My poor cat's rear left leg seems hurt. There's a house on my street that is being refurbished and there's a load of junk still in the front garden while the building continues.

I strongly suspect he might have cut himself there, but I don't want to rule out the possibility of a scrap with another cat or a fox, or a mistimed leap causing a sprain or broken bone. He's only 2 years old, so I think it's safe to discount things like arthritis or tumours. I've been trying to get a look at the paw, but he hisses and growls when I even pick him up.

He wasn't himself at all this morning - refusing to eat and just sitting in his basket the whole time. He seems a little happier this evening - he's had some stuff to eat, and even ventured outside for a little while, though still limping.

I'm thinking about taking him to the vet tomorrow evening, but any advice in the mean time? Is there any way I can diagnose the problem without him trying to bite off my hand? Or should I wait another day to see if the limp improves before taking him to the vet? I'd rather not fork out money for a small cut or sprain that will heal itself with rest.

What are your experiences with limps in young cats?

I would take him too the vets to be honest. Is he hot at all. The vets will be able too hold him too check his paw out incase theres anything in it with out you getting hurt

Thanks Maisey, I've booked him for an appointment this evening. There's no fever. I've had a look at his paw whilst he was sleeping on his side - I can't see any cuts, but there does seem to be swelling around the hock.

He might have knocked it a bit. I am sure he will be ok . Can you let us know how the vet visit goes

Good luck at the vet, he might have pulled a tendon / muscle , or cut his leg ,or could have been bitten on his hock & be brewing an abcess .

Let us know how you get on.

If he's hissing or growling everytime you try to pick him up, i suggest you leave it all the the vets. End of day you don't wanna get scratched nor do you wana aggitate him further, i think you should keep him inside cause if there is a problem with the leg, wherever it is, then he should try not to move so much...ergo go for a wonder outside. Confide him to your house until you go vets. If you can't see any other damage to the leg, then it could be something so simple as a sprain. But cats do hide pain very well and it's hard to know exactly what is wrong. My cat Suschi who's now sadly passed one morning had a limp in her front paw and would rarely put it down, she'd tried as hard as she could not to use it and i noticed this when she was in a neighbours garden. I had to jump over, fetch her, brought her in and kept her in the house till i went to the vets, turns out a sprain that would heal in 24hrs and it did.

But it's best not to guess here, see what yout vets says tonight. Hope all turns out well hun, check back here with an update.

Thanks guys. Well, his foot had been getting more swollen as the day went on, and when I took him to the vet, her keen eyes spotted a cat bite that caused the infection around the hock.

He does get into scraps with other cats in the neighbourhood, but they've always seemed like playfights - tussles, chases, then hanging out together, rolling around on the grass. But there's one older tom (I think he may be a stray, I'm not sure) who's lived in the neighbourhood for years that seems a lot more aggressive though.

She gave him an antibiotic injection and Metacam drops for me to administer. Hopefully that clears it up without the abcess exploding, but the lump doesn't look like it's getting any smaller yet. Also, gonna have to take him in for a FIV (feline HIV) blood test in 3 months time...

Thanks for the update. Glad the vet spotted what was causing it. Do you have any pics of him. He sounds a right cheeky chappie

Hope your wee man is starting to feel a bit better.

just wondering, is he neutered? if not, get him done as it can reduce the chances of him fighting. i hope hes feeling better soon

I'm glad you got him treated , I don't suppose there's any chance of finding out if the tom is a stray , because if he is, he should be caught & taken to the vets to be checked & neutered.