My cat just walked strangely and held up her back leg. Is she hurt?

Poor Gracie! She could have fallen and broken her leg. She also could strained or torn a ligament. It's quite serious that she isn't walking on it and won't let you touch it. I would take her into a vet immediately for a lameness exam and x-rays. These tests will help diagnose what is causing this problem so she can be treated. In young kittens, it's important to get these problems checked out promptly to prevent any disruption to normal growth. This will also be very painful to her, and the vet can give her pain medications. Please do not give her any human pain medications, many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. Only the vet can prescribe safe ones. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.

It sounds like something caused her pain. Sometimes cats can get their toe nails caught in carpeting. This can lead to a torn nail, sprained toe or leg injury. I would get her seen by your vet to make sure this is nothing serious. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.

Hello, sorry to hear about Calliope. That is certainly an odd behavior. It is uncommon for cats to develop disk disease, but certainly this could be a cause, highly unlikely. Other causes such as injuries to her legs should also be considered. If this behavior continues then Calliope should be evaluated by a veterinarian tonight. Hope this helps

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.

It’s hard to say if he is pulling up the leg due to pain, nerve tingling or just an odd habit. The best way to know if Ming is having any pain would be to take him to his veterinarian who will put the leg through full range of motion exercises. The doctor may also recommend radiographs if something is suspicious. One thing you can do prior to your visit is to record Ming walking around normally, jumping and also when he is holding his leg up. Often cats don’t walk in the clinic very well so it can be hard to visualize subtle lameness. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions!

Poor Sophie! It is possible that she developed a soft tissue injury or fracture in your absence or developed a blood clot in one of her hind legs (saddle thrombus). Since she is unwilling to bear any weight on this leg, she is likely in quite a bit of pain and should go to the vet immediately for evaluation. She may need to have x-rays and pain medication. I hope that all goes well!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. What an interesting episode! Milo could have acted this way for a number of reasons including: - bite or sting on one of the back paws - litter or tape stuck on the paws -back or leg pain -neurological problem If he seems normal now, I would just monitor for another episode. If possible, catch another episode like this on video for your vet. If he has any other weird or concerning signs, see your vet sooner. Best wishes to you and Milo!