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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

A limp that comes and goes?

52 replies

JorisBonson · 10/07/2020 22:28

As the title suggests, youngest boy had had a limp that's come and gone for a few months.

He's been to the vet several times, with no real diagnosis. There are no fractures, broken bones, his shoulder joints are fine.

The vet gave us Metacam for as and when, but it upset his stomach after a while.

You wouldn't guess that anything is wrong with him - he tears around the place like a goodun, plays and sleeps and eats as he normally does. When he's ill he really shows it, he's a big hider when he's under the weather and goes off his food.

He is VERY clumsy and the least elegant cat I've ever met in my life, which I'm sure has something to do with it (falls off things a lot 🙄).

It's come back in the last couple of days but he really is as happy as Larry (whoever he is).

Any thoughts?

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thecatneuterer · 10/07/2020 22:34

No idea, but I've got one that's exactly the same. She's been limping, some days really badly, since March. But then sometimes she runs around. She's had all sorts of investigations, including with our specialist orthopaedic vet (who is astoundingly good and would give Supervet a run for his money), and everyone is stumped as they can find absolutely nothing wrong.

Original poster
JorisBonson · 10/07/2020 22:45

@thecatneuterer strange isn't it. I know that cats are expert pain hiders, but I also know him well enough to know that it's not really bothering him - he goes the complete opposite of himself when he's bothered (case in point, currently on a laundry basket trying to catch a fly).

Our vets are fab but I may consider a second opinion if it continues.

Plus our insurance excess is £99 and the vet bill is always less than that 🙄😂

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thecatneuterer · 10/07/2020 23:30

I've just watched her jump off the bed and run down the landing - no sign of a limp. Yet this morning she wasn't even weight-bearing - just hopping around on three legs. This has been going on for months. If your vet comes up with a plausible theory do let me know.

Fluffycloudland77 · 11/07/2020 11:09

Do you feed more treats when they limp?.

thecatneuterer · 11/07/2020 11:13

Ha ha Fluffy. No, mine gets no benefit from limping whatsoever.

Original poster
JorisBonson · 14/08/2020 15:19

Little boys limp has become bad today. Holding it up, barely putting weight on it.

I've requested an x-ray at the vet but can't get in for 2 weeks. Got some metacam from previous limping escapes so I'll do him a few days of that.

Sigh.

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Original poster
JorisBonson · 14/08/2020 15:20

Still eating and drinking and attempting to play in a far too boisterous manner tho.

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Fluffycloudland77 · 14/08/2020 17:29

It’s really hard when their so inconsistent, when we get aches and pains so bad you can’t weight-bear it can be off and on though.

You could always try salmon oil as it’s anti inflammatory.

Original poster
JorisBonson · 14/08/2020 17:52

Thanks @Fluffycloudland77 I'll try that!

The metacam definitely made a difference, was walking a bit steadier earlier on and now snoozing. Begging for food and trying to play with his sister so I'm again not overly worried.

He was leaping about 5ft in the air after butterflies yesterday 🤦🏻‍♀️

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Fluffycloudland77 · 14/08/2020 20:58

Someone on here had a cat who had a limp that got worse the closer to home she got.

Dspx · 14/08/2020 21:08

Could it be attention ? My grandad had a dog who broke his leg and for years after it had healed when ever he got told off or there were lots of people around he used to hold it up limp and give the sad face was very funny to watch x

Original poster
JorisBonson · 14/08/2020 21:53

@Dspx the way he is battering and shouting at the closed cat flap, you may be on to something!!

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Original poster
JorisBonson · 19/08/2020 19:48

And today it's back, worse than ever. No weight on it at all and hopping around the place. Still eating, drinking, being a general idiot and tormenting his sister.

X-ray booked for the 28th but thinking a quick trip to the vet tomorrow couldn't hurt.

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Paranoidmarvin · 19/08/2020 20:05

Let us know how u get on x

Original poster
JorisBonson · 26/08/2020 11:01

Vet advised not to take him in as he is still booked in for an xray on Friday.

He's a bit hoppy but still a happy little thing.

Getting worried it may be a fracture - the xray alone costs £500 and our insurance will only cover up to £1,000. Trying to pay for a wedding and essential house repairs too. Here's hoping they do payment plans!

He will be put in for his xray at 9am on Friday.

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Icequeen01 · 26/08/2020 14:34

We had something similar a couple of years ago. One of mine came in limping but would then use that paw to happily scratch away at his scratching post. We took him to the vet and they found a couple of puncture wounds, probably from rough play with his brother. He had antibiotics but it didn't help and he continued limping. He went back to the vet and they sedated him and took some fluid from his elbow joint and I turned out he had an infection in the bone and had to have different antibiotics. It still took weeks to clear up but he did eventually get better. It cost us around £800 I think but our insurance paid with no problem.

Here is my brave boy still holding his leg after it had been shaved from when they had to sedate him.

A limp that comes and goes?
Original poster
JorisBonson · 26/08/2020 17:11

Aww @Icequeen01 look at his little leg!

I've just no idea what it could be but I'd be calmer if it was something like a wound over a fracture or break. He's a lunatic and trying to keep him quiet would be a nightmare.

He's in a bit of a bad mood tonight because I bought the wrong food so he's having a sulk.

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minicat · 26/08/2020 17:14

No idea about limps but wanted to post as our dcat doesn’t get on with metacam - upset his stomach the times he tried - and vets have been able to give us an opiate based painkiller instead when he was injured. Might be worth asking if they have an alternative you could try?

minicat · 26/08/2020 17:15

Also if it’s multiple vet trips for one problem you should be able to claim for them all on just one excess!

Original poster
JorisBonson · 26/08/2020 17:15

I've broken the cardinal sin of not posting a picture alongside his many problems.

Here he is being weird.

A limp that comes and goes?
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Original poster
JorisBonson · 26/08/2020 17:17

@minicat

No idea about limps but wanted to post as our dcat doesn’t get on with metacam - upset his stomach the times he tried - and vets have been able to give us an opiate based painkiller instead when he was injured. Might be worth asking if they have an alternative you could try?
He actually had an opiate painkiller for a previous injury (🙄) and he was off his face, it was hysterical.

Yes I've been very sparing with the metacam as know it can cause belly and kidney problems. He's had none for about a week now and definitely none before his x-ray.

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minicat · 26/08/2020 17:18

@JorisBonson ours stares at my shoes for hours when he has it.

He’s had a few injuries lately and we do joke that the vet may think he’s a drug seeker

Original poster
JorisBonson · 28/08/2020 10:00

So he's not having his x-ray this morning as his temperature is 39.4 and they don't want to put him under. Which is fair dos. He's having a blood tests and some anti inflammatories with a view to an x-ray next week.

Also starting to feel quite uncomfortable with my vet - they seem to have changed hands just before lockdown and now are very money orientated. The staff before were fantastic but all seem to have gone.

Sigh. Poor little boy. He went nil by mouth for no reason!

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Original poster
JorisBonson · 28/08/2020 10:05

They're trying to charge us for a hospital stay even though he's been there for an hour and will be picked up in about 5 minutes, that's not right is it?

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Original poster
JorisBonson · 28/08/2020 10:32

Even more - DP picked him up, apparently they were too busy to speak to him or even bill him. We have no idea what he's been given, no sign of a bloody test and no idea what the next steps are.

Quite quite annoyed.

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