What is Front Leg Injury?
Front leg injuries range from mild and simple to treat to complex and serious. Regardless, it is important to seek medical care if your cat has experienced any type of harm to their forelimbs.
A number of different things can lead to your cat sustaining a front leg injury. Issues with the forelimb can occur due to some form of trauma like a road accident or fall, or even landing wrong after a jump. If you notice something off in your cat's gait such as a limp or a hesitation to bear weight, then they may have suffered a forelimb injury.
Symptoms of Front Leg Injury in Cats
A variety of signs exist to indicate that your cat is dealing with a front leg injury. Listed below are some of the symptoms they may exhibit:
- Limping (otherwise known as lameness; it can occur continuously or intermittently)
- Swelling in muscles/joints
- Redness/warmth of the area
- Lethargy
- Reluctance to bear weight on limb
- Limb deformity (e.g. bone sticking out, bent in odd direction)
- Agitation (e.g. hissing when damaged limb is touched)
Types
There is a variety of injuries that can cause trauma to the front leg, and they are as varied as the symptoms your cat can present. Some of the more common ailments include:
- Strained/pulled muscle
- Bone fracture/dislocation
- Damaged tendon/ligament (e.g. carpal hyperextension)
- Infection due to bite or other trauma
- Arthritis
Causes of Front Leg Injury in Cats
A few things commonly cause injuries to a cat’s front leg. Some can be extremely severe, while others can be treated rather easily. No matter, if your cat experiences any of the following, it is important to seek professional treatment to assure they heal properly:
- A bite from an animal or insect can lead to an infection of the limb.
- Traumatic accidents such as being struck by a motor vehicle or falling from heights can cause severe injuries.
- Jumping can cause tears or strains on soft tissues or joints.
- Landing from heights can injure front legs.
Diagnosis of Front Leg Injury in Cats
Due to the broad range of causes and types of leg injuries, a veterinarian will be sure to conduct a comprehensive examination to determine just how to handle your cat's injury. One of the first steps a vet will take is asking for a complete medical history. This can help determine if the issues with your cat's front legs are due to illnesses such as arthritis.
Next, your cat will undergo a complete physical examination. During this evaluation, your cat may be sedated in order for the tests to be performed adequately and without causing further stress to the animal. If your cat has been bitten or has an open wound, your vet will check the site for any infections. Blood work may be done as well to determine your cat's overall health. Another primary test conducted is a standard X-ray; however, the scan may not always indicate exactly what is wrong.
Your vet may also wish to check for instability which is done by overextending the damaged limb, otherwise known as a stress radiograph. This particular test is usually done in the case of damage to the ligaments such as the case with carpal hyperextension. In the case of a major trauma, it can sometimes lead to internal damage. If this is the case, further tests will be conducted such as a CT scan.
You can assist in the diagnosis process by keeping track of the symptoms your cat has presented and how long these signs have been occurring.
Treatment of Front Leg Injury in Cats
Once a diagnosis has been discovered, it is important that you follow your vet's treatment plan in order for your cat to heal.
Immobilization
Depending on the injury, stabilizing the limb can help improve your cat's condition. To keep it immobilized, a bandage or splint will be used. Sometimes, this is only a temporary treatment to prevent further damage while a more definite treatment is sought. The use of just a cast or splint within a bandage can successfully treat certain front leg injuries. This immobilization can sometimes last as little as four weeks or longer than six.
Surgery
In the case of a major front leg injury, your vet will recommend surgery. They may insert pins or wires through the skin/bone that often noticeably poke out of the skin. In some cases, these are all removed upon the bone healing. In other cases, things such as pins or screws that are placed on or inside the bone are kept in as long as there are no further complications.
Another surgery your vet may perform concerns joint fusion, or what is known as 'arthrodesis.' This can be temporary or permanent. This procedure can cause a decrease in motion, but even cats that undergo a partial arthrodesis can have greater function. However, some can develop or retain some lameness.
In the event of a severe injury that has caused the front leg to become useless, or if all other options to fix it has been exhausted without success, your vet may recommend amputation. This is a serious option in which your vet will thoroughly examine your cat's overall health to be sure no other treatment can be taken, as well as whether or not their remaining limbs can support them.
