My cat is lethargic and has a tender back leg. Is it a sprain?

Question

My usually very active cat has stayed inside since last night. This morning he was asleep and woke up ran down the stairs and used his litter tray before jumping onto a raised blanket he sleeps on. He has spent the day sleeping in his basket. He has passed urine throughout the day, not eaten a large amount but has eaten some sardines and drank some water. When checking him over it appears that his back right thigh is tender. He is sitting on it putting weight on it. Could this be a sprain? Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered

Anna M., DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. While it's *possible* that Ernie has a mild injury like a sprain, in all truthfulness a minor sprain wouldn't usually cause a cat to act as lethargic as you described with Ernie. Cats are pretty good at getting around on 3 legs, so usually with a sprain or similar minor injury, they're just as active as ever but simply put less weight on the sore leg. If he's sleeping an unusually large amount, and eating less than usual, that sounds to me like he's feeling ill. My biggest concern in a kitty who spends time outside and is now lethargic and has a sore leg, would be a bite wound, usually from another cat - they can be very sneaky and hard to find until the resulting infection flares up. It would be worth having Ernie seen by your vet if he doesn't seem back to his usual self tomorrow. Hope this helps!

My cat is lethargic and has a tender back leg. Is it a sprain?

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