Cat keeping one paw off the ground, but still using it

[POPholditdown]

One of my girls is keeping her front paw off the ground when she’s stood/sat. She puts it down when she’s eating and is still walking on it normally, no limp.

She’s been doing it since last night. I’ve checked it as best as I can, no wounds, lumps, not swollen.

She’s very difficult with the vets, and panics when held in anyway (paw or otherwise) so I’m not sure whether/when to take her?

Normally, I wouldn’t hesitate to go but as she’s climbing/jumping/kneading/everything else fine, it’s just when she’s stood, I don’t know whether to wait.

Would they need to xray it, as there’s nothing to see on the paw? Would she need to be asleep for this?

Just trying to gauge how stressful it might be for her.

Oh and her claws are fine, no splits or anything.

Does she pull away or growl when you apply pressure anywhere? I'd press gently on the paw pad and then work my way up the arm. If not, then try moving her arm in different ways and seeing if she responds to anything there. If not, I'd ring the vet and ask advice. If she does then I'd book her in.

It does sound like she's only using it when she has to, and if she is in pain then the longer you leave it the more stressful she'll find the trip and the vets.

Pop a piece of your used clothing or towel in the carrier so she has your scent, some treats in their and cover it with a blanket so it's dark and feels safer for her if you do need to take her x

She pulls away normally, and chatters (rather than growling) so it’s hard to tell if it’s due to pain. She’s napping, but once she’s up I’ll try moving her arm about and pressing on the pad. I did earlier to ‘separate’ her toes out to check her claws, and she reacted as she would normally.

I think I’ll book her in to be on the safe side, she just gets so scared around strangers and car rides and anything out of the ordinary!

Thanks

Agree, if she's not right tomorrow, see the vet. Unless they are particularly worried that she's caused serious damage, they might just give her an anti-inflammatory and painkiller to start with.

How old is she by the way?

She was a little pregnant stray when she found us, vets weren’t sure on age but only a few years old at most, now.

She’s starting to lick at it a little, from
what I can see it’s the middle pad (the palm?) so we’ll be taking a trip to vet tomorrow, poor girl.

She's not got wounded paw syndrome has she, my oriental cat used to do this, put one foot in the air and make it go all limp, there was nothing wrong and a few extra tests or cuddles sorted it out. Sometimes the side of the limp changed. Hope kitty is ok.

If she's not limping, I would give it a few days and see if it gets better on its own. Maybe keep her indoors tomorrow if she usually goes out.

My cat had similar. It turned out that he had a bite on his elbow joint and the bone at the joint had become infected. He used to let us gently feel along his leg and paw and would even use it on his scratch pad but when he sat down he would hold it up all the time. I would get your vet to take a look at it. It cost us £700 in the end in vet fees 😬

Your cat might have been bitten or have caught her paw somewhere and injured it somewhere. If so, she'd need antibiotics (the vet gave my boy an injection that worked over a week, and some painkiller liquid, which I squirted directly into his mouth). It cost about £120, no x-ray or anything else needed.

Praying you have pet insurance OP

She's not got wounded paw syndrome has she

I’m taking her later following vets advice, as she’d stopped, but doing it on and off.

But actually this syndrome might be fitting! She was stood normally today, and I was saying to her ‘is your paw better now, look at your little paw’ and she lifted it right up! And has started keeping it in the air again 😂 and then when I’m ‘not looking’ she’ll put it down again.

I even found myself asking ‘do you understand what I’m saying!?’ incase she starts nodding