Helping an Arthritic Cat be More Comfortable at Home

Arthritis makes your kitty’s joints painful. In addition to treating your cat medically, there are things you can do at home to make your furry friend’s life more comfortable.

Beds: Arthritic cats may find it painful to lay on bare surfaces, so it’s important to provide him or her with soft, comfortable places to lay. Be sure your cat can easily access his or her resting areas. For instance, if you live in a two-story house, put bed on the ground floor so your feline won’t have to climb the stairs to find a comfortable resting place.

You could buy soft, cushy beds for your kitty at pet stores like PetSmart or department stores like Wal-Mart. Alternatively, you could lay soft blankets on the floor for your kitty. Carmine enjoys laying on my bed or in one of his soft kitty beds.

Litterboxes: It is also important to have a litterbox your arthritic cat can utilize easily. If your cat is having difficulty getting in and out of the litterbox, consider getting a pan with shallow sides. Additionally, the litterbox should be easily accessible. If you live in a multiple-story house, put at least one litterbox on each level to prevent your kitty from needing to run up or down the stairs to use the bathroom. If you have a large home, you may want to consider putting more than one litterbox on each floor so that your kitty doesn’t need to travel as far to use the bathroom as well.

Perches: Cats love vertical space; they feel safe and secure on perches at or above eye-level. However, it is often painful and difficult for a cat suffering with arthritis to reach high places. You can help your kitty access his or her favorite high spots by utilizing ramps. You could also use a series of smaller jumps to help your pet reach high spots. For instance, Carmine can easily access one of his favorite windows by jumping up onto my bed, then jumping into the window sill from there. He can manage these smaller jumps very easily. J

Food and Water: As with beds and the litterbox, your kitty needs to be able to easily access his or her food and water dishes. It is essential for arthritic cats to maintain a healthy diet and continue drinking water. Put your cat’s food and water dishes in a room where he or she spends most of his or her time. You may also want to consider slightly elevating your cat’s dishes so that he or she doesn’t have to bend down as far to eat and drink.

Along with medical treatment, making these simple changes at home can help your cat live a more comfortable, less painful, and happier life.

If you have other tips to share, please do so in the comments section. I would love to hear your experiences.

Symptoms and Treatment Approaches to Feline Arthritis

As I discussed in my last post, arthritis is a progressive condition in which a cat’s cartilage breaks down and his or her joints become inflamed and painful.

If your kitty has arthritis, he or she may exhibit some of these symptoms:

• Decreased flexibility.
• Crying or other displays of discomfort when you hold or pet your cat in a certin way.
• Lethargy or inactivity.
• Stiffness.
• Swollen joints.
• Inconsistently using or no longer using the litterbox due to pain when climbing in and out of it.
• Hesitating to do certain activities, such as: jumping, climbing stairs, and running.

Because the symptoms of feline arthritis may be due to another condition, it is important for you to take your cat to the veterinarian to get a proper diagnosis before beginning any treatment.

Your cat's veterinarian will perform a physical exam, take blood, and take x-rays to determine if your kitty is suffering from arthritis. If your vet determines your pet's symptoms are due to arthritis, he or she will recommend the best treatment for your furry friend's specific circumstances.

Treatments for feline arthritis include:

• Nutritional supplements - Glucosamine and Chondroitin are known to help painful, inflamed joints. You can often find these two supplements in products for cat arthritis together, like in Cosequin.
  
• Anti-inflammatory medication - There are not many anti-inflammatory drugs for cats and they can have side-effects. Thus, vets will typically recommend a nutritional approach to treating arthritis and use anti-inflammatory medication as a last resort.
  
• Weight-loss for obese or overweight cats - Weight-loss has been shown to be beneficial for cats who are overweight or obese. Weight-loss can be attained through proper diet and exercise, which should be guided by your veterinarian.
  

In addition to these approaches to treating arthritis in cats, you can also make changes in your home to make your kitty more comfortable. I will discuss environmental changes you can make for an arthritic cat in my next post.

What is Feline Arthritis?

Arthritis in cats often develops as a cat ages in much the same way it does in humans. While the most common cause of arthritis in cats is aging, it can also occur after an injury or infection.

Feline arthritis is inflammation in the joints. As a kitty ages, the typically smooth surface of the cartilage wear thin. The body repairs the cartilage as it erodes. However, the surface of the cartilage may become incomplete or irregular. Changes in the surface of the cartilage cause the bones to rub together, inflammation, and joint pain.

Obese cats are at especially high risk for developing arthritis because excess weight puts more strain on the cat’s joints. For this reason, weight management may be a part of a treatment plan for obese cats suffering with arthritis.

The most commonly affected joints include the hips, shoulders, ankles, and elbows, though any joint in the body can be affected.

Unfortunately, arthritis is a progressive disease and most senior cats will suffer with arthritis to some degree.

Please be sure to check back tomorrow to learn the symptoms and treatments for feline arthritis.