Cats tend to hide signs of pain quite effectively which makes sense if you consider their ancestry.
Arthritis in cats back legs.
And cats have peculiar problems when it comes to using anti inflammatories the mainstay of treating arthritis.
The pain resulting from arthritis may cause a decreased appetite for some cats.
Gradual onset hind leg problems in cats are often caused by milder illnesses such as arthritis.
Cats can develop arthritis for a variety of reasons including aging obesity trauma and occasionally genetic or heritable conditions.
How to spot arthritis in cats.
Arthritis is one of the most common ailments seen in middle aged to older pets.
Keeping a cat in good shape through proper diet can help relieve the symptoms.
Arthritis also known as osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease causes pain and inflammation in a cat s joints.
Signs of arthritis in cats.
Cats with arthritis may be painful when handled.
By lorie huston dvm.
Some cats with arthritis will stop grooming themselves resulting in an unkempt haircoat.
Any joint in the body can be affected and back legs joints are no exception.
Feline arthritis can be caused by injury infection an autoimmune disorder or degenerative problems involving the joints.
If medication is needed we all know how difficult daily dosing of meds can be in a cat.
Even younger cats under the right circumstances can suffer from arthritic changes.
Cats can hide their pain or show very subtle vague signs of pain.
If a cat seems stiff or painful has swollen joints loses muscle mass or has a hard time moving around it might have arthritis.
So if your cat is slowly becoming weaker on its back legs the problem should be investigated.
Arthritis causes changes within the affected joints that are painful for the affected pet.
Arthritic cats may have difficulty accessing the litter box and may urinate or defecate outside of the litter box.
A sick animal in the wild is vulnerable to predators so any sign of weakness must be hidden.
Although fairly uncommon in felines arthritis tends to affect the elbow joint when it does strike but many joints can be afflicted.
However some culprits such as brain tumors and kidney disease can be fatal if untreated.
Many drugs are just not safe for use in cats.
Here are some possible signs of arthritis pain in cats.
Being less active may not roll on back or stretch as previously did a change in the.
Arthritis may be the underlying cause for wobbly hind legs in older cats.
