What this means
Cats rarely show that something hurts or is wrong. They do not cry out, they do not always limp, they simply change their habits: they stop jumping onto the windowsill, climb via a chair instead of jumping straight up, play for shorter or stop reacting to a favourite toy. Many owners put this down to age or laziness, but it can be the first and only sign that the cat is in pain or finding things hard.
Moving less can have very different causes. Painful joints and excess weight feed each other: the more it hurts to move, the less the cat moves and the easier it is to gain weight. A cat whose heart is starting to struggle may also play less, and in a young animal reduced activity can point to an inherited disease, so a young cat's change should not be put down to tiredness or character either.
Only a vet can find the cause. It helps to know when play began to shorten, whether the cat still jumps up high, how it climbs stairs and how it looks after sleeping, and whether it is still grooming itself. If you can, film how it moves and jumps.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your cat.
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Joint pain or dysplasia
When a joint is poorly formed or worn, moving hurts. The cat may stop jumping up, moves carefully and rests for longer.
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Excess weight
Extra weight loads the joints and the breathing. The cat is less willing to move, so its weight can climb even further.
About the condition: Obesity (excess weight) -
Heart disease
When the heart muscle thickens or its work is disturbed, a cat tires sooner, plays less and hides more.
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An inherited muscle or metabolic disease in a young animal
A kitten or young cat that moves less, trembles or walks stiffly may have an inherited disease, so such a change should be shown to a vet.
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Pain or illness elsewhere in the body
Pain in the teeth or belly, or any other illness, can also take away the wish to play even though the cat just seems quieter.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- Since when play has been getting shorter and whether the change is growing
- Whether your cat still jumps to high places or chooses to climb in steps
- Whether it is stiff after sleeping or lying for a long time
- Whether it still grooms itself, especially its back
- Whether its weight, appetite or litter-box habits have changed
- Whether it breathes faster or harder while resting
When to book a routine visit
If your cat has been playing less for a few weeks, avoids jumping or moves differently, see a vet rather than wait for it to pass. Say when you noticed the change and show a video of how it moves.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Glycogen storage disease Hormones and metabolism An inherited metabolic disease in which the body cannot properly build and use glycogen, the store of sugar that the muscles, liver and nerves draw their energy from. It shows itself in kittens and young cats.
- Hip dysplasia Bones and joints The hip joint forms imperfectly, so the ball of the thigh bone does not sit in the socket as it should, and the joint wears over time and starts to hurt.
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy Heart A disease of the heart muscle in which the wall of the heart slowly thickens, so the heart fills with blood less easily and pumps it less well. It can go unnoticed for a long time, and the signs sometimes appear only once it has advanced. For cats it matters because it can affect breathing and circulation.
- Weight and joint issues Bones and joints Excess weight and joint problems feed each other: extra weight loads the joints, and sore joints make a cat less willing to move. The result is a vicious circle that is hard to spot, because the changes come on slowly.
Body systems: Hormones and metabolism Bones and joints Heart