October 2, 2024
Arthritis In Cats
Arthritis is inflammation of any joint. We are familiar with this disease in people, and dogs, but did you know it is common in cats too? In fact, by the age of 6 years, around 60% of cats have arthritis. And by the age of years, over 90% of cats suffer from arthritis. Arthritis causes pain, reduced activity and results in a poor quality of life for cats that suffer with it. Cats are also stoic animals (named after the stoic school of philosophy which famously encourages putting up with hardship without complaint - a famous practitioner was the ancient Roman politician “Cato” (pun intended)). This means it can be hard to tell from observing your cat if they suffer from arthritis.
There are some clues that cats develop arthritis as they get older. They may move less, preferring to sit in one place. They can be reluctant to jump to places they used to like to get a good view. They may stop grooming, particularly their back. All of these symptoms are sometimes put down to “old age”, but are in fact signs of disease. To confirm a diagnosis your vet can perform a clinical examination which frequently includes an x-ray.
So what can you do for your cat to improve their quality of life? You can make modifications around your home to make moving around easier. E.g. some cat stairs to help them climb up to their favourite chair. Perhaps a cat hammock hanging from the radiator. There are also veterinary options. There are good daily painkillers for your cat that your vet can prescribe. Following on from our last article, there is also a monoclonal antibody therapy on the market which can help mitigate the symptoms of arthritis. This is an injection which can be given by your vet.
So, if your cat has slowed down, it may not be old age, it may be arthritis. Book an appointment with your vet to get a checkup. It might be the purrfect present for your feline friend.
