Cat pain, right leg when stretched

Hello,

My cat, whom is 12 years old, recently looks to have pulled her leg.  When she comes for attention she likes to stretch her hind legs with a lil twitch... she's been doing so since she was a kitten.  2 days ago, in my office, she did the same thing then looks like she cramped it, pulled it in with a uncomfortable meow, and then after a second proceeded to walk out with a small limp.  Nothing too serious... I figured, pulled muscle / cramp.  

So, later on that night she jumped onto the couch (not a high jump as I have a low baring couch), and she came for affect again and when pulled the leg back, cried some more.  It's the same leg she keeps pulling on and causing her to have pain.  The second time, she had more of a limp then the first.  She retreated into her favorite bed and slept it off.  

Sunday comes and she's walking around perfectly fine again... a little cautious about jumping, and for the most part, she doesn't, as I also try to stop her from jumping.  Sunday night I closed my office door when I was working, and then the bedroom when I went to bed... primary reason is I know she would want to jump up... but I figured limiting her jumping was a good thing as I didn't want her to make the potential wound worse.  

She is eating regularly both her treats, and her main food.  I have seen her use the litter a few times, so I don't think it's keeping her from her daily routine other then jumping or stretching her hind leg.  

My thoughts is to do my best to keep her from stretching or jumping as much as possible, but I hate having to keep her away from me as it's just the two of us... I would be rather disheartening for her.  I just also picked up some health treats which are supposed to help her deal with pain and promote healing in the joints... directions are twice a day.  

Tonight, Monday, she was doing perfect fine until she jumped up the high point of the couch, started to walk down and stretched out the right leg again and then she proceeded to meow and walk away back to her room... where I think she's just laying down to recover from the pain.  But there was no limp in this instance that I noticed.  I might be over worrying, but just wanted your thoughts.

Thank you.

There's really no way to know what is going on with your little one.  Could be a sprain, could be a pulled muscle, could be arthritis, I suppose...really impossible to tell.  I would say if it isn't better very soon, you should probably take her in to the Vet just to make sure it isn't something worse than a strain.  In the meantime, maybe you could make some  little "steps" for her out of books or boxes or something to help her get up to places she normally goes. 

How is your cat doing now?   Is she still the same or have things settled down?

I am a human doctor, not a vet, and  I must support @Mrsgreenjeens in her post.  

Unless your cat improves spontaneously, the only advice that I can give you is do not try to treat your cat yourself but take her to your vet.

Many years ago, my Siamese, Rupert, started to limp.  I took him to the vet and an X-Ray showed that Rupert had slipped a disk in his spine, causing it to put pressure on a nerve.   Medication was given and he recovered permanently.  So you see that there was no sprain, no pulled ligament nor pulled muscle causing his pain. 

There are so many causes for a cat to have pain in a leg that treatment can only be given by a vet who has finished years of study to qualify. as a veterinary surgeon.

With all best wishes,

Geoffrey