Infection Treatment
If the front leg is infected due to cases such as an animal bite, then your vet may want to place your cat under anesthesia first in order to treat the infection. The afflicted area will be disinfected, and if an abscess has formed, then the pus will be removed and the wound promptly flushed and sterilized. Prompt treatment with antibiotics once an infection is noticed can help prevent the development of an abscess.
Medication
Beyond antibiotics to treat infections, your vet may prescribe a couple of different medications depending on the primary treatments. Anti-inflammatory medication will greatly assist in handling swelling as well as any fevers that may arise. To manage your cat's pain, your vet may inject painkillers while the pet is hospitalized. Once sent home, further oral pain medication can be given according to the plan laid out by your vet.
Recovery of Front Leg Injury in Cats
It is always important to keep a close watch on your cat once they have been treated for a front leg injury, and the time it takes to fully recover depends on the severity of the damage.
If your cat has been bandaged, it is necessary to properly observe and care for it daily. You should follow up immediately with your vet if you notice things such as your cat showing major signs of discomfort with the bandage, any sort of odors or sores, or any swelling around the bandage such as in the toes. Also, be sure to keep the bandage clean and dry, and avoid modifying the splint in any way. Your vet will walk you through the proper way to change the bandages, and you should keep to a regular schedule.
Following any treatment, especially surgery, it is essential that your cat is well rested and that activity is restricted. You can confine your cat to a single room, but be aware that they can jump from various surfaces, so be sure to remove anything that they can leap on or off of. Your vet may recommend 'cage rest', something that many owners and pets alike find difficult at times. In spite of any feelings on the matter, it is important to follow the vet's instructions if they have ordered your cat to be in a crate while healing.
Your cat may also arrive home with an Elizabethan Collar to prevent chewing on the area, something typically used for up to two weeks. This is mainly in the case of amputation. Limiting your cat's activity following this treatment is vital until they have recovered.
Make certain to have routine follow-up appointments with your vet. They can more properly check any dressings, remove sutures, and order X-rays to be sure the injury is healing.
Front Leg Injury Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
I have a stray kitten and her front paw is swollen 2x it's size i tried to look at it and she was in a lot of pain can't put her paw down she is still eating and drinking with sugar being a stray i really don't know if she was hit by a car or got bit by another animal
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My cat is 2 years old now but I’ve just noticed he is limping of his front paw and meows if we cry to look at him. Although he is trying to walk on it .
What do I do it’s the first incident that he has had
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I came home from work today and was letting my cat in when i noticed she was limping. she seems reluctant to put any weight on it. I didn't see any cuts or scrapes but it did seem like her foot looked like it was protruding on the side. I gently pressed it and she immediately jerked away and meowed/hissed. is there any way to treat this at home, as I dont have a lot of money to pay for a vet?
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My cat was outside 2 days ago and came in with a slight limp (front right leg). Yesterday the limp appeared worse and the same today. We've not allowed him back outside so that we can keep an eye on him. Also because we have a number of barn cats outside and don't want him having to deal with them when he isn't feeling well. He appears to be hesitant to jump up or down to furniture, etc...which is probably good as with most cats of his breed he is quite heavy(close to 20 lbs) which I'm sure puts extra strain on his leg if he lands on it. I have checked his foot and leg and can't feel anything unusual. He also doesn't react in pain to me touching his leg or foot. His appetite was normal yesterday and so far today is down a bit but he is still eating. I'm hoping its a strain and a couple of days rest will show improvement but I would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks
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Hi. I woke up this morning to my indoor female cat (about 6 years old) meowing loudly with her front right paw curled up and stiff. She will not put any weight on it. We live in a carpeted apartment and I was only asleep for a few hours in between her paw being normal to now stiff and curled under. Took her to the vet for a physical and they cannot see anything that is wrong- she lets us touch her paw and leg and vet says nothing seems to be broken or fractured. Can not afford the next step of X-rays etc. so I took her home hoping it will heal on its own. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, the pads of her sore paw are lighter in coloring than the other healthy three. Vet was perplexed as am I. Thank you
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my cat started limbing and can't walk on her front left feet when she was about to sleep i tried to move the arm but there was no signs of me hurting the cat but when i touched an area around the front feet joint she wake up and bite me, the cat has a weird limb shape like a dislocated one i don't know really, What is it that happening with the cat is it a fracture or a dislocated bone? and what is the best treatment for her?
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My cat is putting some weight, however not all of his weight on to his front right paw. We did not see what might have happened to cause this. He is eating really well and is allowing me to touch is his paw without any discomfort. He is refusing to jump down off of the bed or high spaces but will jump up to those spots.
