Hurt his leg

[F/3]

Last night before I went to work simba was playing in his cat tree and fell out. He was limping on his front left leg.
When I got home this morning he had a very slight limp but would hold his paw off the ground when he sat. This evening after I work up I really didn't see him limp but be does still hold his paw off the ground when sitting.
So I guess my question is when do you take them to the vet and when do you take the wait and see approach?
Thanks

 

[Sunny]

It sounds like a sprain and it will heal naturally on its own in a matter of days.

You can do a touch test, carefully place your fingertip against the base of the paw and the toes and then rest your thumb on top. Will he let you gently massage or wiggle his toes or paw or does he pull away, howl, hiss, growl?

He might wiggle or be uncomfortable touching his paws normally, but you are looking for a swift, immediate reaction other than Dad pestering him to play with his footsies.

If he's already showing improvement and not hobbling around like a cripple, he sounds fine to me!

On a funnier note, my male Anubis will do this as a behavioral response to stimulus when he is thinking, staring at me, or apprehensive instead of in response to a medical condition, usually accompanied by head tilts sideways or raising his nose in the air with a wiggle. It's bizarre.

 

[NikkiA]

I am a nervous cat mom.
My boys go to the vet at a drop of a hat, so take my words with a grain of salt. I would probably take him to the vet in the next 48 hours if he does not start behaving normally.

 

[Patti]

I noticed one of my boys limping several weeks ago, after two days he was still favoring the foot so I took him to the vet. He'd broken two bones in his foot and has been crated and wearing a splint ever since until yesterday it finally got to come off. He is still favoring the foot but I am hoping that is just a little atrophy from being so long in a splint and will resolve in a few days.

 

[Per Lausund]

Last night before I went to work simba was playing in his cat tree and fell out. He was limping on his front left leg.
When I got home this morning he had a very slight limp but would hold his paw off the ground when he sat. This evening after I work up I really didn't see him limp but be does still hold his paw off the ground when sitting.
So I guess my question is when do you take them to the vet and when do you take the wait and see approach?
Thanks

Simba is one-and-a-half yrs old, right?
If he still won´t take any load on his leg, and won´t let you feel for broken bones, the vet is the answer, at least to get some painkiller. I´d normally just use my fingers to palpate the bones ( see Sunny´s post above) and feel if they are normal, and x-ray if I found any symptoms that could mean broken stuff. Don´t wait too long, and good luck!

 

[F/3]

Thanks for everybody's input. He still limps slightly once in a while and still lifts his leg up about half the time when he sits. When I get home in the morning I will feel his foot and leg.
I did happen to get the fall on video. It's from my iPhone so it gets dark at the end when he falls and you can't see him hit the floor but you can hear it.
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j...9-A48A-196763EB7EA8-4395-000002A355F3FFCF.mp4

 

[Patti]

Poor baby! He sure looked like he was enjoying himself up to that moment...

 

[Mrs.CC]

Ouch!!! Sounds like that really hurt! Hope it's nothing serious, and he feels better soon.

 

[Per Lausund]

Let´s hope the leg is better today, and that he´ll let you check it. If not, off to the vet!

 

[Pam Flachs]

I hope Simba is okay and soon back to his old tricks (without the falling).

Keep us posted!