In this article on our site we are going to review the most common causes that can explain why your cat cannot walk Although the reasons that cause this difficulty are not always serious, it is usually necessary to go to our veterinarian to prescribe the most appropriate treatment, once they have discovered the cause that prevents proper ambulation.
We will see that, on occasion, recovery may require surgery, hence the importance of veterinary consultation. In this way, if your cat walks strangely or, directly, does not walk, do not hesitate to visit the specialist.
Why doesn't my cat have leg strength?
Before starting to explain the reasons why a cat cannot walk, we must pay attention to the characteristics of this impediment. A cat can become paralyzedwhen he stops walking altogether. This problem, more common in the hind legs, completely prevents them from moving. Therefore, he neither walks nor stands.
Other times, a cat can't walk because his legs, also most commonly his hind legs, fail. In these cases we will see weakness. The cat can stand but falls down, unable to move. Sometimes it succeeds but with strange movements, raising its legs abnormally or moving in circles. Other times the difficulty in mobility occurs because the cat has tremors, tics or convulsions throughout his body.
Causes of paralysis in the cat's legs
A run over, an impact, an attack by a dog or a fall from a great height can cause our cat to be unable to walk. This happens when there is an spinal column damage such that nerve communication with the legs is interrupted, leaving them immobile. In addition, these traumas can cause more serious injuries, so a quick transfer to the veterinarian is required, always handling the animal with care.
In general, when it comes to paralysis due to trauma, the animal tends to try to move with its undamaged legs, dragging those that have been affected. For this reason, we can notice that the cat drags its hind legs, or the front ones. And if all limbs have been damaged, obviously none will move.
An x-ray or MRI can give us information about the condition of the spine. Depending on the damage, this will be the prognosis. Medication, rehabilitation, or surgery may be required. The cat may recover or maintain sequelae. To prevent, we must prevent the cat from having access to the outside without control and install mosquito nets on the windows so that it cannot fall.
On the other hand, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can also cause paralysis of the cat's legs, especially the hind legs and tail, because the cardiovascular system fails and, therefore, decreases blood flow.
Why does my cat lose its balance when walking?
There are numerous causes behind a cat not being able to walk due to weakness, usually in the hind legs. In older cats we can see that they stop climbing to heights, even if they are small. This may be sign of pain due to some degenerative process such as osteoarthritis In addition, cats that have recovered from diseases such as panleukopenia can maintain neurological sequelae that affect their ambulation. They are cats that do not walk completely straight, raise their legs exaggeratedly to take a step, lose their balance easily or show a lack of coordination between their legs. This damage may be irreversible but it does not prevent them from leading a normal life.
vestibular syndrome is a neurological disorder that produces symptoms such as head tilt, circling, nystagmus (continuous eye movements), strabismus or ataxia, which produces incoordination that will make walking difficult. This syndrome can be caused by trauma, otitis, infectious diseases, etc. The solution goes through a good neurological examination that allows the triggering cause to be identified. It can be healed, but some cats are left with a head bow as a permanent injury.
Finally, lack of balance can also be explained by the development of an ear infection, so again, the visit to the specialist is mandatory.
My cat staggers and falls, why?
Sometimes our cat cannot walk because he has lost control of his body, suffering from convulsions, tremors or tics, sometimes accompanied by other symptoms. This picture usually corresponds to a poisoning and requires immediate veterinary help. The prognosis will depend on the substance with which the cat has come into contact, the contact time or the size of the feline.
To avoid scares, we must make sure that the environment that we offer our cat is safe, preventing its access to potentially toxic substances or plants. Special care must be taken with antiparasitic products for dogs, as they sometimes include active ingredients that are toxic to cats.
If we know the substance that has poisoned our cat, we must tell the vet. With fluid therapy and medication it is possible to recover the cat without sequelae, although, as we have said, the prognosis is reserved. For more information, do not hesitate to consult the following article: "Poisoning in cats - Symptoms and first aid".
My cat doesn't walk well - does it have injuries?
Finally, sometimes the cat cannot walk or does so with difficulty due to an injury, usually to the foot. Therefore, if we suspect any localized damage, as long as the cat has not suffered any accident or shows other symptoms, we should examine the fingers, nails and pads well If we find any lesion we must notify the veterinarian.
Avoiding hot surfaces or keeping your nails well cared for can minimize these problems. Likewise, establishing a routine to check the status of these areas periodically will help us identify any wound quickly, preventing it from becoming infected and the clinical picture from worsening.
Other causes of a cat losing its legs
If your cat's hind or front legs fail and none of the above causes correspond to his condition, you should know that there are many other reasons that present this condition as a symptom. In this way, we highlight the importance of going to the vet as soon as possible, since we may find ourselves facing a severe picture of constipation, a thrombosis, one herniated disc, one hip dysplasiaor a possible diabetes
In all the above cases, veterinary intervention is necessary, since otherwise the life of the animal could be seriously compromised. In this way, if you wonder what to do if your cat's legs fail or it cannot walk, the first thing we recommend is to check each of its parts in case there is any external injury. Then, visit to the specialist with all the information collected to facilitate the diagnosis.
