Ask Dr Claire

My cat is limping on his back foot and the foot is shaking constantly. He looks uncomfortable and is in pain when he sits and lays down.

A limping cat hurts.

Like us, there are many causes for sore legs. Cats can break bones, sprain muscles, tear ligaments, and get inflammation or degeneration of their joints (arthritis). They can also get burrs in their paws, foreign bodies such as grass seeds in their skin, cracks in their pads or tear their nails. A very common issue in cats causing lameness is are abscesses secondary to cat fight wounds.

A hands-on examination from your local vet would be a great place to start. Working out whether it’s infection or a structural issue will dictate his best treatment plan.

If you’d like to chat in person, you can book a live video call or start a chat to discuss in more detail, as soon as possible.

We’re here to help!

Chat soon,

Dr Claire