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Found kitten dragging leg, no pain. Broken or sprained? Vet options?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | 3 lbs

i found a lost kitten at my work & she's dragging her left front leg as she walks, with little/no weight being put on it. she doesn't act like it's hurting her though i'm scared it is. we tried calling all the animal shelters in the area & none were open this late or had an after hours number to call. i want to take her to an emergency vet to get the leg checked, but i'm scared that i won't be able to afford the bill & i can't stand to see her suffer. how can i tell if it is broken or sprained?

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3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By David Darvishian

Veterinarian

Published on July 17th, 2017

Nala is a beautiful kitten and I understand that you are scared. At least you took it upon yourself to help save her and I appreciate that. Honestly, you probably can't tell whether it's broken or sprained. If she is dragging the left front leg, a few things come to mind. Those include some nerve damage or fracture secondary to some kind of trauma. Also, other trauma resulting in soft tissue damage could be involved also, as you have mentioned. Other possibilities include a developmental problem with the leg, an inflammatory process, or an infectious process. Your veterinarian would be able to do a complete physical exam and/or imaging studies (xrays) to determine the problem with the leg. Since pain is somewhat hard to determine, a visit to your local vet or emergency clinic is indicated. And if you are considering giving her an over the counter medicine, please consult a veterinarian for their advice before doing that. It's quite possible that when you take her, the clinic may have options for her to be taken care of since you basically found her as a stray. I wish you good luck with Nala.

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    Answered By Cara, DVM, cVMA

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    I would take Nala to the veterinarian. The vet will be able to give you an estimate for her exam and x-rays if needed and will come up with treatment options for you. Kittens are very tough and they heal quickly but you need to find out what's going on with her.

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    Answered By Laura Johnson VMD

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Nala is very cute and lucky to have found you! There is no way for you to tell if it the leg is broken, sprained or has nerve damage. If Nala is otherwise stable (eating, drinking, breathing fine) wait until the morning and take her to a Veterinarian. They can tell a lot by a physical exam and will go over all the costs with you before doing anything. Good luck!

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