Stray limping

One of my outside cats I care for who is a TNR disappeared late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. She was there when I took the trash down Wednesday but no show when I fed the next morning which rarely happens. I didn't see her until finally Monday night.

She is limping and won't put any weight on her front left paw. I took her to the vet Monday when I found her since they were still open. They kept her overnight since I don't have anywhere really to keep her from my cats. This way also they could observe her before doing an x-ray if needed. Well she didn't improve and the x-ray showed nothing.

Anyone have any other ideas? I have her currently contained in one of my bathrooms. She has no problem if I touch her shoulder and the upper portion of her leg. I gently touched her paw but no reaction. I didn't try to manipulate the leg any or see if she would let me. Of course now I am wondering things like if one of her toes or dewclaws is possibly dislocated and whether the vet checked. She curls the paw underneath her when she lays down so it doesn't seem to bother her except for putting weight on it.

This could be anything. If the X ray showed nothing she could have pulled or strained a muscle or tendon. My Boca (outside) did that once, and he was alright within a few days. I would call the vet and ask if they checked her paws and toes, and perhaps another poster can help ask some questions about whether any medication would be useful in this situation. I do not think it would be, as there is nothing on the x-ray showing a break or fracture. Did the vet give you any advice, watch her for a few days, keep an eye on her appetite and bathroom habits... like that?

Hope her foot/leg gets better.

Pretty much what you said. Keep her confined for a few days if I can and if no improvement bring her back in.

I think ultimately my main concern is due to the fact she was gone for so long that it leads me to believe she was injured shortly after I last saw her. Of course there could be any number of factors such as being shut in someone's garage, but 5 days is a good amount of time for even that. She is eating fine and using the litterbox so no real problems there.

We've had an outside cat we suspected was shut in someone's outdoor shed by accident for a couple of days. Has your cat lost any apparent weight? If she is drinking and eating I would relax a bit. Nothing on x-ray, no signs of skin damage, cuts, abrasions, puncture wounds, then I would figure it would be OK in a few more days. Boca continued to jump on his and it straightened itself out. X-ray would show BB's or pellets too so I am guessing nothing like that either (Had one stray that was full of them, unfortunately)

Am leaning towards sprain/pulled something and all will be well in a few days. Follow your vet's advice and keep an eye on her and I personally like to check their ears and nose to keep an idea of their body heat, which isn't as accurate as a thermometer up the rear but I do it for peace of mind.

Good luck with your kitty Perhaps if she is spayed you might think of making her an indoor kitty and only allowed outside on a harness? Just an idea (I am planning on trying that with my outdoor Boca)

I already have 7 indoor cats so no more indoor cats for me lol.

Well no change after several days so I took her in today. They still don't see anything and looking at the x-rays again it doesn't look like they missed anything. They gave her an injection with pain meds. She of course is now walking much better but leaves me concerned since the vet mentioned something.

He mentioned some type of nerve damage where the cat tries to walk on the leg but the leg keeps going out. I can't remember what he called it, but it is almost what she is doing now so I don't know if the pain meds made her numb or if it is a combination of things.