Why is my cat struggling to walk or move her back legs? Is it serious?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Boop by Petco. I'm very sorry to hear that Kitty is paralyzed in her hind legs. I would be worried about some type of trauma, such as being hit by a car or falling from a tall height. It is also possible for cats to develop a blood clot that gets lodged at the bifurcation of the two major arteries that go to the back legs (called a saddle thrombus), and this cuts off the blood supply to these legs, causing them to slowly die. Since she meows when you try to stand her up, I am really worried that she is quite painful, and recommend that she be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Your vet can examine her and try to determine if there is a treatment for her. Alternatively, if she is very painful and suffering, your vet may recommend humane euthanasia. Again I'm sorry for Kitty, and I hope this information is helpful.

You should take him to to the vet urgently, it is an emergency, it could be nerve damage or a clot in his blood vessels in the legs, either way you have to act fast otherwise the damage will likely be permanent, take him right away to the closest vet.

If Alfie is walking backwards, that can be a sign he is in pain. It may hurt too much to walk correctly. It's possible he could have gotten into a fight or he may have been injured. I believe he needs to see a vet now, so I urge you to take him into one immediately. Best of luck.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Boop by Petco. I'm very sorry to hear that Alfie's back legs stopped working acutely. This is really concerning, and I would have him evaluated by a veterinarian right away. This could be due to some sort of trauma/injury, like to his back/spine. It could also be a neurologic problem. It is also possible for cats to get something called an aortic thromboembolism (ATE), which means a blood clot gets lodged in their aorta (the body's major artery) right where the vessels to the hind legs branch off. This is also called a saddle thrombus, and results in acute loss of blood supply to the hind legs, which is extremely painful. Regardless of why Alfie has stopped using his hind legs, I recommend having him examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Your veterinarian can try to localize the issue and decide what treatment is best. I hope this is helpful!

Hi there and thank you for using Boop by Petco to address your concern. If you think Tinkerbell is having back leg problems and she appears to be in pain, I am concerned that this could be what we call a Saddle Thrombus. This is a condition in which a clot breaks free and travels through the aorta down to the saddle (where the femoral arteries branch off of the aorta). This causes paralysis and severe pain. This is typically related to heart disease. I would recommend having Tinkerbell examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. 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.

Thank you for using Boop by Petco! I’m sorry that Shadow isn’t feeling well! The signs you describe are definitely concerning, as they can mean Shadow has a neurological disease, herniated vertebral disc, or toxin ingestion. I recommend having her seen by a vet immediately, as with some of the conditions above, the prognosis decreases dramatically the longer the signs continue. Your vet can take x-rays and perform bloodwork to determine the cause and begin the appropriate treatment. I hope all is well with Shadow!

If your cat is suddenly very weak, disoriented and unable to walk normally it is best to seek veterinary care at your vet or an ER clinic immediately. It is possible there is an injury, neruologic or muscular issue, illness, or other underlying problem that should be seen ASAP especially if it is causing disorientation and weakness.

Poor Princess! It's important to determine why this is happening in order to be able to treat it effectively. Muscle atrophy in the rear legs can occur due to arthritis, neurologic disease, an injury of some kind, or a metabolic disorder such as diabetes or hyperthyroidism. I would recommend taking Princess to the vet for an exam - he/she can do x-rays, blood work, or other testing if needed to help determine what is causing the muscle loss. Many of these issues are treatable once a diagnosis is made.

This is an emergency, as your cat could be suffering from a riding thrombus, which is a blood clot that keeps blood flowing from the aorta into the femoral arteries. This is a very painful and life threatening condition. She could also have been a victim of a traffic accident hurting her spinal cord. Please take her to a veterinarian or an emergency room right away. The vet will want to do radiographs and a blood test and your kitty will need treatment depending on the diagnosis today.

Hi and thanks for posting. Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear this. It is very hard to say exactly what is going on without examining Kitty first. Kitty may have endured some trauma to her bones or ligaments or perhaps internal organ damage. If she is laying down more frequently and had or is current experiencing trouble walking, she is likely in some pain/discomfort and my best advice would be to take her to see a veterinarian as soon as possible for an exam, x-rays and/or blood work to get a definitive diagnosis. Many veterinary hospitals have financing available through CareCredit which you can apply to to help afford veterinary bills. I have included the website to Care Credit below. https://www.carecredit.com/vetmed