The cat cannot walk - reasons and solutions

Have you noticed that your cat suddenly stops walking? Are you wondering about common reasons that may explain why your cat can't walk or why your cat is struggling to walk? Although the causes of this difficulty are not always serious, it is usually necessary to contact your veterinarian to determine appropriate treatment. This treatment can only be prescribed after you have discovered the cause that is preventing cats from moving normally.

Sometimes surgery may be necessary for recovery, hence the importance of consulting a veterinarian. So, if your cat walks strangely or can't walk at all, don't hesitate to contact a professional. To learn more about “why my cat can’t walk,” keep reading the article.

The cat cannot walk on its hind legs

Before we begin to explain the reasons why a cat cannot walk or stand, we need to pay attention to the characteristics of this obstacle. A cat may develop paralysis if it stops walking altogether. This is a problem that is more common in the hind legs, which completely prevents them from moving. Therefore, your cat will not be able to walk or stand.

Are your cat's back legs giving out? In other cases, a cat cannot walk because its paws don't work, most often the cat's back paws. In these cases the weakness is obvious. You may notice that your cat is standing but falling or unable to move at all. Sometimes this is successful, but with strange movements, such as abnormal leg lifting or your cat moving its paws in circles. In other cases, difficulty with mobility occurs because the cat is suffering from tremors, tics, or convulsions throughout the body.

Signs of constipation in kittens

Constipation can rightfully be called one of the most common difficulties that a growing animal has to face. You can determine if there are difficulties with bowel movements and help your kitten by noticing the following signs:

frequent attempts to defecate;
dry and hard excrement;
noticeable discomfort of the animal during the next attempt to empty the intestines (plaintive meowing, fear);
the presence of bloody or mucous discharge in the stool;
complete lack of appetite;
weight loss.

Paralysis in cats

Causes of paralysis in cats may include an accident, a blow, a dog attack, or a steep fall. This occurs when there is damage to the spinal column, affecting the connection between the nervous system and the legs. This can cause your cat's legs to become immobile. These injuries can also cause more serious injuries, so if you notice that your cat is struggling to walk, immediate veterinary consultation is necessary. Be sure to handle your cat carefully to avoid aggravating the injury.

Typically, when it comes to paralysis due to injury, your cat will try to move as if it were uninjured by dragging its paws. Does your cat drag its back or front paws?

X-rays can give us information about the condition of a cat's spine. Treatment will depend on the damage. Medication, rehabilitation, or surgery may be required. A cat suffering from paralysis may recover or have permanent effects, depending on the specifics of the case.

To prevent paralysis in cats, make sure your cat avoids open windows and outside hazards. You can put mosquito nets on the windows to prevent the cat from falling.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can also cause paralysis of a cat's legs, especially the hind legs and tail. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats occurs when the cat's cardiovascular system does not work well and blood flow is reduced.

What prevents a kitten from understanding what a tray is for?

Age

If a baby is taken from his mother at too early an age, even before she has shown him the purpose of the tray, he simply will not understand why this strange thing is in the corner. Up to 2 months, the mother cat “cleans up” after the children herself, and the baby himself will be at a loss: “Where does THIS all come from?!” But, since instinct tells him that THIS should not remain within the “nest”, the kitten will simply run away a certain distance and do its business wherever it feels like it - then the mother will clean up!

Often, a baby deprived of mother's milk becomes constipated, and the kitten does not go to the toilet for generally 2-3 days. What to do? If the period of “no pooping” drags on, then the baby needs to be given an enema and held in the tray so that he can empty his intestines in the right place, thereby taking the first step towards accustoming to the tray.

Breed

Cats, close to nature, have an innate cleanliness. This is the law of survival in the wild: there should be no smell from a lurking predator - one, and it should be difficult to discover the location of its lair - two. That’s why cats bury their “internal waste” in the ground – they hide it. Question: “How to train a cat to use the litter box if it is an adult?” – occurs rarely and there must be good reasons for this. But in breeds that are “terribly far from the people,” such problems can often arise: the extinction of natural protective instincts is called. If over the course of many generations this or that instinct is not confirmed by the need for survival, it fades over time or is lost altogether.

