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A cat who suddenly cannot use one or both back legs, is crying, and whose back paws feel cold is not limping — that is a blood clot (saddle thrombus) and it is an emergency. So is a limp after a fall, a car, or a dog, a leg held at a strange angle, or a limp with a swollen, hot joint and a fever. Hip dysplasia is none of those: it is slow, it is bilateral, and the cat hides it. See stroke vs seizure in cats for the clot picture.
The short answer: hip dysplasia in cats is a hip socket that is too shallow, so the ball of the femur sits loosely in it, wears unevenly, and ends in arthritis. It is inherited, commonest in Maine Coons and other large breeds, and usually affects both hips — which is exactly why cats with it rarely limp. A cat with two sore hips does not favour one leg; it stops jumping. The signs are quieter than a limp: jumping to a chair instead of the counter, hesitating at stairs, a hunched or crouched walk, reluctance to squat in the litter box, less grooming of the back end, and a cat who used to be handled anywhere now objecting to a hand on the rump. Diagnosis is an X-ray. Most cats do well without surgery — weight, home set-up, and comfort support, with a vet-prescribed anti-inflammatory when needed — and the two surgical options exist for the ones who don't.
Written by Marc Brannigan, Co-Founder & CEO of HempMy Pet. Last updated 13 October 2026.
Why Cats Don't Limp: The Jump Test
Dogs with bad hips limp. Cats with bad hips edit their lives so you never see them struggle. These are the five things that change first.
The counter becomes the chair, the chair becomes the floor. Or the jump is still made but with a visible pause and a "measure" first, or in two stages via something lower. This is the single earliest sign, and most owners put it down to age.
Taking stairs one at a time, "bunny-hopping" both back legs together, or avoiding them. In the box: standing rather than squatting, going over the side, or starting to miss — a cat who suddenly won't use a high-sided tray is often a cat who can't crouch.
A swaying or waddling gait behind, back legs held close together, a crouched posture with the hindquarters low. Sometimes a stiff, short-stepping walk after sleep that loosens up. Rarely a classic one-leg limp unless one hip is much worse than the other.
A scruffy, matted or greasy coat over the lower back and hindquarters, because reaching round hurts. Or the opposite — over-grooming one spot over the hip until the fur thins. Overgrown back claws, because they are not being used to climb.
A cat who flinches, growls or bites when the rump or lower back is touched, who no longer wants to be picked up, who sleeps more, plays less, and has become "grumpy." Pain in cats shows up as personality far more often than as a limp.
Record your cat jumping up onto something it has always used, and down again. Then film it coming downstairs. Thirty seconds of each. A vet can see hesitation, two-stage jumps and hind-end stiffness in a video that will never show in a clinic exam room where the cat is frozen on the table.
A cat with sore hips doesn't limp. It stops jumping. If the counter has become the chair, that is the limp.
How Common This Actually Is
Hip dysplasia itself is described as uncommon in cats. Hip arthritis — which is where it leads, and what most of these signs are — is not.
In a study that X-rayed every joint of 100 cats of all ages chosen at random — not cats brought in for lameness, just cats — 92% had radiographic signs of degenerative joint disease, and the hip was the joint affected most often. The expected arthritis score rose about 13.6% for every year of age. The authors' conclusion was that joint disease is very common in cats even when young and is strongly tied to age, and that nobody is noticing it because cats do not limp.
Dysplasia is the inherited version of the story: a shallow socket from birth, so the wear starts early. It runs in Maine Coons above all, and is seen in other heavy breeds — Persians, Himalayans, British Shorthairs — and in moggies too. A review in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery notes that reported rates vary enormously between studies, that the condition is probably commoner than realised, that the signs come on gradually and are easy to miss, and that lameness is often bilateral and therefore hard to spot — which is the whole problem in one paragraph.
Prevalence from Lascelles et al., Veterinary Surgery, 2010; the clinical review is Perry, JFMS, 2016. Breed and treatment background from Cornell's Feline Health Center.
Cat Limping: Hip Dysplasia or Something Else?
If your cat is limping — one leg, obviously — it is more likely to be one of these.
| What it looks like | Most likely | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Sudden limp on one leg, cat otherwise fine, may have been outside or jumped badly | Sprain, strain or a soft-tissue injury; a torn claw; a thorn or glass in the pad | Check the paw and claws, feel for heat or swelling. Rest indoors. Not better in 48 hours, or worse, vet |
| Limp with a swollen, hot, painful spot, often on a leg or the base of the tail; lethargy, fever, off food | Abscess from a cat bite — very common in outdoor cats | Vet this week; it needs draining and antibiotics. Will not fix itself |
| Leg at a strange angle, won't bear weight at all, after a fall, a car or a dog | Fracture or dislocation | Emergency. Do not try to straighten it |
| Both back legs suddenly limp or dragging, crying, cold paws | Saddle thrombus — a clot from the heart | Emergency, now |
| Gradual stiffness, both back legs, lower jumps, worse after rest, better after moving; older cat | Arthritis — hips, knees, elbows — with or without dysplasia behind it | Vet appointment with the jump video; X-rays; long-term comfort plan |
| Young large-breed cat, swaying gait, bunny-hopping, reluctant to jump from kittenhood | Hip dysplasia | Vet with the video; hip X-rays under sedation; plan below |
| Limp that moves from leg to leg, or a cat suddenly reluctant to move at all, sometimes with a fever | Less common: immune or infectious joint disease, bone disease, a tumour | Vet this week — these need bloodwork and imaging |
What "Fixing" It Means
You cannot give a cat a deeper hip socket. You can take most of the pain out of the one it has, and most cats never need surgery.
