cat limping

Question
We recently introduced a new 1 year old female cat into our home.  She has
been with us since March and my boy cat 11 years old loves her, but my 11
year old female and her do not get along.  We have been using a water bottle
to separate them when they get into there little tiffs.  My husband came home
last night and found the two females bickering and he said the elder one was
acting weird.  I woke up this morning to find the elder cat on the kitchen
counter (she never gets up there) on her back purring, I thought that was
weird so I picked her up.  she went straight up to my shoulders.  I tried
putting her on the ground and noticed that she would not put her right paw
on the ground.  She lets me touch her leg and paws, its only when she puts
pressure on it.  She favors the shelf in our closet which she has to jump onto
to get.  She walks but barely uses her right leg and if she does she squeaks.  I
put her in the closet where she is comfortable while I am at work.  I will be
taking her to the vet if it doesn't get any better, now I am really considering
giving the younger cat away.  So, does it seem like she may have jumped and
landed funny and maybe tweaked her leg a bit should I brace it up for her or
just leave her to herself for today and take her to the vet in the morning?
Thanks,
Jamie

Answer
There's is no need to brace your cat's leg.  Cats are excellent at recovering by themselves.  One of my cats once disappeared, and returned after two weeks, with one leg crooked.  I realized that she had fallen from my fourth floor balcony and broken her leg.  She must have crawled under some bushes and hidden for the entire time she was away, and let her leg heal by itself.  I didn't even take her to a vet.  In time, the leg straightened out.

I doubt that she sustained an injury by falling - more likely, it was something that happened during a fight between the two cats.  

Are your cats spayed?  Are they indoor cats, or can they go outside freely?

It is very difficult to introduce a new cat of the same sex unless one of them is a kitten or they have a lot space.  Sometimes two cats will take to each other, sometimes they will tolerate each other, and sometimes they never learn to get along.  I have had better luck introducing a cat into my household of nine dogs!

It sounds like you should seriously consider giving away the younger cat.  Speak to your vet about the problem - some vets help their patients' people find new homes for their pets.

I hope this works out.

Cordially,

Susan