Dumb question on a cat

[Sigarms]

Don't laugh please.

A good inside / outside cat we've had for 3 years started limping last week, rear right leg. Still limping, no apparent wounds nor any sign of basically anything on the leg, so took him to the vet yesterday to run some x-rays.

Anyone have a cat that has torn their ACL?

Anyone have this issue with a cat before and how did it play out?

Right now he's confined to a room for 5-7 days to keep him from wondering around the house and not letting him outside.

Vet gave us two options

1 - See how it plays out with pain management and how the cat adjusts with his body
2 - Operation at a "specialist"

We've grown very fond of the guy as he reminds me of a cat I had in my youth that thinks he's a dog. Get's along fine with all the dogs and one of the few cats that actually plays fetch. Been with us 3 years now found him as a kitten out with a walk with the wife.

I just don't see any cat doing well with an operation like this and don't even want to know what it would cost. After looking up the procedure, it seems to be a roll of the dice anyway per the onset of arthritis and something the cat will have to deal with anyways.

 

[4get gto]

Cats are probably more resilient than most people think. We've had (have ) many outside cats over years ( not by choice) and they tend to recover from most injuries they get from time to time. Like they said keep him confined for a week or two and see how things work out for him.

 

[Oaktree]

Cats are probably more resilient than most people think. We've had (have ) many outside cats over years ( not by choice) and they tend to recover from most injuries they get from time to time. Like they said keep him confined for a week or two and see how things work out for him.

Well, 9 lives and all that.

I noticed one of ours was limping a few months ago. No obvious injuries, and it didn't seem to mind the affected leg being touched. Seems to be fine now.

 

[WM75Guy]

We have 8 cats. Occasionally one will start limping after they hurt themselves jumping around or playing/fighting with the others. It is self-limiting and they bounce back after a few weeks. One of our 11 y/o cats has developed arthritis in his pelvis. He is slowing down. He also has developed pancreatitis so he is on a special canned food diet. Time will tell how he does.

 

[LHF2019]

I’m all for seeing how it plays out. It is after all a cat. But I have that philosophy with all pets and can’t imagine taking any of mine to a “specialist”.

A lot people not going to like this post.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

My sister has the flat nose cats. She did have one that tore its ACL. She had it repaired and it seems to be doing fine.

 

[Sigarms]

I’m all for seeing how it plays out. It is after all a cat. But I have that philosophy with all pets and can’t imagine taking any of mine to a “specialist”.

A lot people not going to like this post.

It's a fact of life per your sentiment. No qulams on my end per your line of thinking.

Driving home today, saw a dog on the highway looking for food and it didn't look in good shape.

I could be looking at a 2K medical procedure for a dumb cat where somewhere else, people who own pets can't even get them spayed or neutered, and the pet is nothing more than disposable with no qualms getting another pet who is just as disposable (per the dog I saw on the highway).

Funny thing, both my boys were adopted by "thinking" human beings who for better or worse per their own warped line of thinking, thought their kids were disposable as well because they kept having kids when they couldn't take care of their first one (I'd guess between the two boys bilogocial siblings, there were at least 10 brothers and sisters, and at least 6 that were removed from the home because they were in not so great living conditions and considered "in danger" for various reasons).

Take the human aspect out of the equation, and I'll still put most of my dogs above the average human being I meet on the street. Same can be said for this cat.

I don't mind killing an animal for food btw. Same token, be it Christian or not, there is a line of thinking for giving thanks for the food you eat.

Off topic rant and apologies, just giving you some insight into my warped line of thinking per asking this question on a cat on my end.

 

[Sigarms]

No obvious injuries, and it didn't seem to mind the affected leg being touched. Seems to be fine now.

This one would let you know when you touched it's knee LMAO

One reason why we thought something was wrong, but with no visible signs.

 

[dougtrr2]

We had a small (11lb) toypoodle mutt that quit using one back leg after being spayed. It didn't slow her down at all. When she was at full run it would be almost three feet between her tracks in the snow.

Doug in SW IA

 

[Sigarms]

We have 8 cats. Occasionally one will start limping after they hurt themselves jumping around or playing/fighting with the others. It is self-limiting and they bounce back after a few weeks. One of our 11 y/o cats has developed arthritis in his pelvis. He is slowing down. He also has developed pancreatitis so he is on a special canned food diet. Time will tell how he does.

That's the impression I get from the vet, their body will compensate for the injury and they will adjust.

Just wondering if anyone had the exact same issue and didn't get it surgically fixed and how it played out.