Fear

You know exactly what the cat tray is for, but the kitten is not familiar with this thing at all! This foul-smelling trough (the new plastic has a very specific smell) can cause elementary fear in the baby. And, of course, there is no reason for the kitten to want to trust this incomprehensible object. “Eagle pose” is the most vulnerable pose of animals. And you want the kitten to take this vulnerable pose right in this scary place for him?!

Toys

This is the other side of the same question: “What is this thing?” By leaving your kitten to explore the litter box on his own, you may find that your kitten's litter box is used as a luxurious playground for play and relaxation. How could it be otherwise if these balls scatter and roll around the floor so well?! And then, after racing with the filler, it’s so nice to relax in this dry pool with balls!

A matter of taste!

Once in a new home, a kitten has to get acquainted with many new things and smells. The food also changes, often taking the form of dense dry balls, which are very similar to the granules poured into a cat tray. It may not be as tasty, but it’s just as crunchy! And so the kitten eats the litter, mistaking it for a new type of food.

The second option is that the kitten’s teeth are changing, and he uses dry balls to scratch his itchy gums.

The third option is that a growing organism does not have enough minerals for further development, and this organism tries to make up for their deficiency in such an unconventional way. Kitty litter consists of clay and hard minerals and grain waste, so it is not surprising that the kitty litter box is turning from a litter box into an all-inclusive system.

Option four is one of the symptoms of developing rabies. This irreversible disease is characterized not only by aggressive behavior, as many people think, but by a multitude of symptoms! And one of them is when cats grab and eat completely inedible objects: stones, wood, litter for toilets, etc., etc.

All these actions must be stopped immediately! Such a “diet” threatens the death of your pet!

By the way, “A Matter of Taste” concerns all animals in the third and fourth points. What does the owner of adult cats and cats need to know if the cat does not go to the toilet specially placed for him?

The cat can't walk straight

There are many reasons why a cat does not walk. In older cats, you may notice that they stop climbing to heights. This is often a sign of pain, often caused by a degenerative process such as osteoarthritis.

Cats that have previously or are currently recovering from diseases such as feline panleukopenia (feline parvovirus) may also suffer from neurological complications that affect their walking. These cats will have difficulty walking straight and lifting their legs correctly. Does your cat lose balance easily? Does your cat lack coordination? This could be the reason. Such damage may be permanent, but it does not prevent your cat from leading a normal life.

Changing the filler

Cats are big conservatives. Even when it comes to tray filler. And then, as luck would have it, you couldn’t find what you needed in the nearest store, so you purchased a similar one. Wow, the squeamish pet sniffed it and decided that it didn’t suit him. While the owner finds and brings the usual one, he will do his business wherever he needs to. We are not talking about changing the type of filler (switching, for example, from wood to clay). Advice: never unnecessarily change a filler that works well.

Vestibular syndrome in cats

Feline vestibular syndrome is a neurological disease in cats that causes symptoms such as:

Head tilt
Walking in circles
Nystagmus (constant eye movements)
Strabismus
Ataxia in cats, which causes incoordination that makes walking difficult.

This syndrome can be caused by: trauma, otitis in cats, infectious diseases, etc. A neurological examination is required to determine the root cause. Vestibular syndrome in cats is treatable, but some cats may be left with a bowed head as a permanent injury.

Create ideal conditions

clean it thoroughly

If you use clumping litter, the used composition should be removed with a spatula and thrown into a bag. It's better to tie it right away. In the first weeks, you can leave feces in the cat's litter box. This will speed up the addiction process.

All litter in the tray must be changed regularly. This should be done at least once a week. In this case, the cat litter box must be washed thoroughly. You should not use toxic detergents. It is enough to use a soap solution. The tray must be dried after cleaning and washing. Only after this can it be filled with fresh product.

