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]

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.