The cat's hind legs hurt - reasons and what to do

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Those who have lived with cats for a long time note that many pets often experience a strange and unpleasant situation. Suddenly the animal sits down on its hind legs, begins to pull them, and thus constantly moves around the house. We’ll help you figure out what the problem is when a cat pulls its hind legs and how to help your pet cope with it.

Speaking from a theoretical point of view, stretching of the hind legs in cats can be directly associated with a number of disorders in the functioning of the limbs. In some cases, paws may be removed due to unsuccessful exposure to the external environment. For example, when a cat makes an incorrect and hard landing on its hind legs.

But this is far from the only reason. Thus, problems of internal organs can also cause limited ability to work in the lower extremities.

It is worth noting that with this disorder, the cat refuses to be stroked on the back and reacts aggressively to any touch to the lower part of the spine.

Why does the kitten walk poorly?

Cerebellar ataxia in cats is a congenital pathology. It manifests itself at an early age, when kittens begin to take their first independent steps.

Ataxia is a disorder of motor coordination. This deviation can have various origins. In this case, the cause of the pathology is underdevelopment of the cerebellum. This organ is responsible for the sensation of the body’s position in space and the coherence of movements.

In sick kittens, damage to the cerebellum occurs during fetal development due to various adverse effects on the mother’s body during pregnancy. Various factors can contribute to the birth of a sick kitten. Most often, cerebellar ataxia in babies occurs if a pregnant cat has had panleukopenia (distemper). Parvovirus causes damage to the cerebellum, which leads to hypoplasia of the organ.

Ataxia in kittens usually develops if the mother becomes ill with distemper in the later stages. Infection with panleukopenia early in pregnancy usually leads to the death of the embryos. If the infection occurs closer to birth, then both dead kittens and cubs with cerebellar hypoplasia may be born.

Other harmful effects on the mother’s body can also lead to congenital ataxia in a kitten:

bacterial infectious diseases;
food or poison poisoning;
helminthic infestation;
poor nutrition.

There is also a hereditary form of ataxia in cats. However, this pathology is rare.

Hind paw failure: the most common causes

Loss of limb mobility can occur for a variety of reasons. It is extremely difficult for an animal owner to make a diagnosis on his own; a trip to a veterinary clinic will help to adequately assess the condition of a sick cat, completely cure and restore the pet.

Spinal column injuries.

The hind limbs lose mobility due to spinal injuries. Particular attention should be paid to the lumbar region. A cat walking on the streets can get injured.

The spine can be damaged when hit by a car, bicycle, motorcycle, or falling from a tree or fence. Cats living at home can also injure their spinal column by falling from a ledge or cabinet. Symptoms: the pet drags its back, the tail is motionless, the cat feels weak.

Thrombus in the femoral artery.

When the femoral artery is blocked (thromboembolism), the pet gradually loses sensitivity in the limbs, the cat suffers from severe pain in the lumbar region, screams, and tries to bite the lower back. Tissue necrosis that accompanies the blockage process leads to complete failure of the hind legs.

Timely therapy provided to the pet in the first hours can lead to complete recovery of the body. Inaction on the part of the owner will result in the painful death of the animal in 3-4 days.

Tick bite.

Be sure to read:
Gingivitis in cats: how to recognize and treat the disease

An ixodid tick bite leads to paralysis and subsequent death. The pathological condition is as follows: after the bite, the cat becomes excited, later the animal begins to feel severe weakness, apathy, continuous trembling spreads throughout the body, and paralysis begins.

Therapy should begin when the pet is excited, otherwise it will be too late.

Myelitis.

Myelitis (inflammation of the spinal fluid) can develop as a result of infectious diseases, worms, poisoning with harmful substances, or injury.

The pathology is accompanied by the following symptoms: loss of paw mobility, chaotic movements, elevated body temperature, vomiting, diarrhea, involuntary urination. Timely therapy will lead to complete restoration of sensitivity.

Pathology of the hip joint.

With hip dysplasia, the correct formation of bone tissue is disrupted. Large breed cats are susceptible to the disease.

