Cat limping: possible causes and treatment
Cats are usually skilled climbers who, depending on the breed, have a surprisingly high jumping prowess. In addition, as is well known, they usually land on their feet and generally make an extremely skilful and graceful impression as they do so.
sometimes happen that a cat limps and their mobility is severely restricted as a result. In the following, you will learn about the possible causes of limping in your cat and what you should do if this happens.
Possible causes of limping in cats
Limping in cats can have countless triggers. For example, the four-legged friends can have suffered minor or potentially severe injuries, or may simply have been stung by a bee.
Apart from that, it can also happen that the nerves in the legs or the spine are damaged or that the cat suffers from a joint disease and therefore limps.
Causes of a cat’s limp may also include the following:
- Bite wounds from other cats
- Insect bites on the paws
- Broken bones and torn ligaments
- Problems with the spine
- Nerve damage due to diabetes
- Advanced arthrosis
Cat limping because of a bite wound
If cats get into fights with other cats, this often results in bite wounds. Accordingly, these are also quite often responsible for a cat limping. If your cat limps when it comes home, it is always a good idea to check for bite wounds.
Cat limps due to an insect bite
It is quite possible for outdoor cats to be stung by a wasp or bee during their forays. If the sting is on the paw, you will most likely notice your cat limping. Usually insect bites in cats are not a big deal, so the limp is only a temporary phenomenon. Stuck stings should, of course, still be removed promptly.
Cat limps due to a broken bone
Accidents and falls can, of course, also cause broken bones in cats. Depending on the affected bone, sthe first time you may notice a fracture is when your cat starts to limp.
Cat limping because of a torn ligament
Just like in humans, cats have various ligaments in their legs that are needed for movement and give stability to the joints. If a ligament is torn due to a fall or an accident, your cat will inevitably limp.
Cat limps due to spinal problems
When a cat limps, it is not necessarily due to a problem with the leg in question. If the limp affects one or both hind legs, the cause is more likely to be found in the spine.
This is because the nerves that are responsible for transmitting stimuli to the hind legs also run through the spine. If the nerves are pinched, for example by a slipped disc or a tumour, this can cause the cat to limp.
Limping in cats with diabetes
Normally, cats walk on their paws, which anatomically correspond to a human’s toes. If a cat suddenly limps because it walks more with its entire foot, this may be partly due to having feline diabetes. If left untreated, diabetes can lead to nerve damage in the long term, which means that the four-legged friend will eventually no longer be able to control its hind legs properly.
Cat limping due to arthrosis
Osteoarthritis is a chronic joint disease characterised by joint wear that exceeds normal levels. The painful disease leads to an increasing restriction of mobility and can manifest itself, among other things, in affected cats limping.
Cat with a limp: When does it need to go to the vet?
Fortunately, there is not always a serious cause when a cat limps. Sometimes it is quite possible that the four-legged friend was simply a bit too reckless, overbalanced or tripped, and suffered a slight strain or sprain.
If the limp disappears after one or two days and the animal is otherwise fine, you usually do not need to do anything else.
If, on the other hand, your cat limps for a longer period of time or obviously suffers from severe pain or an externally visible injury, you should in any case contact a vet so that they can get to the bottom of the cause of the limp.
This also applies to bites that seem harmless at first glance. These can easily become infected, which is why they should be cleaned and treated professionally.
Finding the cause of the cat's limp
To find the cause of your cat's limping, the vet will first ask you about your observations and let your four-legged friend walk around a bit to see for themselves.
Next, they will usually examine the cat externally and check by palpation, for example, whether a bone is broken or a ligament is torn.
Depending on the results of this examination, further examinations may be necessary in the next step. If there are problems with the hind legs, a blood sample may be taken to find out if the cat has diabetes.
In addition, imaging techniques such as X-rays and CT scans play an important role in your cat’s diagnosis.
Cat with a limp: treating the cause
It is not possible to make a general statement about what treatment is necessary if your cat is limping. Of course, the necessary treatment depends on the exact cause of the limp.
If your cat has a wound, it may need stitches, depending on the severity. A broken bone must be set and stabilised, and an operation may be necessary for this purpose. Torn ligaments usually require surgery and cats with osteoarthritis primarily require symptom relief, as a cure is unfortunately not possible in this case.
Mild damage to the nerves may heal on its own after a while, with a bit of luck. In the case of severe nerve damage, however, the cat may limp permanently.
In many cases, the administration of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs is an important part of the treatment of a limping cat. In addition, physiotherapy may help to improve the mobility of the leg after the actual treatment and to rebuild lost muscles due to immobilisation.
Cat with a limp - our conclusion
As you can see, there can be many reasons for a cat limping. If the symptoms do not go away on their own after a day or two, there is usually no way around a visit to the vet.
The treatment and chances of recovery depend on the exact cause of the problem. With a bit of luck, your cat will no longer limp after successful treatment. In some cases, however, it may well be that the symptoms can only be somewhat alleviated and a complete cure is no longer possible.
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