Cats are living creatures and in many ways, they suffer from the same ailments that affect humans too. As we age, we will find that our bones and joints become less strong. It is the same with your cat. In fact, it is quite common for senior cats to suffer from joint pain just like us, humans. But how can you tell for sure if kitty is indeed suffering in silence? Read on.
Older cats may suffer from Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease. One possible cause of this disease is excess weight, the other is of course, age.
So how can you tell if your cat is indeed suffering from joint pain or Osteoarthritis? Here are 6 tell tale signs:-
1. Altered gait
-- You may suddenly notice that your cat does not walk the same she always does. Her gait may change or she may limp on one side indicating pain on one or 2 of her legs.
2. Difficulty getting into and out of the litter box
-- She may exhibit lethargy or stiffness when getting up and about. That includes getting into and out of her litter box. Such lethargy indicates pain in the legs or joints
3. Obvious pain when walking
-- You should be able to tell that kitty is obviously feeling pain when walking, like an old lady. That's another danger sign.
4. Not so willing to jump
-- If you notice kitty is not so "bouncy", that's a red alert. Healthy cats are normally playful so her reluctance to jump and play is not a good sign but an indication of pain somewhere in her body
5. Loss in appetite
-- Is your cat eating less these days? While this alone does not indicate joint pain but taken together with the other points above, you should, nonetheless, be concerned.
6. Personality changes
-- Another subtle indication is that your cat may suddenly become nervous, more aggressive or even depressed. These emotional changes are strong indications that things are not right.
What should you do if your cat is suffering from joint pain? Obviously, bringing her to the vet is one option but this may be unnecessary and costly. So here are some things you can do at home to treat kitty:
1. Control her diet and weight
-- is kitty putting on too much weight? If so, she needs to slim down because excessive body weight can put pressure on her joints and cause joint pain. Put less food on her feeder but do so gradually, not suddenly.
2. More exercises
-- your cat may actually need more exercises to reduce her weight. But there is also another side to exercises - they warm up the joints so that kitty becomes more flexible. Give her more space to move and stretch, even to run around the house.
3. Provide more warm
-- warmth can be soothing for painful joints as it aids in blood circulation. You may want to buy heated pads for cats or simply provide more cushions and blankets to keep your cat warm
4. Gentle massages
-- gentle massages can help improve blood circulation and also ease pain.
If the above home treatment does not help, then it is time to take her to the vet.
Besides the above, you may also want to seriously consider giving your cat some product for cat pain relief. These pain relief remedies can help if your cat is really in pain and need immediate attention. Also, consider getting some pet or cat vitamins because cats do need these in order to keep healthy.
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