The pathology causes severe pain when walking, it is difficult for the cat to jump, and the gait changes over time. Without supportive care, the disease can lead to hind leg failure.

Stroke.

Motor activity may disappear due to a stroke. Blood clots can be present in both an elderly pet and a young pet due to poor diet and sedentary lifestyle.

Blockage of blood vessels in the brain leads to paralysis of the limbs. The sooner the pet owner notices the attack and begins treatment, the greater the chance of a full recovery.

Heart failure.

Improper heart function can lead to loss of paw mobility. A diseased organ does not provide the required amount of oxygen to the body, resulting in muscle atrophy. Associated symptoms: the appearance of shortness of breath, dry cough, lethargy.

Signs of pathology

The disease first appears in childhood, when the kitten begins to move actively. The baby walks with a strong stagger (“drunk gait”), often falls and spreads his paws wide when moving. This is the leading symptom of the pathology. In addition, the kitten's head trembles, especially when it tries to focus its attention on a toy or some other object.

Veterinarians distinguish several degrees of cerebellar ataxia in cats:

Easy. The kitten has slight gait disturbances, and the baby periodically falls. But in general, the animal moves without any problems.
Average. The pet's movement is very difficult, and frequent falls are observed. But the animal is still able to walk.
Heavy. The animal cannot move at all.

However, the pets do not experience any other changes in their health status. This disease is not accompanied by pain. Cats with ataxia eat normally and do not feel ill.

A kitten with ataxia develops normally. Damage to the cerebellum does not affect the mental abilities of the pet in any way. The disease also does not affect life expectancy. A cat with ataxia can live to a ripe old age.

This disease does not progress. On the contrary, with age, the animal’s movements become more coordinated. If a cat’s gait worsens over time, then most likely this is due to other pathologies, and not to cerebellar ataxia.

Characteristics of sick cats

Sometimes on the Internet you can find advertisements for the placement of kittens with cerebellar ataxia into good hands. And many owners willingly accept such animals into their homes. Why do people try to buy a sick kitten?

Previously, such cubs were most often euthanized. After all, treatment for cerebellar ataxia in cats has not yet been developed. However, these days, these animals are increasingly finding loving owners.

Cats with ataxia are unaware of their illness. They do not experience any unpleasant sensations. These animals just need extra attention and care. With the help of the owner, sick cats can lead a normal life, especially with mild to moderate pathology.

Cats with congenital cerebellar hypoplasia are distinguished by their kindness and increased affection. They become strongly attached to their owner, as they largely depend on human help. The popularity of these animals is due to their kind and friendly nature.

In the video below you can see two kittens with cerebellar ataxia playing. The disease does not prevent them from being mobile and active.

Recommendations for the owner

It was not possible to cope with the defect using the manipulations described above; it will not be possible to correct it, since modern methods of veterinary practice do not allow this. The defect is considered recessive and genetic, so doctors do not recommend breeding a cat with the same cat in the future. For preventive purposes during pregnancy, the owner of the female will need to provide her with a proper and balanced diet. It is important to remember that during this period the pet needs increased consumption of the components required for the cat’s body. A cat's diet must include lean meats, vegetables, cereals and eggs. Several times a week it is permissible to diversify the menu with fermented milk products and boiled sea fish.

Diagnostics

An experienced veterinarian can detect the disease during examination of the kitten. A characteristic sign of this pathology is the onset of problems with coordination of movements at an early age.

However, ataxia can also have other origins. This symptom can occur with injuries, infections and tumors. Therefore, the veterinarian takes a history and may ask the owner the following questions:

Has the kitten ever fallen or been injured?
Did the cat have any poisoning?
What infections did the cub have?
Are there any other health problems other than poor motor coordination?

An MRI examination will help make an accurate diagnosis of a kitten. Using this diagnosis, it is possible to establish underdevelopment of the cerebellum.

Treatment

How to treat ataxia in cats? If the pathology is associated with congenital underdevelopment of the cerebellum, then currently no effective treatment methods have been developed. A sick kitten will never be able to move as confidently as healthy animals. However, most owners find it very difficult to come to terms with this situation. How to help the baby?

