My cat won’t put weight on his left leg and paw and he sometimes limps after sleeping. What is the cause and treatment?
Original Question: Simon seems to be having some problems with his left leg/paw; he sits with it off the floor and he licks it and occasionally he limps when he gets up after sleeping. This happens over a period of a couple of weeks, then it seems to go away and he is fine for a few weeks/a month and then it seems to occur again. - Anonymous
Aug 24, 2018
Hi there,
Thanks for your question.
I won’t be able to give you a diagnosis given the information you’ve provided. The area will need investigation to achieve an answer. I strongly suggest you have your veterinarian investigate it but in the meantime, here are some things you can do:
- Investigate the area thoroughly. Spread the toes apart and look for any lesions such as redness, growths, or hair loss. You may find the source of the problem.
- Check the nails and nail beds. Make sure that a nail is not growing in a direction where it is irritating the toe and that there is no indication of infection at the nail base.
- Monitor your cat’s behaviour and what it does in the home. If it occasionally jumps down from a high counter or plays with something very aggressively on occasion which could cause repeated injury, then restrict access to it.
- Most of all, I would recommend you have a physical exam performed by your veterinarian. They will be able to recognize things from experience that others can’t.
Good luck. I hope this helps.
Dr. Clayton Greenway
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