Cat limping after being outside

My 16 year old cat (who is perfectly agile and suffers only from thyroid problem) went out yesterday morning and came back in 1 hour later dragging his back leg.

He is still jumping around and isn't crying in pain at all. What do you think has caused this?


Since your cat was outside, he might have suffered from some sort of trauma. He may have fallen, been bitten or scratched by another animal, or might have something stuck in the pads of his foot. It seems most likely that he has some sort of injury, even though he may not appear to be in any pain.

If he is eating, drinking, and acting okay, you could just keep a close eye on him for the next few days, and if you don't see improvement, bring him to a veterinarian at that time. However, if there is a decrease in his appetite or he becomes lethargic, or if his symptoms worsen, he should be brought to a veterinarian immediately.

All the best,
Dr. Neely