Treatment of ataxia in cats at home can only consist of developing movements through games. This will be a kind of physical therapy for your pet.

Hind limb injuries

Very often, cats get into car accidents, the consequence of such injuries can be a pelvic fracture. In such cases, it is almost impossible to restore the cat’s health at home. The animal must be anesthetized and anti-shock therapy administered by infusion, and this can only be done in a clinic. Depending on the severity of the injury, your cat may need to undergo surgery to realign the injured limbs.

How to play with a kitten

To develop coordination of movements, it is useful to arrange games with “prey” in the form of a toy mouse or other object suspended on a fishing rod with a string. It needs to be moved along the floor or slightly raised above the surface. There is no need to force your pet to reach for a toy; such a kitten does not stand well on its hind legs. Also, do not force your pet to jump, otherwise it may end in a fall.

But throwing movements work well for kittens with ataxia. The animal may ambush the toy. In this case, the kitten usually turns over on its back and grabs the prey with its paws. Developing such movements in a cat is very useful.

We must not forget about games for the development of fine motor skills. Nowadays, there are special puzzles for cats on sale with balls and toys hidden inside, as well as mazes. Such toys are very useful for animals with ataxia, as they help develop the accuracy of small movements.

All educational games must be supervised by the owner. After all, cats with ataxia fall very often.

Purulent endometritis

Among the most common diseases with such symptoms is purulent endometritis, also called feline cystic hyperplasia . The first signs are constant efforts to urinate and thirst. A little later, the cat’s hind legs begin to hurt, she begins to pull them, while constantly meowing in pain. This disease is accompanied by general weakness and malaise of the animal.

If a cat has been diagnosed with endometritis, then it is urgent to undergo a strip operation, during which the uterus and ovaries will be removed. Treatment with drugs will not give the desired result. The disease will appear again after the next heat, and this will happen constantly.

How to make your home safe for your pet

Since there is no effective treatment for cerebellar ataxia, it is very important to protect your pet as much as possible from injury from falls. After all, a lack of coordination will accompany the animal throughout its life. To prevent the kitten from getting hurt, you must follow the following rules:

It is very important that the floor is not slippery, otherwise the animal’s paws will move apart greatly. Wood flooring should be smooth to prevent your pet from getting a splinter. The ideal surface is carpet. It will be convenient for the cat to move around. You can also cover the floor with rugs.
It is necessary to remove from the floor all large unnecessary objects that the cat might stumble upon while moving.
Many cats love to climb on bedspreads and curtains. Such vertical surfaces must be securely fastened. You need to pay attention to the length of your pet’s claws. After all, with their help the animal clings to the fabric. You cannot cut the nails too short, otherwise the pet will not be able to hold on to them. At the same time, the claws should not be allowed to curl and get stuck in the fabric.
Feeding cats with ataxia should be supervised by the owner. An animal with a movement disorder often splashes water and scatters food. Therefore, bowls should be placed so that the feeding area is easy to clean. After eating, you need to wipe the animal's paws and face.

It is important to remember that with ataxia, independent walks are strictly contraindicated for cats. Such animals can get hit by a car; they cannot defend themselves from aggressive relatives and cannot escape from dogs. However, pets with ataxia usually enjoy movement. They can be walked, but only on a harness.

Veterinarian advice on prevention

How to prevent cerebellar ataxia in cats? It is necessary to protect a pregnant pet from any harmful influences. You need to adhere to the following recommendations from experts on keeping a cat in an “interesting situation”:

You should not let your pet go for walks.
When arriving home, the owner must immediately change his shoes and wash his hands thoroughly. People often carry the distemper virus on the soles of their shoes.
It is necessary to exclude contact of the cat with infected animals.
Before mating, it is necessary to take a parvovirus test and deworm the animal.
A pregnant cat needs adequate nutrition.
It is necessary to monitor the quality of food and protect the animal from poisoning.

Following these rules will significantly reduce the risk of giving birth to a kitten with ataxia.