Have you heard about cat arthritis? That sprightly cat of yours has always made you feel good everyday as a proud cat parent, however, one day you noticed an unusual lameness and inactivity from your cat and you wondered what could be the problem. Feline species, when they reach their teens, may experience body stiffness causing them to be reluctant in getting up and difficulty in lying down or resting. An observable physical sign likewise includes muscle atrophy or when the muscles deteriorate and reduce in size affecting the cartilage and ligaments as well as the amount of support normal size muscles should be giving.
Cat arthritis is due to the inflammation of joints especially the ball and socket type of joints in cats. The area affected is the cartilage that is destructed. When the cartilage is destructed, the protection of the bones' joints will weaken causing irritation and pain. Arthritis, also called a degenerative joint disease or if in worst stage, osteoarthritis usually affects the cat's joints such as the shoulders, hip, ankle, elbow, and the spine. Obesity or overweight in cats trigger this kind of disease and the cause is normally brought about by an abnormal stress, which is the obesity) put on a normal joint.
Injuries from fall and other accidents such as car accidents and the like also belong to this kind of cause. However, immune-related deficiency and infectious diseases in cats that may be genetic or acquired are examples of normal stress put on abnormal joints that may have acquired any of the above reasons why arthritis occurs. Deterioration or erosion of bones happen when arthritis is present and this is responded by the cat's body activity to fight against it as it releases hormones that affects the surface of the bone adding pain. Since arthritis is a chronic disease, it persists and gets even worse as time passes by; hence, expect that your cat may experience as much pain as she ages.
Dealing with cat arthritis may be easy when you are knowledgeable with the right treatment and preventive measures. Although this kind of disease is not fatal, it could still affect your cat's lifestyle causing her to be inactive. Here are some tips that you may do to help your cat improve her lifestyle:
1. Measure your cat's daily food intake. Do not over feed her.
2. Avoid your cat from doing strenuous exercises that may cause too much stress on your cat's flexible muscles and bones
3. Guard your cat from getting unwanted injuries and major accidents.
4. Consult your cat's veterinarian for the right and effective cat arthritis pain reliever.
Cat arthritis may only be fatal to your cat when you are not equipped with the right knowledge on what medication to give your cat since some of the over-the-counter pain relievers commonly used by humans may not be proper to give to your cat. Toxicity and overdose could be life threatening; so as your cat's parent, be mindful of the medications that you will give.
