Cats Arthritis

Arthritis in cats is noticeable as a stiffening of the legs, ligaments and bones.  Basically it means the cat does not walk, run or play with the looseness and flexibility it did when it was a kitten.

Most people assume that arthritis is primarily caused by age.  But in fact, most of the time feline arthritis is due to an injury from an accident. Other causes might be due to your cat being overweight or not active enough.

Any cat can suffer from arthritis but it mostly occurs in cats that lead athletic lives or those that are overweight.

1) A swollen or painful joint which may cause limping.
2) Stiffness or lameness which may be intermittent at first and worsen over time.
3) An abnormal appearance of a joint
4) Less athletic than usual

Doctor Oliver or one of our staff will examine your cat while moving about and at rest and evaluate through manipulation of joints. They may also take x-rays or additional tests to determine if your cat has arthritis.

Common treatments include anti-inflamatory medications, change of diet, exercise management.  In some cases surgery need to be performed.

To help prevent your cat from getting arthritis you can feed your cat a healthy diet and control their weight. Stop into our office and we would be happy to make recommendations.