Cat Kicking Back Legs While Walking! Is It Normal?

Cats are masters of body contortion, whether leaping from high ledges or curling up into small places. The cat bunny kick, when they kick their rear legs towards you, a toy, or another cat, is an uncommon action you may have observed.

When cats engage in play activity such as wrestling, they may kick with their rear legs. When they’re arguing or feeling defensive, they’ll act this way to get the other person to leave them alone.

A cat will roll onto her back if she is about to be assaulted or is already being attacked. For more details, please read the whole article!

Why Does Cat Keep Kicking Back Leg Out When Walking?

One possibility is that he suffers from arthritis. The second is that he has a partial clot at the point where the major artery branches off the spine and supplies both of his back legs, producing tingling in his back legs as if they were sleeping.

A complete clot here would shut off all blood flow to his back legs, which would be quite painful. Even if he doesn’t have cardiac disease, their hearts don’t perform as well as they get older, and he may be throwing tiny clots. I’d take him to the vet and get him inspected carefully.

One of the most prevalent causes of your cat’s shaking is hypoglycaemia. Hypoglycaemia is a glucose shortage, therefore your cat’s low blood sugar and chills or tremors might both be signs of the illness. It’s usually the result of their not eating for a long time.

Feline thromboembolic illness is one of the most challenging and frustrating conditions for veterinarians, according to Georgia Veterinarian Specialists. Cats with this illness, which is caused by severe heart disease, have an abrupt onset of rear limb weakness and can shake their limbs.

A cat will roll onto her back if she is about to be assaulted or is already being attacked. The cat can defend itself with all four paws in this stance. The cat will grip the opponent with its forelimbs and kick or rake the opponent’s exposed abdomen/underbelly with its hind limb claws.

Most wild cats do not desire to fight for long periods of time; instead, they prefer a fast strike or defensive maneuver to inflict pain or harm on the other party, causing the other animal to flee.

When your cat behaves this way to you when you try to pet her, it’s possible she’s trying to play with you. When you observe cats or kittens playing with each other, you’ll see that they do the same thing, but not with the same intensity as when they’re fighting.

When cats play, they usually do not injure one another. However, owing to a human’s lack of hair, a cat might unintentionally scratch a person’s hand or arm.

Keep in mind that cats may behave similarly when they are protective or want their owner to stop stroking them. Aggressive behaviour is defined as conduct that increases the space between you and the cat.

For example, a cat that rolls onto her back, grips your hand with her forelegs, and violently rakes her hind legs against you is likely shouting, “Stop!” Remember that a cat that is rolling onto her back may not want you to stroke her tummy.

Cats roll onto their backs to show that they are at ease near a human or another cat, indicating that they are not threatened. It’s best not to try to take advantage of her trust by giving her a belly rub.

What Does It Mean When A Cat Shakes Its Back Legs?

When a cat shakes his back legs, it means that something is wrong with the health of their legs and it should soon be examined by a vet.

Shaking legs in an otherwise healthy feline is unusual, so you might be worried if you see it. This condition can be caused by anything from arthritis to poisoning, and it usually need the assistance of a veterinarian.

1. Arthritis

Trauma, infections, immune system problems, and even developmental issues can all cause arthritis. Shaking limbs can occur when a cat has arthritis and has leg stiffness or favouring.

2. Feline Thromboembolic Disease

Feline thromboembolic illness is one of the most challenging and frustrating conditions for veterinarians, according to Georgia Veterinarian Specialists. Cats with this illness, which is caused by severe heart disease, have an abrupt onset of rear limb weakness and can shake their limbs.

3. Seizures

A drug overdose, brain damage, and metabolic problems can all cause seizures in cats. Depending on the severity of the spastic episode, symptoms range from shaking one leg to shaking the entire body, including all legs.

4. Cold

A severe cold might create anxiety for a feline owner, since it can cause frequent sneezing, nasal discharge, coughing, weakness, high temperature, and trembling legs. If these symptoms are observed, a veterinarian should be seen right once.

5. Poison

There are several objects in and around your house that can be harmful to your cat’s health, even poisoning them, resulting in symptoms such as shaky legs. Antifreeze, various flea treatments, plants, and potpourri, according to the Cat Fanciers’ Association, contain hazardous chemicals.

Always consult your veterinarian before making any changes to your pet’s food, medication, or exercise programme. This material is not intended to replace the advice of a veterinarian.

Why Do Cats Thump Their Back Legs?

