortened paws. If your veterinarian does not feel comfortable doing x-rays, I would request the DNA test to see if she has the Scottish Fold mutation gene. The test is a simple cheek swab & is run through the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory. Once you have the results, then a good treatment plan, if one is needed, can be started. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Most likely this is arthritis. If he isn't limping then this is aa good indicator that it isn't causing too much pain yet. You can try over the counter joint supplements like Cosequin to help replenish fluid in the joint and also to help slow down the progression of arthritis. If he develops pain or limping then it is best to have the limb radiographed to get a better idea of what is happening internally, and also to get a prescription for stronger medications to help with pain.

Hello, sorry to hear about Kairi. It sounds like besides her calicivirus, she is having some difficult time walking? If so, it is believed that this is secondary to osteoarthritis. Young cats with osteoarthritis can often have more than one joint affected and is often something that is management medically. Finding the underlying cause for this osteoarthritis such as infection, an inflammatory response, auto-immune disease, or an old injury must be determined. Surgery may not be able to treat the osteoarthritis but rather help her walk easier. Surgical intervention is often pursued as a salvage procedure and not before diagnosing the source of the osteoarthritis and its effect. I would recommend asking your veterinarian to refer Kairi to an orthopedic surgeon so that they may evaluate her and determine if one or more joints are affected and if surgery or medical management is best for her. Hope this helps and best of luck.

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.

If Felix is having problems with his back legs and has arthritis and joint pain, giving him stronger medications may help. As for the back leg brace support, I'd ask his vet about that. That may be something that needs to be specially ordered for him. Best of luck.

There may be some arthritis that could be age related or related to his old injuries. Ideally, he should be examined and possibly x-rayed by your veterinarian. If he is painful, your veterinarian may prescribe medication for pain management.

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!