Lameness in cats

It’s always a concern when you spot your cat limping or hopping on one foot. It is not uncommon for cats to be lame at some point in their lives. They may have a strain or sprain or possibly a cut pad. Most times the lameness will just get better very quickly, but sometimes it can be more serious or last longer and your cat will need to see a veterinarian.

The most common causes of lameness in cats is damage caused by a fight or an accident. Bite wounds or abscesses are very common in male cats defending their territories. Accidents can cause strains or sprains or injuries to joints, bone fractures or dislocations. Cats that roam outside may get a cut or something stuck in a footpad. As cats get older they tend to stiffen up and they can develop problems with bones and joints due to an illness or chronic changes to the joints such as arthritis.

There are other conditions affecting blood circulation or the nervous system that can make cats lame although they do not have an injury in the limb.

You might notice your cat suddenly starts limping if they have had an accident or they may come home lame if they have been roaming outside. As cats get older they may become lame over time and you may not notice it at first; sometimes the lameness will come and go for weeks or months – this most often happens due to an underlying disorder causing pain in muscles, bones or joints. If you can tell which leg your cat is limping on then first check their foot. If you can see a small cut or torn claw, your cat may just need a few days’ rest to allow it to heal. If you spot a thorn or other foreign body in their foot, you may be able to remove this carefully with tweezers. A small cut can be cleaned with lukewarm water and gentle soap. If your cat has a sore area, they may want to constantly lick at it – this is not helpful so try to distract them from doing this or cover the area with a loose sock – or put a Buster collar on your cat so they can’t reach their foot. Don’t put bandaging around your cat’s foot as this can cause serious problems if not done correctly. Be very careful handling your cat as they may be sore and there is a risk of getting bitten or scratched. If you are unsure then seek advice from your veterinarian.

If you spot that your cat is lame take several videos of your cat moving at home so that you can show these to your veterinarian when you visit. This can be very useful as once cats are taken to the veterinary surgery they rarely walk about normally and it can be hard for the veterinarian to see how they move.

If your cat will not use the leg at all, or a mild lameness continues for more than a couple of days, make an appointment with your veterinarian. You should also take your cat to the vet surgery immediately if they are in extreme pain or have other signs of illness such as not eating, vomiting and/or fever. Dragging one or more of their limbs can be a sign of a spinal problem and will require immediate treatment.

Your veterinarian will carry out a full lameness assessment to establish what is causing the lameness. This will include:

• History taking – this can give valuable clues to the likely cause of the lameness (if acute or gradual onset, after a fall, exercise, etc).
• General clinical examination – your cat may be suffering from another condition which may or may not be related to the lameness.
• Detailed examination of the muscle and bones in all the legs.
• A more detailed examination if your veterinarian identifies any areas of concern.

X-rays may be taken and your veterinarian may need further tests to find out the cause of the problem or the best way to treat it.

When cats are lame they move in an unusual way, so your veterinarian will want to observe the way your cat walks, sits, lies down, and moves around. They’ll note if your cat doesn’t put all their weight on one leg, if they hold the leg at an abnormal angle or unusual position, or favor one leg over another. It can be very difficult for your veterinarian to assess how your cat is moving because as soon as the cat gets to the hospital they may become afraid. Cats may then either try to hide and not move at all or will forget about the pain in their leg and use the leg more normally. This is why videos of your cat at home can be particularly useful.

Veterinarians often use a lameness scale to grade how severe the lameness is. On a scale of 0-5, cats with a scale of 4 or 5 (holding their leg up for most or all of the time) will need immediate attention. There are also scales that grade cats on a scale of 1-10 where 1/10 is barely lame and 10/10 indicates non-weight bearing lameness. These scales can be useful to assess the lameness when it starts so that your veterinarian can see if the lameness gets better or worse with time and whether any treatments are helpful.

Treatment for lameness will depend on the cause and can range from rest to medication, physiotherapy and surgery. Early treatment can mean that your cat will recover more quickly so if you are worried about your cat always contact your veterinarian for advice.