Signs of a leg injury in a cat

Swelling in the affected leg. It is always important to keep a close watch on your cat once they have been treated for a front leg injury and the time it takes to fully recover depends on the severity of the damage.

Watch for changes in your cats gait.

Signs of a leg injury in a cat. It is always important to keep a close watch on your cat once they have been treated for a front leg injury and the time it takes to fully recover depends on the severity of the damage. If your cat has been bandaged it is necessary to properly observe and care for it daily. You should follow up immediately with your veterinarian if you notice things such as your cat showing major signs of.

The cat who has injured one of its limbs will let its owner know that its in pain especially if the pain is significant. Meowing or crying after getting hurt. Favoring the injured limb.

Inability to use the injured limb. Swelling of the injured limb. The joint becomes tender and a cat will not bear all of his weight on the affected limb resulting in a limp.

Sprained Leg Symptoms Sprains occur commonly on a cats rear legs and can be caused by his leaping onto an object misjudging the height and then falling down or scrambling with the hind legs to reach the top of the object. Typically a cat with an untreated broken leg will show symptoms like noticeable limping. The limb may sometimes dangle as they walk but some may bear weight on the limb if the fracture doesnt render the leg unstable.

Pain is difficult to assess in cats. Watch for changes in your cats gait. This could include limping dragging a leg or stiffness all of which could indicate a potential injury.

If your cat will allow you to touch him be aware of any spots on his body that are painful or swollen. Lethargy and refusing to get up and walk could also indicate a serious problem. Search for a wound on the cats paw or legs.

Use his or her hands to put light pressure on muscles to locate where the cat is hurt. Feel for arthritic swelling at the joints. Prescribe seven days of rest to see if the injury resolves itself.

If not this helps the vet diagnose the injury as perhaps something more serious. Broken Leg In Cats. Most broken bones which affect cats are due to trauma such as being hit by a car or a fall from a height.

Other causes of broken bones in the leg include bone infection cancer and hormonal imbalances which weaken the bone. The most common bone breakages seen in cats is a broken pelvis broken legs and broken tail. It is important to clarify that soft tissue injury does not include broken bones or arthritis.

Soft tissue trauma in cats involves injury to the muscles tendons and ligaments that surround the cats bones and joints. Understanding the functions of these soft tissues help us to understand how injury to these tissues affects your cat. The signs of a limb or pelvis fracture include.

Unable to bear weight on the affected leg. When approaching an injured cat that displays signs of aggression remember not only to protect yourself as the cat may have become infected in the process of its own injury but also to transport and handle the cat in the most careful way possible. This will help avoid any disturbance in case of broken limbs.

Spinal trauma is an injury to the spinal cord in a cat. This could be the result of disease a fracture of the spine a tumor located on or near the spine or a significant injury such as a gunshot wound. Along with damage to the spinal cord the cat may experience pain sudden or worsening paralysis and possibly respiratory failure.

What are the most common cat fight injury symptoms. Some cat fight injuries wounds are glaringly obvious while others may be hidden by fur. Small punctures which can be just as dangerous as open wounds are also often hard to spot.

While all cats are different its likely those suffering from a bite wound will display one or more of the following signs. Lameness occurs due to the injury or debilitation of one or more parts of the leg—joints bones muscles nerves tendons ligaments or skin. The cause of some limps is obvious.

With a broken bone or dislocated joint there may be swelling and the leg may lie at an awkward angle. Limping and trouble jumping up are signs of an injury or a condition like arthritis. Dont assume your cat is not in pain because he is eating and acting normal otherwise.

See your vet so the injury or condition can be treated appropriately. Cats can experience a forelimb issue after experiencing an injury due to jumping being in a road accident a traumatic fall or after being caught in or on something. Learn more about front leg injuries in cats and how to treat them here.

The signs that your cat has broken its leg or has a major injury in the leg are. Limp or difficulty walking. Very sharp and frequent meowing.

Swelling in the affected leg. Damage to any of these can result in significant swelling pain or inability to use that part of the body. Soft tissues can experience crushing bruising stretching tearing or rupture injury.

Some can be treated with medication while others may require surgery to repair. Injuries to the cerebellum can result in a lack of coordination of the head and legs tremors and a loss of balance. Injuries to the cerebrum can cause complete or partial blindness loss of the sense of smell seizures coma stupor pacing or circling.

Use gentle controlled motion to move your cats leg. Cats with nerve damage in their legs risk muscle atrophy when the muscles arent used. A light massage or physical therapy such as extending the leg and flexing the joint as directed by your vet will keep her blood flowing and her muscles joints and tendons healthy.

This produces excessive force on the wrist carpus which can cause tearing of the palmar carpal ligaments and fibrocartilage leading to collapse of the joint. This is a rare problem in cats. Signs include lameness swelling of the carpal joint and a characteristic stance in which the heel is touching the ground.

Signs of pain include any of the following. Becoming less tolerant of people. Becoming more withdrawn or hiding more than usual.

Sleeping more than usual or slowing down. Becoming more reluctant or hesitant in jumping down from furniture or going through the cat flap. Being stiff after resting or using a particular leg when going up and down stairs.