If the kitten has gone past the litter box, then this area must be carefully treated to eliminate odors. Otherwise, the incident will repeat.

The cat cannot walk and does not eat: poisoning

Sometimes cats cannot walk because they have lost control of their body. Are you wondering why your cat doesn't walk and keeps falling? This loss of body control in cats may result from or be caused by seizures, tremors, or tics, sometimes accompanied by other symptoms. These cases are often caused by poisoning, which requires immediate veterinary attention. The prognosis in these cases depends on: the substance that was ingested, the time and age, breed and health of the cat.

To avoid poisoning, seizures or tremors, you must make sure your cat is safe at all times. Be sure to prevent access to potentially toxic substances or plants. Particular care should be taken when it comes to antiparasitic products for dogs, as they sometimes contain active ingredients that are toxic to cats. If you know what substance caused the cat's poisoning, be sure to inform your veterinarian. With fluid therapy and medications, your cat can make a full recovery, although this depends on the prognosis.

The place for the tray is not secluded

For a cat, going to the toilet is a very important and intimate ritual. The tray must be placed in such a place that the kitten does not feel prying eyes when relieving itself. An animal sitting on a tray may be frightened by conversations, laughter, noise, or the curiosity of children or a dog. Therefore, the kitten’s latrine should be secluded and inaccessible to children and other animals. For this purpose, many people make a special hole in the toilet door or buy a closed toilet for cats. However, the easiest way is to explain to your household that you should not chase your cat when it goes to the toilet. You also need to teach the dog not to approach the kitten's litter box.

The cat does not walk on his front paw: injury to the paw pad

Have you noticed that your cat is walking strangely? Sometimes cats have difficulty walking due to injuries. So if you suspect any localized damage to your cat's paws, be sure to carefully examine her toes, nails, and paw pads. If you notice an injury, contact your veterinarian.

To avoid injury to your cat's paws, make sure your cat does not walk on hot surfaces. Also, make sure your cat's nails are always in good condition. Additionally, we recommend establishing a routine where you check your cat's paws and nails regularly.

You made a mistake during the learning process

You cannot force a kitten to go into the litter box. Any methods of punishing a kitten will be ineffective if the animal that has gone the wrong way is spanked, scolded, or poked with its muzzle into a puddle or pile. The innate quality of a cat is the desire to relieve itself in the same secluded place. Therefore, the process of training a kitten requires observation and a lot of patience. Harsh methods of coercion and punishment are unacceptable.

If the owner does this, the pet will choose a time, a place, hide and take revenge. Expert recommendations boil down to the fact that you should be especially attentive to the kitten after feeding, since the animal tends to go to the toilet after eating. At this time, you need to show him where the tray is located. Under no circumstances should you force him to sit in the tray, press on the sacrum, or dig for litter. With a patient, non-aggressive attitude, the kitten will definitely understand what is required of it.

A cat cannot walk on one hind leg: other reasons

If your cat's articulated legs are failing and none of the previous causes fit your cat's individual case, there are other pathologies that carry this condition as a symptom. Have you noticed that your cat can't walk or stand? Other causes of sudden paralysis of the hind legs of cats include:

Constipation
Thrombosis
Herniated disc
Hip dysplasia
Diabetes
Cerebellar hypoplasia
Saddle thrombus (blood clots in cats)
Tick paralysis

In all of these cases, veterinary intervention is necessary. If your cat is struggling to walk and is not receiving professional medical attention, your cat's life may be seriously at risk.

Preparation

The appearance of a kitten in the house - such a decision should be made at a family council, since its presence should evoke positive emotions. If you are bothered by the noise caused by the kitten’s playfulness, its nightly “vigils,” and its fur constantly flying in the air, then you should wait to purchase a kitty.

