If you have an aging kitty at home, then you must have complete idea about diseases that may crop up in aging cats. Pet parents need to know details about aging disorders to give them comfort to the pet in their later years. Just like their human companions, cats and dogs also face arthritic problems when they grow old. In fact, cat arthritis is one of the most common diseases in older cats. The most common causes of this disease are bone degeneration due to age and genetics.
How can one detect cat arthritis?
Owners need to be mindful of the physical changes that occur due to this disease. It will help them in molding their pet care routine to take specific care of this disease. The worst part is that cats do not show these arthritic symptoms easily. Detection of arthritis in cats is not easy, as the symptoms are very gradual and often deceitful. One may know through behavioral changes that the cat may show due to extreme pain. Pet parents must consider such painful expressions, irritation and lethargy as a hint for arthritis, a joint disorder that demands proper cat joint care.
Common symptoms of arthritis in cats:
Excess sleep: Arthritic cats may sleep more to give their bones some good rest. These extra naps without any reason are their way of giving their body a good relaxing time.
Anxiety: Unreasonable restlessness is another sign pointing towards joint issues in felines. Their anxious behavior appears due to pain in joints.
Aloofness: Some pets may prefer to remain in isolation, as they do not want to show irritation to their human family.
Attention grabbers: Contrary to that, few felines may like to grab all the attention by interacting more with the family. Some animal psychologist deciphers it as their want to convey their suffering.
Lethargy: Unwillingness to play, jump and do their routine course is again a pointer towards pain in joints suggesting arthritis.
Lameness: Sometimes it is difficult to gauge that the cat is facing walking difficulty. If you observe any degree of lameness in your cat, then she may be going through an arthritic problem.
If any of these or all of these symptoms come to the notice, then pet parents need to take veterinarian guidance. Physical examination through X-rays and other medical procedure will help in diagnosing cat arthritis.
Weight control: If your cat is overweight then it becomes obvious that her joints are over stressed. To avoid joint and cartilage damage in her growing years, make sure you keep her weight in check. Incorporate frequent weight check up in your routine cat joint care.
Nutritional supplements: Apart from medications suggested by your veterinarian, you must also consult him for the correct dosage of joint supplements like Sea Flex, Joint Guard etc. These food supplements aid in healthy joint functioning by repairing cartilage, synovial fluid development and joint matrix formation. These additional nutrients work best for improving the cat’s joint mobility.
Alternative therapies: You can mix and match few alternative therapies along with the treatment. Acupuncture, hydrotherapy, massage etc. work well for cats. These therapies give symptomatic relief by pacing up the recovery process.
To sum up, arthritis is common in cats. It is difficult to detect the symptoms. Therefore, pet owners need to be vigilant about their cat’s behavior. Once detected, it may not be completely healed, but there are fair chances of a good recovery. It is also possible to avoid it for a couple of years through weight control and nutritional supplements. So, positively deal with your cat’s arthritis issue and enjoy her jumping, cuddling and hopping around you.
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