What this means
An unsteady walk can look many ways: the cat sways as if drunk, sets its legs wide, trips over its own feet, misjudges a jump, falls or struggles to turn its head. Often the first thing you notice is clumsiness or poorly coordinated movement. Write down when it began, whether the walk is getting worse and whether it is there all the time or came on suddenly.
In a kitten or young cat an unsteady walk can be a sign of an inherited or developmental condition. The kitten looks healthy at birth but loses more and more precision in its movements as it grows, takes short steps or seems to have weak back legs. It is also worth noting other signs, such as a trembling head, an unusually large head or slower growth. A vet needs to assess these conditions, and there is no need to guess the cause or how it will go.
An adult cat that suddenly starts to sway also needs to be seen as soon as possible, because a sudden loss of balance can be a sign of a serious illness or poisoning. Cats hide illness, so even slight clumsiness is important information.
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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An inherited storage disease affecting nerve cells
When a kitten lacks a certain enzyme, substances build up in the nerve cells. The head trembles, the walk becomes swaying and the movements poorly coordinated.
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Too much fluid around the brain
Built-up fluid presses on the brain tissue. A kitten may move unsteadily, walk in circles or behave strangely, and its head can look too large.
About the condition: Hydrocephalus -
Inherited loss of the nerves that drive the muscles
In a young cat the nerve cells in the spinal cord die off, so the muscles weaken, the steps shorten and the back legs look weak.
About the condition: Spinal muscular atrophy -
A problem in the inner ear or balance system
When balance is disturbed a cat may lean to one side, sway and look disoriented. Often it comes on suddenly.
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Something toxic
A poisoned cat may sway, tremble or lose awareness of its surroundings. This needs urgent veterinary help.
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General weakness from another illness
Weakness from a heart, blood or metabolic problem can look like an unsteady walk. A vet needs to find the cause.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- Whether your cat sways, stumbles, sets its legs wide or falls
- Whether the walk has got worse over days or months
- Whether the head or body also trembles
- Whether the eyes flick from side to side or the head tilts to one side
- Whether a kitten grows more slowly or seems less lively than its littermates
- Whether your cat can still reach the litter box and jump onto higher places
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit if your cat or kitten walks unsteadily, moves clumsily or no longer coordinates its movements, even if it has been going on for some time. A kitten is worth showing as soon as you notice the first signs. Before the visit, film your cat walking.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) Infections A severe disease that develops when the coronavirus living in cats' guts changes inside a cat's body and starts spreading throughout it. It inflames blood vessels and organs, and fluid can collect in the belly or chest.
- GM1 gangliosidosis Nerves and muscles An inherited storage disease in which the body lacks an enzyme that breaks down certain fatty substances. They build up in nerve cells, especially in the brain, and gradually disrupt their work.
- Hydrocephalus Nerves and muscles A condition in which too much of the fluid that bathes the brain builds up in or around it and presses on the brain tissue. It can be present from birth and noticed in a kitten, or develop later because of another brain disease or an injury.
- Spinal muscular atrophy Nerves and muscles An inherited disease in which the nerve cells in the spinal cord that tell the muscles to move slowly die off, so the muscles weaken and shrink. The first signs appear in young cats.
- Toxoplasmosis Parasites A disease caused by a single-celled parasite, Toxoplasma. A cat is infected by eating infected prey or raw meat but may show no signs at all, and the parasite matters for people too, especially pregnant women.
Body systems: Infections Nerves and muscles Parasites