Arthritis and your cat

An estimated 40% of cat suffer from osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a condition that causes painful joints and limits your cat's mobility. 

Osteoarthritis can affect cats of all ages, breeds, shapes and sizes but it is more common in the middle aged or older cats. Osteoarthritis in cats is caused by the deterioration of soft tissue, bone and cartilage in one or more of your cat's joints. Once this occurs, there is a general decline in mobility and, as a result, your cat's physical behaviour and overall quality of life are compromised.

As with other conditions, cats may mask the signs of this disease.
Problems and behaviour changes in cats with DJD include:

• Decreased Activity - e.g. sleeping more, not moving around as much, playing or hunting less.
• Decreased Mobility - e.g. reduced willingness to jump, not jumping as high, difficulty using the litter tray, stiffness and sometimes obvious lameness.
• Decreased Grooming - reduced time or difficulty grooming, a poor coat , overgrown claws.
• Altered Personality - less keen to interact with people or pets, seeking solitude or 'grumpier'.
• Other signs - may include aggression or vocalisation when touched and loss of appetite.

Understanding these changes helps alert you to the possible existence of pain and osteoarthritis, and will help you monitor whether therapy is helpful or not.

How can we help your cat?

The good news is that with proper management, the effects of osteoarthritis can be substantially reduced; enabling your cat to live a happier and more active life.

In addition to using NSAID drugs, we can now use Solensia, an injectable monoclonal antibody therapy administered monthly to control feline osteoarthritis (OA) pain.

Are NSAIDs Safe in Cats?

A 'painkiller' known as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug' or NSAID may be prescribed for your cat. These drugs are commonly used in humans and animals to help relieve pain, fever and inflammation - most commonly associated with degenerative joint disease (arthritis). Controlling your cat's pain is crucial for its welfare. Many cats greatly benefit from these drugs, having better mobility, less pain, increased appetite and a better quality of life.

NSAIDs play a vital role in therapy for many cats, but many differences between cats and other animals mean you should only ever use a drug that has been specifically prescribed for your cat by your veterinarian. Many human drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen and paracetamol/ acetaminophen can be highly toxic to cats - administering these is life-threatening.

Adverse effects can be seen with NSAIDs just as with all drugs. Some patients may be at increased risk of adverse effects (e.g. older cats and cats with certain other diseases). We will recommend increased monitoring and careful adjustment of therapy to find the lowest effective dose of the drug for your cat.