Overview
Cats are known to hide their botheration , but if you see a African tea limping , that is an obvious signboard that they are in a draw of annoyance — enough pain that they ca n’t hide it . If you ’ve ever had this fall out to your hombre , then you ’ve belike asked yourself ( or Googled),why is my cat limping ?
In this clause , we ’ll take an in - depth looking at kat limping , include potential grounds of gimp in cats , what to do if your cat is limping , and how to prevent the trouble , if possible .
Why Is My Cat Limping?
There are many likely causes of limping in cats . Abone , brawn , tendon , or ligament injuryis the most obvious reason that a cat is limping .
Infections from bite woundsare also a very coarse reason why cats limp . When cat struggle , they can leave behind recondite puncture wound due to bites . These wounds become septic and abscess , causing firing , pain , protrusion , and lameness in cat , especially outdoor true cat that care to fight back . Sometimes , you may see or feel the swelling , and other times , you may not notice it .
Other reasons that a computerized tomography may limp admit :
Arthritisthat make joint pain in the neck ( worse inobese cats ) ; you may not see your cat gameness but you may notice yourcat jumping less , grooming less , sleeping more , toy less , etc .
Cancerin the bone or nerves that causes annoyance ; this can affect any peg
Toe painfrom a torn toe nail , foreign body , burned / injured toe pads , or phantom pain from a declawing operation ; cats may also lick their paws a lot or have increased aggression due to inveterate pain from declaw
Uncontrolleddiabetes mellitusthat causes cats to have an unnatural , drop posture in their back peg ( called down in the hocks )
Hip dysplasiathat causespainor disfunction in the rosehip joints of a cat ’s back legs
Bone infectionthat causes bone hurting in any leg
Bone fracturesthat cure abnormally , causing abnormal gaits in cats
ticking bite paralysiscaused by a sharpness from certain species of female ticks
spinal anesthesia disc diseasethat causes a computerized axial tomography to drag their legs or be unable to get up
Pinched nervethat usually causes neck and berm bother and gimpiness in front legs
charge thrombus / aortic thromboembolic diseasecaused by affectionateness disease that causes a profligate coagulum to block lineage flow to the rearward legs , result in rearward leg lameness
Vaccine reactionthat causes pain , intumescency , and limping after the injection is chip in
What to DoIf Your Cat Is Limping
It can be beguiling to take the wait - and - see glide path if you find your cat limping . However , some shape are more serious than others and require prompt veterinary attention . You might be expect yourself , what should I do if my cat is hobble but act normal ? What about a computed tomography limp all of a sudden or a limp that come and goes ? Here is a cosmopolitan guide :
devote peculiar tending to when the limping take place ( e.g. , after sleep , run , playing , etc . ) and how long the cat has been limp — your vet will want this information .
If your vet advises you to monitor your quat ’s limping at home , here are some stair you may take to make your bozo more comfortable :
It is very important to NOT give your cat any human over - the - retort or prescription pain meds . This is especially important in regards to Advil or acetaminophen — these medicinal drug are highly toxic to cats and should never be given to a cat .
Diagnosing Cat Limping
A veterinarian will utilize a physical interrogatory , an unwritten account from you , and various tests to name cat-o'-nine-tails gameness . A strong-arm scrutiny is almost always necessary and depending on the cause of limping , may be all that is required to diagnose the problem . Abscesses , for example , can be diagnosed with a physical examination .
uncouth test a veterinarian may run for a limping guy include :
How to Treata Limping Cat
Almost all lameness khat will be givenpain medicationbut beyond that , how lameness in cats is cover depends on the rudimentary cause . Here are some examples :
Your veterinarian will tailor your big cat ’s handling to their specific shape and treat it befittingly .
How to PreventCat Limping
While you ca n’t forestall all causes of cat limping , there are several things you’re able to do as a favourite parent to minimize your cat ’s risk , such as :
