I have an older cat (no idea how old, I inherited her from a friend and have had her for at least 6-7 years), Smokey. She's a good cat... really sweet, but getting old and nowhere near as "feisty" as she used to be.

Anyway... the first and more worrisome question is this: Smokey began showing signs of possible hip problems? I noticed that she was having problems jumping up on the furniture. She has never liked heights (which is weird because the previous owner swears she used to love to play in the rafters!) and doesn't even like to be held if you are standing. She gets extremely nervous but even more so since I noticed that she doesn't get around like she used to. After seeing her "miss" on various attempts at jumping on the bed or up on the couch and really contemplate her jumps off furniture, I also started to notice that she will be walking and suddenly "lose control" of her back half. Her hind legs will just start drifting to one side or the other. She doesn't appear to be in any pain, however. She doesn't yowl at me or jerk away when I pet her toward the tail on her back or her hind legs, although I try to be very careful just in case. It was around the time I noticed her "walking funny" that she began urinating outside of the litter box.

I had a rather tall litter box (that she shares with another cat, they've shared a household for several years, both indoor cats) and replaced it with a shorter box, thinking that it hurt her "hips" to jump in and out of the taller box. Still she urinates outside of the box. She very rarely will poop outside of the box.

Any ideas what this could be? Urinary infection? Would that make her walk funny?

And my second question...

Ever since I "inherited" Smokey, she's been anti-social as anything with anyone other than me. She hears a knock at the door and she is a blur of fur heading under the bed! (Even now in her present condition, she can move fast when she wants to!) The sad thing is that she has taught my other cat, Tasia (pronounced tay-zha), who I bought into the home as a kitten (now THAT was interesting!) to also hide from anyone who comes to the door or in the house. EVENTUALLY, Tasia will venture out and remember that this IS HER house after all, but Smokey will make sure no one else is in the house before showing her hide again. For longer guest stays, she will eventually pop out to eat or relieve herself but then it's right back under the bed!

Smokey will NOT go outside but will sit in the doorway and look out. Tasia will camp in front of any window she can get to and does enjoy the occasional trip outside with me.

My sister kids me that I have imaginary cats because she swears she's never seen them. That is until she house sat for me one week, unless she still thinks imaginary cats leave real life poop!

When no one is around, they are normal "free range" cats... plopping down in their favorite spots and occasionally making demands (... you know what I'm talking about).

I'm good to them, they are affectionate toward me... and Tasia will eventually let others pet her if she's around them long enough, but at the next visit, it starts all over again. Is it possible that Smokey taught this behavior (knock, knock... RUN!) to Tasia? Why would Smokey be this way and be afraid (I mean she starts shaking!) by heights since I've gotten her, she wasn't this way at my friend's home? (The friend also had a small child at the time, if THAT didn't scare Smokey, I don't know what would!)

I'm just wondering why they'd be so skittish for apparently no reason...

It may be good to note that when I first got both cats, I was living in a small apartment and did have loud neighbors, so I can see them being "shell shocked" so-to-speak... but I've been in a house for about 5 years now, much quieter environment...

Any thoughts?

Cats are funny creatures and they have personalities and moods just like people.
I know my sapphire was okay with people and other pets until she got older now she hides and likes left alone mostly. I have had cats that were really paranoid about everything.
My guess is she is not using the liter box because of her problem and finds it hard to step into it. Try giving her omega fatty acid and hylaronic acid they are good for joint pain and she probably has arthritis. Animals do seem to get that when they are a little up in years.

From the sounds of it, my guess to her running when someone comes is from being abused earlier in life. That is common, but some cats/dogs do eventually learn that not all people hurt them. With that, don't worry, she has her attitude and you're lucky to have her and she's very lucky to have you!

With urinating and her wobbling, could be a few things. A lot sounds like she is losing feeling in her end. Could be hip problems, could be arthritis. It's very hard to say. I would suggest you go out and get a few little stools and put them at all the spots she likes to sleep. You can also make them yourself. Anyway, they are done to help animals with problems like Smokey be able to get up to her place and back down.

I know this is going to sound horrible, but you might want to think about having her put to sleep. She is old, and her life is now going down hill. Take Smokey to a vet and talk to them about it all. He/she will be able to give you more knowledge as to what is happening to cause these things and probably tell you what more could happen.

You sound like a wonderful person who is great to cats. Wish there were more like you. You just have to think about Smokey's life and what more is to come and when it would be best to have her put to sleep. Don't think it's wrong, it's not. I know from my own experiences it is hard. She loves you and she will always be there with you. Please give Smokey a pet, hug, and kiss for me. There is never an animal any better then a cat!

I do agree to get her to a vet. While the hind leg thing could be arthritis, there are other things that it can be, possibly treatable. I wouldn't be ready to write her off yet. Not only might it be treatable, but if she's not in pain (which may also be controllable), then her life isn't over yet. Humans tend to judge quality of life for a cat in odd ways. They can't walk as well so they have no quality of life? I don't see this.

Getting her to the vet to find out what's wrong is the best thing you can do. (Once you find out what it is, you may want to post again and see if there's an easier or cheaper way to treat. Sometimes vets do things more expensively than they need to.)

As for the skittishness, I don't find anything that odd about it. I had a cat that was like that when I got him at only two months old and he stayed that way for his entire 15 years. He was an extremely one-person-loyal type cat and feared strangers. (He liked 3 other people but never had the loyalty to them.) I never thought anything about it as some cats can just be like that. Granted, I don't know what happened to him the first two months of his life, but I think mostly that was just his personality.

My nearly 18-year-old siamese was terrified of strangers for the first 16 years of her life and always hid under the bed when I had a visitor. I would have to date a man for months before she would decide it was safe to hang out with him. She has always been a strictly indoor kitty and has never been abused (she is from a litter my brother's cat had, so I know for sure). In fact she has been spoiled rotten her whole life and is ridiculously affectionate with me. Her littermate brother, who died a year and a half ago, was Mr. Personality -- loved a party and trying out all the laps! So really it is just a personality thing. When her brother started getting sick with the brain tumor that eventually killed him, she suddenly became social. Has not hid from a single visitor since and likes to let them pet her. Cats!

She, too, has had joint issues lately. A few months ago, I noticed a distinct limp if she had been lying down for a while and got up to walk around. Thing is, I started getting joint pain in my hands a few years ago and heard about MSM. I began taking about 4000 mg a day and the pain stopped in less than a month. Nine years later, still no pain!

My cat has slightly elevated kidney levels and is on a special diet (Purina Veterinary Formula NF canned food). I mix Epakitin (a kidney function med) into it. When I noticed her limping around the beginning of this year, I began grinding up my MSM pills with a mortar and pestle and giving her about 1/10 my dose in powder form along with the Epakitin in her food. She doesn't seem to notice the taste and she is getting so much better! Lots more energy and only the tiniest limp. I even caught her playing with a toy the other day, which she hasn't done in years. So you might try giving your cat MSM.