Clicking sound when cat walks.

My cat is thirteen and appears to be very healthy, although she has always been small for her age. In the last day or so I have noticed a clicking sound (on our wooden floors) when she walks which I think is coming from one of her front paws.


My husband has looked at her paws and can't detect anything. She is not limping nor washing a particular area of her paws.

Do you know what this might be?

MAny thanks

Answer by Kate
sounds like she may need her claws clipped. My own cat seems to need her claws cliiped quite often now she is getting on a bit and soesn't go out that often to wear her claws down naturally. When she walks on our wooden floors you hear a little clicking sound.

You can either clip them your self (see our groom pages here on this site) or you can get the vet or a groomers to do it for you.

Comments for Clicking sound when cat walks.

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A healthy click?
by: Clicking Downton

My 7 year old boy started a similar clicking. Took him to vet. She said he's fine. Not his nails since I hear it on the wood floor and when he walks on the bed. Does not click all the time and I have been going bonkers trying to figure out which paw or joint it is. He can care less and is running, jumping and playing normal. So I will try to ignore too. At least now he can't sneak up on me.
Ckicking legs
by: Anonymous

My four-year-old cat also clicks when walking sometimes . I can't tell which paw or leg joint is the culprit but it just recently started and it has nothing to do with her nails on a hard floor. I hear it's on plush carpeting. It's not all the time & she doesn't appear to be in any pain. I was a little concerned because she's young. She was just a tiny baby Ferrell when I found her in the back property mostly dead. With lots of TLC she came around to healthy but I wonder if her sad start could have caused some joint issues
Clicking sound hasin 13 year old cat has lessened considerably....
by: Anonymous

Monkey has been on the Glyco Flex II chews for a little over a month now and I only hear the clicking in his back legs once in awhile. Nothing like it was before the chews. This product has worked on my aging cat and I highly recommend it.
Clicking sound in rear legs when my 13 year old cat walks
by: Anonymous

My 13 year old cat has the same clicking sound. Since I clip his nails myself once every couple of weeks, I know it is not his nails. After doing some research online, I purchased Glyco-Flex II Feline Bite-Sized from 1800petmeds.com I read this will help with the arthritic condition. I'll check in after Monkey has been on the chews for a couple of months.
clicking sound when cat walks
by: Anonymous

My 8 year old cat Rosie also had this, she did not seem to be in any pain but the noise worried me. My vet first believed it could be spondylosis a degenerative back condition, as he knew that this could cause clicking. Rosie had an xray but it seems that it was not this, he believes now that she had an injury to her knee joint which will heal.
Clicking sound
by: Charlene

My cat is 13 and I'd say for 2 years now I hear clicking when he walks on a hard floor. However, when I bend my knee now it also clicks all the time. I know he has arthritis in his hips and doesn't play hard anymore. I just assumed he had calcification deposits in one of his legs because of age or loss of soft tissure protection between the joint, or even the start of a slight deformity on the joint that bends when he walks, like we get and that is what's making the noise. It doesn't seem to bother mine either so I'm not terribly concerned.
Clicking sound
by: Anonymous

Well, this is very strange. About a week ago my 8yr old cat started making this clicking sound when he walks, but it's NOT all the time. Took him to the Vet this past weekend. Vet did a very thorough exam. Did not find swelling of his joints. I clipped his nails thinking it was that, the Vet also clipped his nails. Clicking sound is still present. Vet said no x-rays were necessary, but this clicking sound drives me crazy. I believe my cat is not in pain, he runs and plays around with no problem. I wonder if I should take him for a 2nd opinion ?. I hope & pray to God this clicking sound goes away.
Dominique does the same thing
by: Anonymous

My 10-year old cat just started doing the same thing. The vet suggested that she needed her nails clipped, and when we got home, clipped nails and all, the clicking continued. Very odd...She doesn't have any large calluses on her toepads either... The paw doesn't seem to bother her at all, so presumably it's a painless and not medically dangerous mystery...but still...
5 year old cat clicks when she walks
by: Anonymous

Hello,

I've found several postings that mention this problem and so far, the only suggestion of cause is nails or cat litter stuck between her toes. No. This is not long nails getting stuck in carpet. I keep her nails trimmed and this house is carpeted and she's still clicking.

There's nothing stuck between her toes and, like other owners have said, I've gropped all her legs and toes and she doesn't seem to be in any pain.

This clicking is new to her, she's been walking silently for 4+ years.

Any other ideas? Tendon issues? Ligaments? I'll keep groping her but for now, it doesn't seem to bother her.

Comment by Kate
sounds strange to me. Maybe it does have something to with Cartilage, I have human friends who have clicking sounds in their joints, so maybe it is the same thing. perhaps the next time you are at the vets mention it but their may not be anything that they can do about it if it is not causing your cat any pain etc.

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