Is my kitten's weird walk normal or a hip problem?
Large breeds like Maine Coons get so big that an awkward walk can just be a normal part of growing up. This rapid growth makes it difficult to tell if the weird gait is a harmless phase or a sign that there is something wrong with their hips.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
Is my kitten's weird walk normal or a hip problem?
- 1asking online pet communities for opinionsDid this help you?
- 2taking the kitten to a vet for an X-rayDid this help you?
- 3waiting to see if the kitten grows out of itDid this help you?
- 4Letting the cat watch, sniff, and investigate the baby at her own paceDid this help you?
- 5Waiting until the child reaches preschool age when they are less loud and grabbyDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Should I be worried? I don’t want my cat to see the baby as prey 🥲 She’ll usually stare at her in this exact pose for ~10 minutes straight”source ↗
“Mine wanted nothing to do with the kids while they were unpredictably loud and grabby.”source ↗
“She’s been doing this for 6 months ever since we brought the baby home! So far she hasn’t really warmed up to her. Every time she tries to reach for the kitty she just ends up running away.”source ↗
“I'm not sure if I'm looking into this too much but I noticed that my cat had a weird looking walk and I wasn't sure if this was just normal for a young mainecoon because they get so big or there could be something wrong with his hips?”source ↗
Where this came up
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- 12Why is my kitten suddenly yelling all the time and growling?
- 4New kitten hiding and won't eat or drink
- 2Did I separate a stray cat from her kittens?