Arthritis & Stiffness in Cats

A lame dog is a lame dog, but is it always so obvious in a cat?

Let’s face it, most cats spend the day fast asleep. Opening an eye and stretching a leg out constitutes a brisk work out for many of out feline companions. Vets are only fairly recently beginning to realise that stiffness, arthritis and the long term joint pain that goes with it are far more common than we had realised.

How can you tell if your cat is in pain?

Maybe he’s moving around less than he used to. This might not just be laziness, this could be pain. We recently saw a cat who’s owner thought he was just getting old and tired and she brought him in for a check up. We ended up X-raying him and found he had terrible arthritis – now with the correct treatment he is suddenly much more active, much happier and not lying around on the bed so much. “You’ve taken years off him!” was his owner’s delighted comment.

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Arthritis is painful and reduces quality of life if not properly treated. Otherwise known as Degenerative Joint Disease, it can be triggered by anything that causes inflammation or degradation of the joint tissues. Natural wear and tear causes regular and prolonged low grade trauma to the joints. This can be made worse by excessive weight, poor joint conformation, extreme activity or injuries. Specific injuries such as ligament tears lead to joint instability and these will accelerate the degenerative process.

Supplements containing glucosamine and Chondoitin help support the repair and maintenance of old, injured or diseased joints.

The inflammatory process can lead to the production of destructive enzymes in the joints that contribute to a vicious circle of degeneration. Excessive wear of the joint cartilage, inadequate repair of the articular surfaces, inadequate production of the lubricant joint fluid and repair of the tissues of the joint capsule. Adding Fish Oils to the diet is one way of helping reduce inflammation, naturally. Fish Oils have a natural anti-inflammatory action, and can be found in combination with specific plant oils in a number of products. Don't be alarmed if the pack says these are for skin conditions - we use the anti-inflammatory action for arthritis treatment as well!

The tissues around the joint thicken and become increasingly fibrotic and stiff. This does help support a malfunctioning joint but in turn places more strain on the other joints, unbalancing the gait of the cat, rendering other joints more likely to be worn excessively or injured.

Don’t forget that many pets are increasingly mineral deficient due to mineral depletion in the soil where their food is produced. If you supplement their food with Vitamins and Minerals you will be ensuring that this is not going to be a problem for your cat. MultiVitamin and Mineral supplements provide essential micro-nutrients such as Vitamins C and E and a range of minerals such as Zinc and Copper, crucial for active body repair. We like to add powerful anti-oxidants for cats to help mop up some of the nasty free radicals involved in joint degeneration.

Weight control is essential – yet another reason for staying Fit not Fat! Acupuncture and homeopathy also play an important part in the treatment process.

Together, these simple actions can help bring real relief and help reduce the doses of drug medication that your pet may otherwise need to stay active and pain free.

Cat Arthritis and Stiffness

	Synoquin Cat: top selling joint support. 90 sprinkle capsules Code: SYC90 Vetscriptions Price: £29.70 Typical Retail Price: £49.35 Quantity in Basket: none
	Cortaflex liquid 946mls highly palatable liquid joint support Code: CL946 Vetscriptions Price: £57.50 Quantity in Basket: none
	Cosequin Regular Strength 90 Capsules Sprinkle Code: CRS90 Vetscriptions Price: £43.75 Typical Retail Price: £58.75 Quantity in Basket: none
	Glycoflex Cat - Green lipped mussel extract for joint support in cats, 90 capsules Code: GLYCFCAT Vetscriptions Price: £16.49 Typical Retail Price: £25.85 Quantity in Basket: none
	Greenleaf Tablets: nettle extract for allergies, arthritis and urinary problems, 100 tablets Code: GRLEAF Vetscriptions Price: £5.65 Quantity in Basket: none
	Seraquin 800mg tablets x 60: Glucosamine and Turmeric for joint support Code: SERA800 Vetscriptions Price: £10.49 Typical Retail Price: £16.35 Quantity in Basket: none
	Arthrotabs, green-lipped mussel extract for muscle & joint function, 60 tablets Code: ARTTABS Vetscriptions Price: £20.25 Quantity in Basket: none
	Artphyton, 380gm Code: artp380 Vetscriptions Price: £22.99 Quantity in Basket: none
	Bomazeal Cat Tablets, pack of 100 Code: BOMACAT Vetscriptions Price: £9.28 Quantity in Basket: none
	Corta Vet Canine/Feline 200mg, pack of 60. Code: CORTAVETC Vetscriptions Price: £19.38 Quantity in Basket: none
	Corta Vet Canine/Feline Spray 120mls. Code: CORTAVETS Vetscriptions Price: £19.89 Quantity in Basket: none
	Corta Vet HA Paste x 30ml syringe Code: CORTAVETPASTE Vetscriptions Price: £15.90 Quantity in Basket: none
	Corta Vet HA Powder x 450g Code: CORTAVETHA Vetscriptions Price: £72.80 Quantity in Basket: none
	Cortaflex Capsules 200mg, pack of 60 Code: CORTAFLEXCAPS Vetscriptions Price: £23.78 Quantity in Basket: none
	Flexiderm Capsules, pack of 120 Code: FLEXIDERM Vetscriptions Price: £25.03 Quantity in Basket: none
	Garlic & Fenugreek Tablets, pack of 100 Code: GARLIC Vetscriptions Price: £6.44 Quantity in Basket: none
	Glucosamine & Chondroitin Capsules, pack of 60 Code: GLUCOCHON Vetscriptions Price: £11.69 Quantity in Basket: none
	Glucosamine Sulphate H/S Tablets, pack of 60 Code: GLUCOSULPH Vetscriptions Price: £9.09 Quantity in Basket: none
	Magno Pulse Pet Coaster Code: MAGNOPULSE Vetscriptions Price: £13.56 Quantity in Basket: none
	Mcfarlane SF4 Cat Tablets, pack of 100 Code: MCFARSF4C Vetscriptions Price: £4.10 Quantity in Basket: none