Arthritis in Cats - Help Your Cat Live as Pain-Free as Possible

Osteoarthritis in cats is – as in humans – a comparatively typical disease of old age. In most cases, senior cats are acutely affected after the age of twelve. However, arthrosis damage can be seen on X-rays in about 90% of cats over the age of nine, even if the animals do not show any symptoms. The disease osteoarthritis causes irreversible wear and tear of cartilage and joints, which is usually a sign of age, but is also favoured by factors such as obesity, poorly healed injuries or growth defects. The parts of the body most commonly affected are the elbows and shoulders, followed by the knees and hips. The severity and extent of osteoarthritis in cats varies from animal to animal. However, arthritis pain is always chronic and reduces your cat’s quality of life. Osteoarthritis should therefore never be left untreated. Have you noticed the first signs on your cat? Before you head to your local vet’s office, you can make a stress-free online appointment with Dr. Maxi Zoo. The vets will take a look at your cat via video chat and give you an informed assessment.

You can prevent joint wear and tear by avoiding overweight in young cats and by providing stimulation and exercise for cats with a more leisurely character. The fitter the cat, the longer the condition of the joints will remain good. Keep in mind that osteoarthritis is a typical symptom of old age. Under certain circumstances, however, a younger animal can also suffer from joint wear and tear. The age of the cat is therefore not a definite exclusion criterion!

Osteoarthritis as joint wear and tear is clearly distinguishable from so-called arthritis. Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints that can be triggered by viral diseases, for example, regardless of age. In osteoarthritis as a degenerative joint disease, damage to the joint cartilage is caused by excess bone tissue, a thickening of the joint capsule and qualitative changes in the body’s own synovial fluid. The function of the joint is painfully restricted and altered as a result – the animal moves more hesitantly to avoid pain. Arthritis, on the other hand, can be caused by infections such as Lyme disease or rheumatism, and sometimes the cause is found directly in damage to the cartilage, whereby the organism interprets released cartilage components as foreign substances, which it then combats by causing inflammation in the joint. Osteoarthritis can trigger arthritis through acute damage to the cartilage and set a negative cycle in motion.

Like many animals, cats avoid showing illness and pain for as long as possible. If you keep a close eye on your pet, you should also look out for small signs that may indicate arthritis or osteoarthritis. You can read more about these signs later in this article.

Advanced arthrosis is accompanied by impairments that can no longer be ignored, such as lameness, limping or limping. Especially when the cat has rested for a long time and rises, the stiffness becomes noticeable.

To treat the cat’s arthritis, the vet will suggest various pain-relieving methods – joint wear and tear cannot be cured.