My cat is howling and can't move his back legs. Is it an emergency?

Question

My cat began howling this evening, and we found him in the closet unable to move his back legs. He is approximately 10 years old and has no visible marks. He doesn’t seem to have any tenderness in the area either. Our vet is closed because of the late hour. I’m not sure if I should wait until morning, or take him to an emergency clinic somewhere. Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 8 lbs

Daniel Fonza, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would strongly recommend having him seen by a veterinarian sooner rather than later. I am worried that he may have thrown a blood clot to his back legs causing paralysis. This is known as a saddle thrombus and can be quite painful and serious. This is typically due to heart disease. The sooner he is seen the better. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

My cat is howling and can't move his back legs. Is it an emergency?

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