Back legs stopped working - new pet

by **StarKitty** » Mon Oct 01, 2012 8:07 pm

I adopted a 9 yr old cat 2 months ago from a man who needed to give her up. He told me she had a bad leg for about the last 10 months and had not been able to have it checked out for financial reasons. When I first brought her home she could walk some, wobble, fall over, get up, try again. Over the last month, she has stopped using her back legs completely and just drags her rear behind her. At first she would get in her litter box, but everything landed outside of it. Now, she doesn’t even try to get in the box. She goes anywhere, including on the bed, and tonight, she peed while sitting in my lap.

I have done everything that has been recommended to make the litter box agreeable to her – large box with one end cut out, clumping unscented litter, ramp, always very clean, etc - so I wonder if this is all about her legs, or if there is anything else I can do to help her because this is unmanageable. I wonder if she has lost more feeling in her rear end and can’t even tell when she needs to go anymore. When I put her in the box, she is able to jump out, so I think she is still capable of getting in. Or could this be related to the stress of her move? She is the only pet here, as she was in her last home. She is alone during the day while I am at work.

I have discussed all of this with my vet. He has done all blood tests and x-rayed her legs and spine. She appears to be a healthy cat. He can’t say anything conclusive about why she is not using her box. His next suggestion is going to a specialist for an MRI. From what I have read online, many cats have this condition without any cause being found, so I am hesitant to go to such expense to only find out there is nothing that can be done to help her.

I am just wondering if anyone has any insight into if this is all about her legs, and if a cat can lose all control of their bladder from this rear end paralysis? And if any of you have a cat with this condition, are they still able to use a litter box? If not, what do you do instead?

Thank you all for any guidance or suggestions.

by **Jean** » Fri Oct 05, 2012 11:09 pm

I assumed your vet has done a neurological exam on her? Does she have deep pain response?
Considering her age and symptoms she could have the paralysis from a disease process or it could be neurological. The MRI would likely give you an answer but would be costly. Did your vet try to express her bladder ? Learning to express her might make the situation more tolerable. /Jean

by **StarKitty** » Sat Oct 06, 2012 7:10 am

Thank you,Jean.

The vet examined her thoroughly and did not get a pain response. Nothing was said about expressing her bladder. I will ask about that. An MRI has been suggested as the next step.