Cats thump their back legs when they are engaged in a playful activity.

When your cat is put on the defensive, he will usually roll over onto his back with all four paws raised in the air. He’s not yearning for a tummy rub, don’t be deceived. If you attempt, you’ll be rewarded with an armful of claws. Thank you for allowing your pet to protect himself in a battle, thanks to thousands of years of instinct. He can use all of his paws and fangs to protect himself because he’s on his back.

When he’s lying on his back, clutching a stuffed animal and pummelling it with bunny kicks, you’ll see he’s using both of his rear feet at the same time. He’s having fun while also keeping his combat skills sharp.

While your pet was a kid, you probably saw him performing this strange bunny-kick thing when he was playing with a toy that was around his size. Knowing how kittens connect with their people, it’s much more probable he attempted it on your arm a few times. He’s not attempting to kill your arm with a kick. He’s only having fun, but if he gets too excited, your arm will get scratched.

Allow him to bunny kick again, but this time with a more suitable aim. Rub one of those stuffed toys against his tummy, then step out of the way and watch as he takes it. You can see how your inbred instinct kicks in.

One thing this protective stance advises you is to stay away. His claws might come out even if he’s playing. While your cat may like having his tummy stroked, others will give you the characteristic cat-glare that screams, “What are you doing?” I’m not a dog, I’m a cat!”

As a result, when you try to give your cat a belly rub, proceed with caution. If he’s one of them that take offence, he’ll let you know right away.

If you’re not sure what a rabbit kick is, look out for your cat’s rear legs going “thump, thump, thump.” He’s killing his prey in his head. His back legs are strong, and they can pack a punch and scrape as they move.

Many healthy cats like engaging in “play wrestling” with other cats, toys, pets, or people. So, when a cat grabs a toy or your hand (ouch!) and starts bunny kicking, it’s most likely a game, not a violent attack.

However, cat parents should avoid allowing their cats to bunny kick their hands, arms, feet, or legs. Even though cats aren’t trying to hurt you, their playful kicks can cause severe scratches. Try directing a cat to wrestle a cat toy instead of your limbs when they begin to play intensively with your limbs.

Why Is My Cat Stomping Back Legs?

A cat will stomp his back legs when he is kneading or is happy about something.

Kneading is a relic of kitten hood, according to the most widely accepted theory. A kitten will massage the region surrounding its mother’s teat to encourage milk flow when feeding.

A cat is said to knead when it is pleased or comfortable in maturity because it links the motion with the comforts of feeding and its mother. Some cats even suckle on the surface they’re kneading, lending credence to the theory.

Another theory claims that kneading dates from before domestication, when wild cats were said to pat down leaves to create a velvety surface for sleeping or giving birth. It’s possible that the activity has become an automatic component of calming down.

Why Does My Cat Thump Her Back Leg On The Wall?

A cat generally thumps her back legs on the wall when his legs are sprained and they are just trying to stretch and relax his legs.

Your cat could get carried away with play and start executing a more vigorous rear leg kick, or she might even switch from playful to aggressive behaviour. When a cat is playing with a huge toy or stuffed animal, she may kick with her hind legs.

When your cat turns over, her front paws grip your hand or wrist, and her hind legs rake down your arm, you may be playing with her. This is more common when cat owners playfully battle with their cats with their hands.

Because of the movements made toward your cat (prey attempts to run away, whereas opponents move toward her) and the size of your hand vs. the size of a normal cat toy, your hand and arm may become more of an opponent than a toy.

Your cat could get carried away with play and start executing a more vigorous rear leg kick, or she might even switch from playful to aggressive behaviour. When a cat is playing with a huge toy or stuffed animal, she may kick with her hind legs.

Some toy companies create “kick bag” toys for cats who like to do the bunny kick during their playing. These toys are just a long tube sock with catnip-infused stuffing inside.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Words

A blood clot in the rear leg, known as a saddle thrombus or arterial thromboembolism, is the most prevalent cause of this behaviour in cats (ATE). The clot prevents blood from flowing to the afflicted leg (s). The cat is suddenly unable to put full weight on the afflicted limb due to a clot in the back leg.

Feel free to drop your questions in the comments section below!

References

• https://heartsmart.vet.tufts.edu/rear-limb-weakness/
• https://www.thesprucepets.com/weird-cat-behaviors-explained-553972
• https://www.cuteness.com/article/rear-leg-weakness-cats