9/27/2023 0 Comments Cat paw![]() When just one or maybe two legs or paws are swollen, your cat is probably experiencing a localized problem like one of the following: Some types of drugs and cat toxins, such as acetaminophen, can lead to swollen legs or paws through liver damage, inflamed blood vessels, or other processes.Īllergic reactions and autoimmune diseases can make blood vessels leaky and lead to swollen legs or paws. Cats may also develop swollen lymph nodes in response to infections. Systemic infections: Bacterial, viral, fungal, and other types of infections can make blood vessels inflamed and leaky, leading to swelling. Kidney disease: Cats with kidney disease may lose albumin in their urine, which makes it more likely that fluid will leak out of blood vessels and into the surrounding tissue. Advanced liver disease can lead to low blood albumin levels and swelling. Liver disease: The liver makes albumin (a type of protein) that helps keep fluid in blood vessels. Heart disease: The normal flow of blood can be slowed by heart disease, which leads to fluid leaking out of blood vessels and tissue swelling. When all of a cat’s legs or paws are swollen, a “whole-body” problem is likely. The descriptions that follow are simplified, since swellings often develop in many ways. These categories can overlap, but they can help narrow down the most likely causes of a cat’s swollen legs or paws. It’s helpful to divide possible causes into three groups. What Causes Swollen Cat Paws and Legs?Ĭats can develop swollen paws and legs for many reasons. Get them to a vet quickly if things get worse. In the meantime, keep your cat indoors, encourage them to rest, and monitor them closely. ![]() But if it doesn’t, make an appointment with your veterinarian. ![]() Be careful if you decide to examine your cat, as touching a swollen area may hurt them.Īs long as the swelling is minor and your cat seems fine otherwise, it’s okay to give it a day or two to see if it will get better on its own. On the other hand, it’s unlikely that you are dealing with an emergency if your cat’s leg or paw swelling is relatively mild and isn’t having a big effect on their movement, energy level, comfort, and appetite. Your cat has other worrisome symptoms, like trouble breathing, disorientation (confusion), weakness, or extreme lethargy (tiredness) You see evidence of a serious injury, like bleeding, limb dragging, or an obviously broken bone or dislocated joint You know that your cat has been hit by a car, attacked by a dog, or had another major trauma Your cat is in a lot of pain (hiding, won’t let you touch them, vocalizing, or aggression) If any of the following are true, see a veterinarian immediately, because you could be dealing with an emergency situation:Īll of your cat’s legs or feet are swollen The first thing to do is to check their overall well-being. What To Do if Your Cat’s Paw or Leg Is Swollen Here’s everything you need to know about swollen paws and legs in cats. Yay!Ĭan you tell me why there is a discrepancy between this article and what the ER vet said? Thank you.If you notice that your cat has a swollen leg or paw-or worse yet, all of their legs and paws are swollen-you are no doubt wondering what to do, and probably worried if they’ve broken something. Plus after we moved from Texas to the Pacific NW, she doesn’t even need medication anymore. My cat’s asthma has been managed well since bringing her indoors & giving her asthma medication. We left with a kitty rescue inhaler, prescriptions and instructions for her to be an inside cat for the rest of her life, which I adored and my husband learned to accept. After bloodwork & x-rays, she was diagnosed with mild asthma. The Dr said panting was not normal for cats like it is for dogs when they pant to cool off, then sounded a bit panicked when he told me to rush her there. When I saw my young & otherwise healthy long-haired cat panting while resting in the shade on a hot summer afternoon in Texas, I called an emergency vet to see if this was normal behavior. I am concerned though when I read “… when they are overheated and attempting to cool off, they will pant…”
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