Your kitty can easily strain a muscle running down stairs or leaping up onto the kitchen counter. Or she might suffer a paw injury if she steps on a thorn or bit of glass during an outdoor romp. The most obvious sign of soreness is likely to be limping. Cat injuries are a little tricky to identify, though, since Fluffy can’t tell you what happened or where it hurts.
The first step in helping your cat is to pay attention to the way she’s limping. If your cat is hopping along without putting weight on the injured leg but the leg isn’t visibly broken, your kitty may have severe muscle strain. A cat limping but able to put some weight on an injured leg may have a mild strain, a thorn or other sharp object in her paw, or even an abscess from a wound that is hidden by her fur. Knowing the nature of a cat injury will give you an advantage in choosing the right treatment.
Sore Paw? Check for Glass and Thorns
If your cat returns from a romp outside licking her paw constantly, there may be a thorn, shard of glass, or other sharp object stuck in her tootsie. Gently check the pad of her paw and between the toes and see what you can find.
If the foreign object looks like it’s embedded near the surface of your cat’s skin, carefully pull it out. Immediately following the removal, clean the wound with water or hydrogen peroxide (available at pharmacies or grocery stores) by placing the liquid on a clean cloth and blotting your cat’s paw. After you cleanse the area, apply a dab of antibacterial ointment, such as Neosporin. Don’t bandage the injured area; leave it open and monitor the situation for a few days. Call the vet if the wound does not seem to be healing.
If something is deeply embedded in your cat’s paw, or if you try to remove it and can’t, don’t force the issue. The sharp object may have punctured an artery or caused other damage, and you could worsen the situation by poking around. Instead, have your vet safely remove the source of your kitty’s paw pain.
If It’s Muscle Pain, Cats Need to Chillax
Muscle strains are not very serious for cat, but they heal best when the muscle is given a chance to recover. If you suspect that your limping cat has simply strained a muscle, try to keep her calm and quiet for a few days. Minimize playtime and let her sleep a lot if she wants to. If your cat wants to be touched, take the opportunity to do some gentle brushing, avoiding the sore area. If she does not want to be touched, hands off. Cat lameness gives her a free pass to be a little fussy.