Last week, our cat came home limping. Wouldn't put his front right paw down but definitely wasn't in pain. Took him to the vet (twice) but they couldn't find anything wrong. Was due to take him in for xrays but he disappeared. He's been gone 24 hours - unheard of from him.

He seemed to be in good spirits (very purry) but slightly strange - going into cupboards, rolling over for his tummy to be tickled (much more than usual).

Just really worried that perhaps the paw 'injury' wasn't really anything to do with his paw. Perhaps he's got a brain problem and that's why he hasn't come home

Any ideas? We've done all we can re alerting the neighbours/vet etc but I suspect he's either trapped somewhere or he's had a stroke or something...

BTW he's only 2 years old and otherwise in extremely good health & happiness.

Oh Sal, my thoughts are with you...I put posters up, leafleted and begged people to look in their gardens.
He may have holed up somewhere like Roger did...oh I hope you find him soon

Any news yet?

I'm guessing you've put up posters locally? And maybe done a leaflet drop through local letterboxes? If he was limping, it's possible someone has taken him in - and been to a different vet - and is looking after him. Alternatively, you need everyone to go and check outbuildings, greenhouses, etc.

One of mine went missing for 8 days - we're reasonably certain she was locked in somewhere as she came back thinner, ravenously hungry and immaculately groomed - as if she hadn't had anything else to do with her time. So don't give up hope.

He's back! Seems a bit traumatised, but not dishevelled or overly hungry. SO RELIEVED when I heard a miaow!

Straight to the vet tomorrow - and I won't leave until they've worked out what's wrong with his leg/paw (which is obviously distressing him). I think it's his ankle (?) joint as it seems sensitive and bends at a strange angle...Why didn't the 2 vets find this? He's had it now for 10 days so I'm hoping he hasn't done any serious damage...

Anyway, thanks both of you for your concern!

I was keeping at eye on the thread im so glad.
Goodluck with the Vet x

So glad to hear he's back. Strange the vets didn't find a problem with his leg when it seems obvious there is something not right. It may be be the cause of him dissappearing if he's not able to use it properly he may have struggled to get home if he has to climb fences or walls etc.Hope all goes well at the vets and they get to the root of the problem. Again, glad to hear he's back

That's great! I'm so pleased for you. Now, irritate him even more by keeping him in until the leg problem is sorted. I worried (though didn't say, of course!) that his leg might have slowed him down enough to stop him getting out of the way of a car or even a dog... but that's not the case and I'm really pleased he's returned.

So he's finally been xrayed and has broken his radius and ulna at the wrist! Clear fractures! Vet is 'embarrassed' he and his colleagues didn't find it before! So we've paid for 2 visits and 2 treatments (antibiotics and anti-inflamatories) which he didn't need - and what's much worse is that he's been hobbling around for 10 days! Also, I'm pretty sure his injury is what made him go missing in the pouring rain for 2 days

Anyway, just fetched him from the vet and his plaster cast has already fallen off so I've had to take him back again!

Keeping dressing on the legs is an absolute nightmare. Would he stay in a box for you? Keeping him off the leg as much as possible will be key to getting over it. A nice new cosy bed beside a radiator might keem him still for a little while longer?

So glad he is back and on the mend.

However I think these vets are taking the michael...Roger was given the all clear after his disappearance,and subequently a fracture pelvis was diagnosed and he has just had to have his tail amputated.

To be fair, the OP said he was going to take the cat for X-rays but it ran away before they could be done. That's why vets (and doctors) take X-rays - because sometimes you can't work out what's wrong until you can see it. And almost certainly, the cat walking (or hobbling) around on the damaged leg will have made the injury worse, and therefore now a lot more noticeable.

OP said the vet was embarrassed that he didnt find it before. Our vet gave ours the all clear, and said keep him in for a couple of days. Fortunately we brought him back and they X rayed him then....that X ray could have been done the first time.

Some vets are a joke.

Our cat, who was supposed to have been neutered by the vet, had a lump in her stomach so we took her to the vet who said it was a tumour.

About 3 weeks later she was on the couch and started making weird noises. We thought this was her leaving us but she ended up having 4 kittens!

my word

Roger cat will be fine with his amputated tail. Our cat had to have that done when he came in one night with his tail ripped to bits. We lived next to a car dump and presumed he had got it caught over there.

Anyroad, the vet did it nicely and made a little parcel out of his stump. He never seemed to miss his tail and went onto live a longer life without his tail than he had before he lost it! He ended up being called Stumpy for a nickname.

it really is scary.
We lost little roger through the Vet getting it wrong it was so upsetting we never had another pet again.I dont think we stopped crying for 2 days even now thinking about him its upsetting.I think its worse because you know when theres something wrong and trust the vet to find out the problem.

Tell me about it

The vet said we were in our rights to sue him and his practice but I think we were just so glad she was ok, we let it go.

She was a long haired fluffy white cat and when she had the first one(was black) we thought she had just done the toilet on the sofa

oh you couldnt make it up..glad you had a happy ending

Glad you've got him back sorry to hear about the injuries hope he has a speedy recovery

Yes! choose you vet like they were looking after you.
A few friends just go to the closest one....

SuperSal1 - how's your cat getting on? Hope he's on the mend

Glad to hear it. My beautiful boy had suffered horrid injuries about the head am guessing he was kicked in the head by kids. Took him to vets but I realised he was poorly. I kept him in for a few days but he was messing in the hose he didn't knw where he was. I decided to let him out, I hugged and kissed him goodbye because I knew he wasn't coming home after seven years together

I love him and miss him, he never came home

I am glad your cat is home