bad legs

Can i have some advice please? My little Misty was limping yesterday. I checked her paws, and I couldn't find anything stuck in them. She didn't mind me touching her paws, so it seemed as though it must be her back legs aching, although it was hard to tell. She limped for a while, then seemed to be walking fine. Later she sort of collapsed onto her side, as if her back legs were hurting. Today she seems fine. I don't know if this would just be like a cramp, because she was sitting hiding nearly all day yesterday, because we were having work done around the house and she's very nervous. She's 7 years old, and I know that when they're older cats sometimes get bad legs, but can this happen when they're younger? Also, she is probably overweight, although the vet didn't mention this when he saw her last month. Could this be the problem? What can I do about it?

Hmmm Im sorry I don't have much advice for you, but I would be inclined to take her to the vets to get it checked out. Cats are so agile they can often get themselves into scrapes and what not....she may have landed badly on her leg, or maybe got it caught somewhere, I would have it looked at just to be on the safe side.....it could be something like artheritus(sp?!) I don't know...hopefully somebody will have better advice for you!! Keep and eye on her and make sure she is using it properly, though I would try not to let her "exercise" it too much...just until you can have it checked out...
Let us know how it goes!!

It sounds like she might of fallen off a shelf or something and hurt herself. But what you can check is stand her in front of you and without touching her fur at all, pass your hand over her rear area and her legs. Do not touch her fur or make any contact with her, you are looking for hot areas. If you find a area that is warm or hot and you can feel the heat generating up off her body, then she could have an infection or a sprain going. But please, take her to the vet, because the collapsing is what would worry me most. Good luck

Thanks for your advice. I've made an appointment at the vets for tomorrow. I also tried moving my hands over her as you suggested, and couldn't feel any heat. I'll let you know what happens at the vets, I hope she's going to be okay.

I am glad you are taking her tomorrow. Weak legs can be a warning sign for a lot of things. Make sure and let us know what they find out.

Misty had seemed okay on Wednesday but yesterday she was walking funny again. She did it a few times, and I noticed that it didn't look like she was limping, but like she was uncomfortable standing and then she would lie down. Sometimes she meaowed as she lay down, as if she was in pain. Each time she did it she seemed fine once she lay down, and soon got up again. Anyway the vet checked all of her legs and said they are fine. She checked her spine and felt for any lumps or bumps all over her, but couldn't find anything. The vet thought that it might be a bladder infection, but when she put pressure on her bladder she said it seemed normal. She asked if she's been vomiting or had any diarrhoea, but she hasn't, as far as I know (she goes outside to the toilet). She's eating normally too. The vet also took her temperature, which she said was a bit high, so she gave her an antibiotic injection for this. The high temperature was the only thing the vet said she was worried about. She said to take Misty back on Monday if she still keeps lying down like this. Today she has been doing it again, and I just can't understand what it might be. She seems okay in herself apart from this. Could it be that she feels dizzy? She has been very nervous lately, since the fireworks on bonfire night and we've been having a lot of work done around the house. Apart from that I've just got no idea what's wrong with her. If anyone's experienced anything similar I'd really appreciate some help with this!

Misty was okay for a couple of days after her visit to the vets, but then she started doing the lying-down thing again. We took her back to the vets yesterday. Her temperature was fine this time, and the vet examined her legs again, and said they seem fine too. She's given us some painkillers, to give to Misty if she keeps doing this (when it happens she meows as if it's hurting). The vet said that if it starts to happen every day then we should take her in for an x-ray and blood tests, but she was puzzled as to how one minute Misty's lying down in pain and the next she can be running up and down stairs!