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Why is my cat limping without pain, still eating and playing normally?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Female | 2 years and 3 months old | 9 lbs

my 2 year old female spayed calico cat has been limping for about a week now but my fiance nor I can tell which leg or paw is causing the limp, we have took each of her legs front and back and squeezed from the paw all the way up each of her legs and neither of us gets a reaction of that leg or paw being in pain. she is still eating, playing, and jumping like normal. I just would like some idea of why she may be limping since she is not showing any signs of pain.

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 27th, 2017

Sunshine is adorable! So sorry she is having this issue. She likely strained or sprained a ligament or tendon. Cats will take longer to heal from these things because they just don't know to rest themselves. They still jump and run around which doesn't give the leg time to heal. If she doesn't seem painful I would just monitor her for now. If you can minimize her jumping/running that would be great. If she goes outside I would keep her indoors only for couple weeks. If no improvement after a couple weeks then I would say you should take her in to the vet for an exam. Whatever you do, DO NOT give her any over the counter anti-inflammatory medications - cats are extremely sensitive to those medications and you can make her really sick. Best wishes to you and Sunshine! I hope this helps!

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    Answered By Dr. Macartney, BVet Med, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    I am very sorry to hear that Sunshine is limping, I am sure it is worrying for you both. Unfortunately, there are many reasons why a cat may limp, ranging from injury, infection, cat bite abscesses, osteoarthritis, disorders of the growing bones or joints, and even some cancers. Cats can be very stoic creatures and hide their pain well, it is also difficult to tell which limb is affected without a great deal of training in the observation of gait abnormalities. In young, otherwise healthy cats, the most common cause for limping is injury or trauma to one of the structures within the leg, such as a ligament, bone or tendon, following a jump from a high surface or a fall. These often heal on their own, and get better everyday. In order to determine the precise cause of Sunshine's limping it would be best to take her in for an examination by a veterinarian. A veterinarian will also be able to make Sunshine comfortable by providing pain relief medication. The vet may also perform an orthopaedic exam and an X-ray. If Sunshine seems very uncomfortable or depressed, you suspect a broken bone, the limb is dangling at an unnatural angle, a limb is being dragged, severe swelling is occurring, the limb is hot, bone is piercing the skin, or nonstop bleeding is occurring, Sunshine needs to see a veterinarian immediately. If none of the above are occurring, and due to the high frequency of trauma cases in limping cats, as well as Sunshine's young age, you can try conservative management at home for 24 hours to see if Sunshine improves. Keep Sunshine as comfortable as possible, and strict rest with as little movement as can be managed When moving handle with care Do no give Sunshine any medications without a veterinarian’s approval Switch to a warm compress after 24 hours if you can observe which limb is affected. If pain or limping continues after 24 hours then take Sunshine to see a veterinarian. I hope this was a helpful answer and more importantly that Sunshine feels better soon. Warmest regards and best of luck to you both.

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