Before the baby arrives in the house, it is necessary to make some preparations. First of all, this concerns the choice of tray. The store sells trays with different side heights. If you have already decided on the breed, you can guess the future parameters of your pet. The tray should be designed for an adult cat, since it is quite possible for a small kitten to overcome a side that is twelve centimeters high, but a grown cat will feel uncomfortable in a ditch that is not the right size.

The next step is where the tray will stand. The corner should be secluded, as the kitten does not like to show off its affairs. A toilet or bathroom is good for these purposes, provided there is enough space. The main thing is that the pipes do not rattle and the water does not make loud noise, which can scare away the baby.

It is important to find out from breeders or previous owners how their kitten went to the toilet. If you used a certain brand of filler, then purchase exactly that one for the first time, and then gradually replace it with the one you prefer

If the kitten went to the newspaper, then you will have to use this option, and then switch to a more convenient one.

And remember, the litter box should appear in the house with the kitten, and no inheritance from previous furry residents or neighbors. Cats have an excellent sense of smell, and no matter how hard you try to wash the used tray for the new owner, everything will be to no avail.

The kitten doesn't walk

Have you noticed that your kitten can't walk or stand? In addition to the above-mentioned syndromes, when it comes to kittens, we must analyze the possibility of fading kitten syndrome.

Kittens, especially those under 8 weeks of age, are very fragile and susceptible to disease. If your kitten suddenly cannot walk, is lethargic and unresponsive, immediate veterinary attention is required!

Fading kitten syndrome: symptoms

Labored breathing
Problems walking or standing
Lethargy
Excessive crying
Pale or white gums
Low body temperature

Fading kitten syndrome: causes

Insufficient care and attention
Injury
Hypothermia
Bacterial infection
Viral infections: herpes virus, feline AIDS, etc.
Poorly developed immunity

Fading kitten syndrome: treatment

If your kitten is not walking, is very cold, or is showing any other signs of the symptoms above: Take him to the vet IMMEDIATELY. Also, make sure the kitten is warm, has enough water, and is offered an adequate, high-quality diet.

Tray requirements

The kitten doesn’t want to go to the litter box and why does it go to other corners? This is a question many cat lovers ask. There may be a problem with the tray itself.

Recommendations:

the cat litter box should be conveniently located;
there should be peace and quiet in the toilet;
you should select a tray so that the kitten can easily enter it or the sides should have a height corresponding to the kitten’s height;
dryness and warmth are the best friends of any cat, so daily cleaning should be done;
Some kittens like litter boxes made in the shape of a house, and some don’t like confined spaces, so it’s worth experimenting here;
The baby should also like the smell.

You cannot scold or beat your pet because he missed or walks incorrectly; cats are frightened by swearing and screaming, and next time they will simply be confused and will not know what to do. After the first week of your furry friend’s stay with the new owners, you can understand what he likes and what needs to be corrected so that the cat is happy with everything. To do this, you need to monitor your pet's behavior on a daily basis.

An old cat cannot walk: reasons

Have you noticed that your old cat can't walk or stand? Cats between 7 and 8 years of age become prone to diseases such as arthritis. Feline arthritis is very common in older cats, so it should not be ignored as a possible reason why your older cat is not walking. Other reasons older cats may not be able to walk include:

Diabetes: nerve degeneration
Hyperthyroidosis
Kidney disease
Blindness

If your older cat is unable to walk or stand, take her to the vet IMMEDIATELY. A professional will be able to properly diagnose the problem and treat accordingly.

Sources : https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/4055520 https://www.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/ajplegacy.1943.139.5.667?journalCode=ajplegacy

Kitten is stressed

Many cats react very nervously to any changes. They do not like moving, changing furniture, or repairs. They have a hard time with the arrival of new people in the house. For pets, having a baby can be stressful. In this case, you shouldn’t be surprised when puddles appear in unexpected places throughout the house. This only means that the kitten is stressed, he is marking his territory and defending himself. He should not be punished for this, but it is better to show him to the vet so that he can prescribe sedatives. This will help the cat recover and adapt to new living conditions.

Author: Elena Romanenko
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