My Cat Is Faking An Injury

OK. Now that I have got your attention, I really believe my cat is faking an injury. He is 1 year old exactly and he began limping on one leg. As I watched him, after several hours he would switch to the other leg again limping, then quickly switch back.

He may really be hurt becuase he hissed at us when we touched his leg, but that was a week ago. He still has enough energy to chase the mosquitos all over the house and jump on stuff, so I think he just wants attention.

Please let me know what you think, I am a first time cat owner and sadly, I am at school all day and then work, that is why I think he is just doing it for attn.

Thankyou :angel:

animals don't "fake" injuries for attention. I suggest you get your kitty checked out by a vet.

I agree with jessi, some cats are unbelievably smart but I don't think it extends to faking injury, a skill so complex it's up there with tool-using. Please take him to the vet.
If you are away alot, you might consider getting him a little friend - your local rescue will have plenty of candidates. Try a laid-back adult female, but not so old than she can't bounce around with him. SLOW integration.

Is your boy neutered? Should be (as should any other cat you introduce).

Cute intro, by the way. It certainly got MY attention.

Kitty needs to be seen by a vet, most cats will go to great lengths to HIDE an injury, faking injuries is a human thing. Given that it's intermittent, you may have a cat that's got nerve damage. A checkup with your vet is in order and I agree with badger, another kitty playmate will help with the boredom aspect of his life since you're gone most of the time.

I agree animals are uncapable of faking injuries, the fact he is limping on alternate legs may indicate that the problem maybe in the back muscles or spine instead

I also agree. Take him to the vet for a check-up as cats will try to hide injuries. Once he`s okay, then maybe he does need a playmate for company since you`re away most of the day.:)

I agree with the others, definitely take your kitty to the vet as soon as possible.

That being said, my cat Tink had surgery about a year ago because she had swallowed a string and she nearly died. We really babied her after her surgery (of course) and I took off of work and everything for like a week afterwards to stay home with her and make sure everything with her recovery went alright. I tried leaving once and she was kind of crouched down funny on the floor, breathing a little strangely and meowing kind of funny every once in awhile, so of course I called the vet, brought her in, and then stayed home with her for the rest of the week. One morning after she was feeling better and the vet said she was completely recovered, I started getting ready to go to school. I put on my shoes, got my bag and said goodbye to her and all of a sudden she was on the floor and started making these pathetic little noises, like she was in pain. I skipped class and off to the vet we went, only to find out she was still completely fine. The rest of the day she played and rolled around on the floor purring. The next day I tried to leave and same thing...she literally dropped to the floor when she saw me putting my shoes on. The vet thought it was hillarious. So, I think some cats (well, mine anyway) certainly know what they are doing (again, not that you shouldn't take them to the vet, no matter what, first) !!

Not smart enough? Cats and dogs can fake injury...our dog did it too. when ever he felt he wasn't loved enough he would hop around with one or another leg in the air so that we would immediately soothe him and examine his 'injured' foot. we took him to the vet the first few times and the vet said that he must have had an injury with his last owner (he was a senior rescue) and had so enjoyed the attention that he learned to use it whenever he wanted to.:rolleyes:

You guys should try reading a book called "Your Pet isn't sick - he wants you to think so" written by a vet (I don't remember the author) on these cases. It pretty much tells different stories of animals that kept coming back sick and the vet couldn't figure out WHY they kept comign back to his office until he started probbing the owners for info on their current lifestyle. He was able to trace alot of the problems to changes in the pet's home where the pet wasn't getting the treatment it used to be getting before. It's funny and yet serious at the same time, definately enjoyable.

I for one have never seen any of my pets fake an injury, but who knows? They may realize that certain "habits" get our undivided attention.

Actually I had a dog that would fake an injury. You see his paw was injured when he was digging for a snowball and hit some ice and cut his paw. Of course he went to the vet, got some stitches and had a little cast on his leg. Well, for the next 10 years we could say to him -- out of nowhere -- oh baby, do you have a boo boo? And he would start limping. He couldn't remember which paw it was and would alternate between the left and right paw. He wasn't spoiled...:rolleyes:

My poodle - when he had scracthed himself and made it worse by scratching got much attention when I went out of my way to ensure he would not be scarcthing it. I knew of ecollars but id not want to subject him to that - it was not major surgery after all - but we were awake almost all of one night as I talked and played with him to divert his attention away from the itchy spot. Well, even after the problem was resolved a nd had healed nicely, he started to scratch and the vet determined he just wanted more of my time. I was relieved at that but have since read about dogs faking injuries.

Cats are much less to do so though so I would definitely see the vet!! Cats - no matter how much spoiled they are , even my diva and the spoiled Princesses who argue over saring sweaters (The other day, I put a sweater Casey "owns" and is especially fond of - she even slept with it one night (You would think it was a momento from a first date or something, lol) on her sister who she almost never fights with!! Well, the hissing and caterwalling was probably heard by my neighbours, lol I was utterly amazed - she is either going thru a teenage brat phase or really really loves this sweater and wants no other being to have it. Everybody calmed down once the garment in question was removed.

You know your cat but since cats are not really inclined to fake injuries (More than dogs, they tend to be wary of predators and thus cover up pain rather than want you to think they have it.). I would take her to the vet - it can't hurt!!

my opinion is that you should be a more responsible pet owner and have that checked out. If she's hissing...there's a HUGE chance that her paw is actually in pain.

Jemma fakes to get attention. She fakes limps, ear infections, the whole bit. Every time though, I head to the vet to be sure my baby isn't in pain for real.

I know a small house dog that, when strangers come over, she will run up to their feet and, as soon as the person takes a step, she will yelp loudly in pain.

Once she was stepped on for real and got attention, and now she does it to every one. If she doesn't get a reaction, then she doesn't try again for that visit, but it sure is startling to have her scream at your feet.

I'm impressed that, not only does she yelp, she does it only when a the person is making a step, rather than just standing around. It's really easy to think you might have stepped on her tail or something.

Our old dog would limp and also shiver for attention. If it was even mildly cold and he wanted in, then he would sit there shivering in misery. Look away and he would stop. Look back and he'd shiver harder.

:crazy: LOL!!!!!!!! love it!



Not smart enough? Cats and dogs can fake injury...our dog did it too. when ever he felt he wasn't loved enough he would hop around with one or another leg in the air so that we would immediately soothe him and examine his 'injured' foot. we took him to the vet the first few times and the vet said that he must have had an injury with his last owner (he was a senior rescue) and had so enjoyed the attention that he learned to use it whenever he wanted to.:rolleyes:

Oh, I think they're smart enough. ;) But if your kitty is hissing, she probably really is hurt--time for the vet!! Cats seem less prone to "faking" than dogs, I think.

~LM~

The statement "Animals can't fake injuries" is totally false.

Dogs are great fakers of injury. I'm not an experienced dog-owner by any means and I have seen a lot of dogs faking injury or discomfort to get attention.

Go read the other post I made about my Lucy's excessive barking. Just today I noticed she's given up on simply barking to get attention. She's started to put her hands right around my foot when I'm on the computer and she starts making painfull noises as if I'm stepping on her or running her over with my chair! I look down and she's got her tongue out looking at me like "HAHA I FOOLED YOU! wanna play?!"

She learned to do this after I stepped on her hand once and she screamed! I gave her tons of attention right after saying "SORRY" for a long time!