Kitten lifts hind leg when walking or playing

I found little Conky under my porch a few days ago. Not quite sure how old she is yet. I'm guessing 6-8 weeks. She has come a long way within a few days. From feral kitten to a very sweet kitty who loves cuddles. Now that she's getting comfy being indoors and being around people she has started to play and I've noticed that when she walks or runs sometimes she'll lift one of her hind legs. Sometimes she'll look at it or lick it and sometimes she just holds it there for a second and then goes back to being crazy! The odd thing is, she alternates legs. She doesn't stick her leg out straight behind her, she just kinda lifts it up under her. I've made sure she doesn't have anything stuck in her paws. At first i thought it might be from not being used to walking on carpet, but if it were that it seems like she'd be getting used to it by now. It's really starting to worry me

She has a vet appt next week, it's just driving me crazy trying to figure out what it could be

No clue, but the vet will know for sure. Ask the vet when she will need to be fixed. He will give her her 1st shots too. Kudos to you for rescuing her & I love her name.

It still could be the strangeness of carpet.  Have you taken her to the Vet yet?  All new kittens need a Vet visit...if nothing else, for kitten shots and a thorough checkup to make sure they don't have worms, etc.  and/or anything they might pass along to any other pets in the family.   You can mention it to your Vet at that time and see what they think.  I think as long as she's not limping, she's probably fine.

My guess is that the tips of her claws need trimming, and may be slightly catching in the carpet occasionally. Ask the vet to show you how to trim them. It may solve the problem.

Is she eating well? Wet food 4-6 times a day and kitten chow available 24/7?

Thanks for giving her a home! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

sarthur2 said:

My guess is that the tips of her claws need trimming, and may be slightly catching in the carpet occasionally. Ask the vet to show you how to trim them. It may solve the problem.

Is she eating well? Wet food 4-6 times a day and kitten chow available 24/7?

Thanks for giving her a home! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

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Great advice.

Kitten nail clipping can be a bit of a challenge.  You have to be very careful not to cut the quick because it will hurt.  When you first start doing it, you just cut the very tip.  And most of the time, if you clip them regularly, the quick will kind of recede so you can cut the nails a bit shorter.

I don't bother clipping my boys' nails.  They haven't had any issues with the carpet - that's not even something I could have imagined happening lol.  I did it once right after I got them because it was about to be our turn to have my step daughter - we switch off every two weeks; I hate only having her half of the time, but I suppose her mother wants to see her, too - and I was worried they would scratch her.  They seemed to instantly know to retract their claws when playing with her so I haven't bothered doing it again.  I wish they would learn that with me - I have so many kitty scratches people are going to start accusing me of self-harm!  They're only 7 months old - I'm sure they'll learn eventually.

And just because I'm in the middle of an insomnia episode and I'm tired enough to think I'm funny - maybe she just likes the taste of her back legs?  Or she wants you to see how flexible she is.  Hehe

I clip my cats nails all the tim. Sometimes, you can get your vet to do it. Your kitten will fight with you and struggle, so much sure to have a second person to scruff them. It's good to start them go, because by the time they are adults, they will get use to have good their names clipped.

Also, try to do it was Conky is asleep. That way, she isn't fighting you. I did that to my cats till I got the hang of clipping them.

Also, buy some Styptic Powder for cats. If you accidentally cut the quick and they start bleeding, put some Styptic Powdrr on it and it will stop the bleeding.

I was JUST reading about this---apparently it could mean your kitty has either a knee or hip displasya or patella problem (knee cap). Since your kitty is very young, it's likely treatable since she is growing--I"d get to a vet asap to see what can be done

Ironically since posting this she has quit doing it...go figure lol I've noticed now that she chews her nails when she's grooming, so I'm guessing her nails may have been the problem all along as some of you said! I'm still gonna mention it to my vet Monday just to be on the safe side. Thank you guys so much! 

*TOO adorable!  Prayers and best wishes for a good bill of health for the little one, and that the vet will be able to tell what's going on (and that it's nothing health-related!)* 

Cats and children are just alike - they're just bound and determined to make us look like liars.  To babysitter:  "Watch little Johnny closely, he likes to try to get into the fridge."  Babysitter:  "Oh, he didn't go near the fridge at all."  Thanks, kid.  Haha

What a cutie, I love the name. Were you inspired by the Trailer Park Boys?

Zed Xyzed said:

 
What a cutie, I love the name. Were you inspired by the Trailer Park Boys?

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Yes I was! I have a dog named bubbles, he is in absolute awe and in love with the kitten so we felt Conky was fitting! lol

LOL too funny the Conky episode had me in stitches

Glittershocks said:

Yes I was! I have a dog named bubbles, he is in absolute awe and in love with the kitten so we felt Conky was fitting! lol

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That is great news.

Update! I was able to get little Conky into the vet earlier because I noticed he wasn't drinking any water. I panicked and she let me come in just before closing! 

It turns out Conky is a HE. Oops! Sorry little guy! lol The vet checked out his legs & feet and said he they appear fine. She trimmed his nails and told me to keep an eye on his feet & legs. If the issue resurfaces we'll figure it out then. 

She said as far as the water goes, cats that are on wet food don't drink as much water as cats that are dry food. I feed Conky wet food throughout the day & leave dry down at all times even though he doesn't touch it.  She said I could try a fountain or try moving his water to a different spot, but not to panic if he still doesn't really drink. She also showed me how to check to make sure he isn't dehydrated. 

He weighed in at 1.3 lbs and the vet agreed with my 6-8 week old guesstimate. He was a trooper and didn't mind the vet touching or holding him at all. 

This little guy has officially stolen my heart!! 

Conky is so darned cute! [emoji]10084[/emoji]️

I'm glad he is doing well. I agree with the vet that Conky will begin drinking water when he is ready. Most babies this age are usually still nursing mom, but he's getting moisture from his wet food.

He looks about 6 weeks at most. [emoji]128522[/emoji]

He is adorable!!! I think that moving his water into a different room is a good idea many cats don't like when their food and water are close to one another. Better yet put a water fountain in a different location would be ideal.

He's absolutely adorable!  And yes, a lot of cats fed wet food don't drink much water, because of the moisture they get from their food.  A fountain is a great thing to have, though -- it does encourage drinking more water, and most cats prefer moving water to stationary water because it's what they encountered in the wild when they were in their natural state.  We really love our fountain!