Arthritis in Cats - A major Problem

According to a research conducted by U.S. veterinarians in the year 2012, it was found that house cats get osteoarthritis (OA) as frequently as dogs. In the last one decade, there has been an increase in the number of older cats, especially 12 years and above to suffer from arthritis. In the year 2011, veterinarians used x-ray which showed that 61% of cats over the age of 6 years were suffering from osteoarthritis in at least one joint while 48% had two or more affected joints. An older cat of 14 years had 82% chance of getting arthritis. So what causes arthritis in cats?

It is very difficult to answer this question as the signs of feline arthritis are very subtle and difficult to spot. Arthritis happens when the cartilage within the joint becomes damaged. Once the cartilage within the joint gets destroyed, the two bones rub together, which results in bones getting damaged leading to arthritis.

Causes of Feline Arthritis

Feline arthritis is commonly found in middle-aged cats. It is more prone in obese cats than lean cats. Those cats who have injured their joints in the past are also prone to becoming arthritic in the latter part of their lives. There are certain congenital abnormalities that make a cat suffer the effects of arthritis. One of the prime reasons for that is congenital abnormality which leads to arthritis.

Symptoms of arthritis in cats

• Pain caused in the joints of the cat
• Cats becoming less active and may lie down more often.
• Cats may become anxious and restless
• Cats find it difficult to find a comfortable place to rest or sleep
• Avoiding contact with the family members and become irritated
• Cats may become more social trying to seek more attention from their family members
• Arthritic cats may find it difficult to urinate in the litter box and defecate in the open outside their litter box
• Cats ceasing to groom themselves as a result they might see unkempt hair
• A decreased appetite in cats due to excessive pain in joints leading to drastic weight loss
• Cats may show signs of lameness while walking but this is very difficult to notice as they are quite good at concealing these things from their owners

These symptoms may show up gradually when the joints of the cat start paining a lot. But if you observe keenly about the behavior of your cat it would be very easy to find out about any abnormality in their behavior.

Treatment of feline arthritis

If you find that your cat is suffering from joint pains they should be immediately taken to a veterinarian. They would then conduct certain tests like x-ray to try and find out about the nature of their disease.

Once arthritis has been detected, you can take the help of treatments like Canine Joint Support, Joint Formula, Joint Guard, Joint Health Tablets, Nature’s Answer Glucosamine, Osteocare, Osteoforte Natural Animal and Osteosupport after consulting your veterinarian. These treatments will not only give relief to the feline, but it will also make him comfortable.