In this Animal Expert article, we’ll talk about the most common causes that may explain why the cat can’t walk properly. Although the causes of this difficulty are not always serious, it is usually necessary to go to the veterinarian so that it can prescribe the most appropriate treatment after discovering the cause that prevents the cat from walking properly.
We will see that recovery can sometimes require surgery, so veterinary consultation is so important. This way, if your cat walks with difficulty or can’t walk, don’t hesitate to consult the specialist.
- Before you begin to explain why the cat has a weakness in its legs.
- You should pay attention to the characteristics of this obstacle.
- A cat may suffer from paralysis when it stops walking altogether.
- This problem.
- More common in the hind legs.
- Completely prevents it from moving.
- As a result.
- The cat cannot walk or stand.
At other times, the cat may not be able to walk because his paws fail, which is also more common on the hind legs. In these cases, you will notice a weakness. The cat may be standing, but it falls and cannot move. Sometimes you can even walk but with strange movements, abnormally lifting your legs or moving in circles. At other times, mobility issues occur because the cat has tremors, tics, or seizures throughout the body.
A crash, impact, dog attack or fall from a height can prevent the cat from walking properly. This occurs when there is an alteration of the spine, so that nerve communication with the legs is interrupted and the legs remain immobile. In addition, these injuries can cause more serious injuries, requiring an urgent visit to the veterinarian, always handling the animal with care.
Usually, when it comes to traumatic paralysis, the animal tends to try to move with its legs intact, dragging those that have been affected. For this reason, you may notice that the cat drags its hind or front legs. And if all the limbs are damaged, it obviously won’t move.
An X-ray or MRI may provide information about the condition of the spine. The prognosis will depend on the damage, medication, rehabilitation or surgery may be required. The cat can be cured or have sequelae. To avoid this, you should prevent the cat from accessing the outside unattended and install mosquito nets on the windows so that it does not fall off.
On the other hand, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can also cause paralysis of the cat’s legs, especially the back and tail, as the cardiovascular system breaks down and, as a result, decreases blood flow to these areas.
There are many causes why a cat cannot walk due to the weakness of its feathers, usually on its hind legs. For older cats, you may notice that they stop climbing high, even if they are small. This can be a sign of pain due to a degenerative process, such as osteoarthritis. In addition, cats that have recovered from diseases such as panleucopenia may have neurological sequelae that affect locomotion. These are cats that do not walk completely straight, exaggerate the legs to take a step, easily lose their balance or show lack of coordination between the legs. Such damage may be irreversible, but it does not prevent them from leading a normal life.
Vestibular syndrome is a neurological disorder that causes symptoms such as head tilt, walking in circles, nystagmus (continuous eye movements), strabism or ataxia, which causes uncoordination that will prevent the cat from moving. This syndrome can be caused by trauma, ear infections, infectious diseases, etc. The solution is a good neurological exam that identifies the cause. It can be healed, but some cats are left with their heads tilted like a permanent wound.
Finally, the imbalance may also be justified by the development of an ear infection, again, a visit to the specialist is mandatory.
Sometimes the cat cannot walk because it has lost control of its body, having seizures, tremors or tics, sometimes accompanied by other symptoms. This condition usually corresponds to poisoning and requires immediate veterinary assistance. The prognosis will depend on the substance with which the cat came into contact, the time of contact and the size of the cat.
To avoid panic, you should make sure that the environment you offer your cat is safe, preventing access to potentially toxic substances or plants. Precautions should be taken with dog pest control products as they contain toxic active ingredients for cats.
If you know the substance that poisoned your cat, you should inform the veterinarian. With fluid therapy and medications it is possible to recover the cat without sequelae, although the prognosis is limited. For more information, see our article on cat poisoning.
Sometimes, the cat cannot walk straight or with difficulty due to an injury, usually on the paw. Therefore, if you suspect localized damage, provided that the cat has not had an accident and no longer has symptoms, you should carefully examine your fingers, nails and pads. If you notice any injuries, you should inform the veterinarian.
Preventing the cat from walking on warm surfaces and keeping its claws in good condition can minimize these problems. Also, establishing a routine to check the condition of these areas allows to quickly identify wounds, preventing them from becoming infected and damaging the clinical picture.
If your cat’s hind legs or front legs are defective and none of the above causes match your condition, there are many other reasons why your cat is a symptom. Therefore, we highlight the importance of going to the veterinarian as soon as possible as you may be facing severe constipation, thrombosis, herniated disk, hip dysplasia or possible diabetes.
In all the above cases veterinary intervention is necessary, otherwise the life of the animal could be seriously compromised. This way, if you’re wondering what to do if your cat’s legs fail or can’t walk, the first thing we recommend is to look for any external injury. Then go to the specialist with all the information collected to facilitate the diagnosis.
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read articles similar to Cat not working well: causes and solutions, we recommend that you visit our section of other health problems.