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My cat is 11 and has started limping on one of his front legs over the last few days. He doesn't seem to be in any pain and nothing looks abnormal. You can touch his leg with no issues and he is still jumping about using both legs to play. It is only when he walks after sitting or laying down when he limps as if it is a bit stiff. He is eating as normal etc, in fact everything about him seems normal other than his limping. What could this be? Thanks.
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a couple weeks ago a male young cat attcked my female fixed older cat.she disapperd for 24hrs i guess she was afraid to come home because he was stocking her.but now she limping and doest want to eat and feels warm.this is 3 times this last yr he has attck her.she looked like she was ok when she came bc home .next day she seems very hurt and limping on her right leg.
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The limp may be attributable to the attack from your other cat or from something during her 24 hour absence. Sprains, bites and fractures are all possible causes of limping; I would advise you to have her checked by your Veterinarian and to get some pain relief for her too. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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My 3 month old kitty is very playful and sleeps in my room with me. I make sure to kitty proof the room so she can't get into trouble with chewing wires, etc, well this morning I woke up to give her her breakfast and it took her awhile to come out of my room, and when she finally did, she was trying not to put weight on her front left paw. She is an inside cat, no fleas, has her shots, etc and the only danger in my room is jumping from my bed to the floor which she does routinely day in and day out. I'm hoping her paw isn't more than just a sprain because she hasn't been near anything dangerous. Your thoughts doc?
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Unfortunately without examining Meredith I cannot put your mind at ease; cats (like dogs) jump up and down from furniture and manage it 99.9% of the time, sometimes they place a paw wrong and cause a sprain. I would give it a day if she isn’t in a lot of pain, but if there is no improvement visit your Veterinarian. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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Medication Used
Our cat started limping on his front left leg 6 days ago, quite severly. I took him to the vet who flexed his legs and compared both front legs. Larry showed no signs of pain (vocally or physically) as a result the vet prescribe some anti-inflammatories for the weekend and said to come back if he continues.
As he continued I took him back for an X-ray. They took a pre anaesthesia blood test as well. The vet could see no signed of breaks or damage however concluded it is his shoulder and tried to categorise it as growing pains.
He has/had a habit of jumping off fences and trees,which I think could have facilitated this injury however with no signs on the x-ray it is confusing.
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Young cats (just as young dogs, other animals and humans) have growth plates in the bones which can be damaged with trauma from jumping, landing or falling. Growth plates can stop growing if the trauma is severe; this is something you would need to keep an eye on and administer any pain relief as required in the meantime. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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We recently got a new puppy and our cat strongly dislikes her. We let him out of the house and he didn't come back until two days later, but with major swelling in his front left paw. He has a bad limo and won't put weight on it. Riley also hisses or growls when we try to touch it.
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There are many causes of swelling of the paw including trauma, foreign body (small thorn entering the underside), infection, allergy etc… Wash the paw thoroughly and check the paw for any cuts or scratches, if you see nothing or you’re having trouble visit your Veterinarian. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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My cat was under a recliner love seat my husband was moving it and the cat was under it and he let it down on her leg she it's just hanging as she try to walk she cry out when we pick her up she only lay in one spot
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If the leg is just hanging and Kitty is in pain, please visit your Veterinarian or Emergency Veterinarian immediately to as least make Kitty more comfortable and to take an x-ray to assess the severity of the injury. If the leg is broken, the movement of the bone against the other will be extremely painful for Kitty. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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my husband was standing on a small foot stool to fix the ceiling fan and it kicked out from under him, our cat was right around the stool, as he wants to help with everything my husband does and the stool must have hit his front leg somehow. he is using that foot to stretch and reach for stuff but puts no weight on it, can i take my cat in for just an x-ray to make sure his leg is not broken? He is eating good and playing just not putting weight on his leg if he can help it.
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I cannot see any reason why a Veterinary Clinic wouldn’t allow you to have an x-ray as a paying client. I would advise seeing your Veterinarian for some flexion tests as well as the x-ray to determine the extent of injury. It is possible that there is ligament damage which can take time to heal (ligaments are poorly vascularised so take longer to heal). Being cautious and having the leg examined would be useful to determine if it requires splinting or not. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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Belfast
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4 Months
Emerson Cole
Domestic Long Haired
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