- Weight first. Every extra ounce rides on those hips. A lean cat with dysplasia is often a comfortable cat; a heavy one is not, whatever else you do. Cornell's first instruction is simply "make sure that your cat is not overweight."
- Re-build the house for low jumps. Steps or a ramp to the bed and the favourite window; a low-sided litter tray, or one with a cut-down entrance, on every floor; food and water that need no jump; non-slip rugs on hard floors; a warm, padded bed (heated beds are popular with arthritic cats for a reason).
- Keep the muscles. Gentle, regular play — a wand toy at floor level, food hidden around the room — keeps the muscles that stabilise a loose hip. Cornell suggests crouching and reaching for food rather than big jumps.
- A vet-prescribed anti-inflammatory. Cats have licensed NSAIDs and, more recently, a monthly injectable antibody for arthritis pain; which one, and whether the kidneys are up to it, is a bloodwork-first decision. Never a human painkiller — paracetamol and ibuprofen are both deadly to cats.
- Joint supplements. Glucosamine, chondroitin and omega-3s have modest evidence in cats and are low-risk; hemp sits in the same tier — see below.
- Surgery, for the minority. Femoral head and neck excision removes the ball so a false joint of scar tissue forms; cats are small enough that most walk well on it, if with a slightly shorter leg. Micro total hip replacement is now available for cats at specialist centres and gives the best function. Both are for cats who stay painful despite everything above.
Where Hemp Fits — and Where It Doesn't
We make hemp products for cats, and joint comfort is the one place we can point to real evidence. Here is exactly how far it goes.
Full-spectrum hemp has been tested in five published canine osteoarthritis trials; four were positive, and one of them was ours — 37 dogs, 90 days, overseen by a pain-management specialist, 93% of completers showing benefit. That is the strongest evidence for hemp in any pet condition. It is dog evidence. Cats are extrapolated from it, with lower and slower servings.
Cats clear cannabinoids differently from dogs and are sensitive to some carriers and additives. There is no feline hip-dysplasia trial. We say that plainly: this is a low-risk addition to a plan, not a replacement for the weight loss, the ramps or the vet's anti-inflammatory. How cats handle hemp explains the difference.
Hemp can change how the liver clears other drugs, including NSAIDs. If your cat is on one, or has kidney values being watched, the vet needs to know before you add anything. Read is CBD safe for cats first.
The cat serving guide works from body weight and starts low. Our cat safety entry lists the carriers and essential oils that are not safe for cats — relevant because several "joint" products sold for cats contain them. For the dog side of the evidence, our clinical trial page has the methodology.
For everyday joint comfort in cats — alongside weight, ramps and the vet's plan
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100mg Hemp Coconut Oil
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500mg Hemp Coconut Oil
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When to Call the Vet
Go now if:
- Both back legs suddenly weak or paralysed, crying, cold paws — saddle thrombus
- A leg at an abnormal angle or no weight-bearing at all after trauma
- A limp with a high fever, collapse, or a cat who will not move
Book this week if:
- A one-leg limp that is not better in 48 hours of indoor rest
- A swollen, hot, painful spot — likely an abscess
- Jump height has dropped, stairs are taken one at a time, or the litter tray is being missed — bring the video
- A Maine Coon or other large-breed kitten with a swaying gait or bunny-hopping
- A cat on a joint medication whose appetite, thirst or litter habits change
Frequently Asked Questions
How painful is hip dysplasia in cats?
Painful enough to change how a cat lives, and quiet enough that most owners miss it. The pain comes from the arthritis that a loose, shallow hip produces, and cats show it as lower jumps, stiffness after rest, reluctance to squat, a scruffy back end and a shorter temper rather than as crying or limping. A review in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery states there is "little doubt" that cats with hip dysplasia and arthritis suffer pain and that it warrants treatment. Weight control, home changes and a vet-prescribed anti-inflammatory take most of it away.
How does a cat with hip dysplasia walk?
Usually with both back legs affected, so instead of a limp you see a swaying or waddling hind end, the back legs held close together, a crouched posture with the hips low, bunny-hopping up stairs with both back legs together, and a stiff, short-stepping walk after sleep that loosens with movement. A one-leg limp appears only when one hip is much worse than the other. The clearest sign is not the walk at all but the jump: hesitation, a two-stage jump, or giving up high places.
