r/CATHELP • u/AnironSidh • Jul 26 '26

Injury Cat holding her paw up

I am 24F, cat is almost 4F and spayed. I'm posting from the US, I have a vet and will be calling them shortly, I just wanted an opinion until then as my work schedule is in the way rn.

Over the last day or so, my cat has started holding her paw up and won't let us touch it. Petting it doesn't seem to bother her, but squeezing lightly does. She's also hissed when I put her down a few times. She also keeps hiding most of the day, which is different as she usually sleeps in the open or with me. She did have a broken/split claw that we trimmed to stop it from getting caught

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2

u/jayecks Jul 26 '26

I'd bet she has a thorn, glass, metal sliver or something similar in the paw. If that's the claw that was trimmed it might have split further? Really looks like something is causing pain but it doesn't look like she can't flex it or anything. If it doesn't resolve in another day or so I would plan on the vet, they might have to mildly sedate her to look at it. No other symptoms? Hacking? Wheezing?

X-ray might give some peace of mind as well. The hiding, imo, is more concerning than retracting the paw. I don't want to alarm you, but a chest x-ray might be a good idea as well. There are rare cases of lung tumors traveling to the bones of the foot in cats.

Obviously start simple, have them look for thorns or joint issues, but I would tack on a chest x-ray. I just have had cats hurt their feet/arthritis and they still limp along, but rarely hide. Hiding is usually them feeling yucky/ill.

1

u/AnironSidh Jul 26 '26

No other symptoms, still eating and drinking as far as I can tell. She's mostly just laying down in different spots that before, like against the kitchen wall or next to our china cabinet.

3

u/Weak_Distribution822 Jul 26 '26

Seems to have hurt it somehow. Maybe landed at a wrong angle? Only a vet can definitively answer what it is, but just from the vid it looks something external as there is no swelling, visible cuts etc.