How to fix hip dysplasia in cats?
You cannot deepen the socket, but most cats are managed comfortably without surgery: get and keep the cat lean, add ramps or steps to favourite places, switch to a low-sided litter tray, use non-slip rugs and a warm padded bed, keep muscles with gentle floor-level play, add joint support, and use a vet-prescribed anti-inflammatory when needed — never a human painkiller. For cats still in pain, two operations exist: femoral head and neck excision, which cats tolerate well, and micro total hip replacement at specialist centres.
How do I tell if my cat has hip dysplasia?
Watch the jump, not the walk. Lower or hesitant jumps, stairs one at a time, standing in the litter tray instead of squatting or missing it, a matted or over-groomed lower back, overgrown back claws, and a cat who objects to being touched over the rump or picked up are the usual signs. Film your cat jumping up and down from a familiar spot and coming downstairs, and take the video to the vet. Diagnosis is a hip X-ray, usually under sedation so the hips can be positioned properly.
What breeds of cat get hip dysplasia?
Maine Coons are the breed most associated with it, and breed clubs screen for it. It is also seen in other large or heavy breeds — Persians, Himalayans, British Shorthairs, Devon Rex — and in ordinary domestic cats. Because it is inherited, ask a Maine Coon breeder for the parents' hip results. Hip arthritis without dysplasia, by contrast, is found in cats of every breed and size as they age.
Why is my cat limping but not crying?
Because cats almost never cry about pain; they hide it. A one-leg limp with no other signs is most often a sprain, a torn claw or something in the pad — check the paw, rest the cat indoors, and see a vet if it is not better in 48 hours. A limp with a hot swelling is usually an abscess from a bite and needs draining. Both back legs stiff and lower jumps in an older cat is arthritis. Both back legs suddenly useless with cold paws is a clot and an emergency, crying or not.
Can a cat with hip dysplasia live a normal life?
Most can. The 2016 JFMS review reports that the majority of cats respond to non-surgical management — home modification, physical activity, weight loss, supplements and medication — and that two reliable surgical options exist for those who do not. The cats who do badly are the ones whose signs are missed for years because nobody expected a cat to limp. Catch the lower jumps early, keep the cat lean, and the outlook is good.
Can hemp or CBD help a cat with hip dysplasia?
Joint comfort is the one use of hemp in pets with real trial evidence — five published canine arthritis studies, four positive, including our own 90-day trial of 37 dogs. That evidence is in dogs; there is no feline hip-dysplasia trial, and cats process hemp differently, so servings are lower and slower. It is a low-risk addition to weight control, ramps and the vet's plan, not a replacement for any of them, and if your cat is on an anti-inflammatory or has kidney values being watched, tell the vet before adding it.
The Short Version
Cats with bad hips don't limp; they stop jumping. Hip dysplasia is a shallow socket, usually in both hips, commonest in Maine Coons, and it ends in the hip arthritis that an X-ray study found in most cats of every age. Watch the jump height, the stairs and the litter box; film it; get the X-ray. Then: lean weight, low jumps, warm bed, gentle play, a vet-prescribed anti-inflammatory when needed, and surgery only for the few who stay painful.
Hemp's one evidenced use in pets is joint comfort — proven in dogs, extrapolated to cats, lower and slower — alongside the plan, not instead of it.
Hemp for Cats → Cat Serving Guide
Clingy Cat · Stroke vs Seizure · Cats & Hemp · Is CBD Safe for Cats · Cat Safety
Marc co-founded HempMy Pet in 2016 with his wife Natalie, the company's COO. HempMy Pet breeds its own hemp genetics, grows them on its certified-organic Colorado farm, and formulates every batch in-house under human-grade standards — seed to sale, nothing sourced overseas. Every batch is third-party tested and the certificates of analysis are published. More about us.
HempMy Pet ran its own 90-day study of 37 dogs with chronic joint discomfort. Of the 32 that completed it, 30 (93%) showed a benefit, and 94% of owners reported their dog's quality of life had improved. It was overseen by Dr. Robin Downing, DVM, MS of the Downing Center for Animal Pain Management, with Lori Kogan, Ph.D. and Peter W. Hellyer, DVM of Colorado State University's College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, and published in the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. Read the methodology.
Why Dr. Downing: in 2005 she became only the third veterinarian in the world credentialed as a Diplomate of the American Academy of Pain Management. She founded the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, is a Diplomate of the ACVSMR, a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner and a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner, and was the AVMA's 2020 Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year. Chronic joint pain is her life's work. Read the published paper (PDF).
This article is general information for cat owners, not veterinary advice. It is reviewed and updated as new peer-reviewed evidence is published, and where the evidence is thin or negative we say so.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This article is general information, not veterinary advice. If your cat is unwell, contact your veterinarian.
