Taking Cat Arthritis Seriously by Jan Thomsen

Cats are incredibly agile. They have an amazing sense of balance and they always land on their feet no matter how they started to fall. They also have a unique bone structure that allows them to absorb shocks from any impact. That is, the forelegs of a cat are not attached by bone to the rest of its skeleton. Yet, with all these wonderful attributes, cats can still suffer from arthritis.
There are two identified forms of arthritis in cats.

1. Traumatic Arthritis - It is an injury acquired in a split second due to a strong impact. Such impact may come from an unseen moving car, a vicious fight against other cats, or a clumsy fall. Even with the cat's famed gracefulness, a cat can still topple down or make an awkward plunge.

2. Osteo-arthritis - It is occurs mostly in the joints found in the shoulders and elbows. The possible causes of this form of arthritis are repeated traumatic arthritis, previous bone fractures, and joint dislocations. These causes have made the cat's joint more sensitive and prone to painful inflammation.

The arthritis of a cat must be taken seriously. When an owner suspects that his cat has arthritis, the pet should be taken immediately to the vet. To determine if a cat has either the osteo-arthritis or the traumatic kind, the owner must look for these two unmistakable signs:

· Joints that are either protruding or bulging

· A painful limping or stiffness displayed by the cat, even though the limping seems to disappear for awhile.

When brought to the vet, the cat will be examined and x-rayed to accurately diagnose the arthritis. Then, certain treatments will be conducted in order to save the cat and prevent the worsening of the arthritis. Some of these treatments are the following:

· Medications that bring down the inflammation - Most of these medications are simple painkillers that remove any limp or stiffness that the cat may be displaying. But the effects are short-term and these do not cure the arthritis. Such medications are usually taken together with other measures such as an exercise program and a weight control program. The most common of such medications is the Glucosamine.

· Weight control program - This refers to the diet that must be followed by the cat. An overweight problem will compound and worsen the arthritis. Thus any medication given will have no significant effect if the cat is overweight.

· Exercise program - Making a cat follow an exercise program can be a real challenge for the owner. But the owner must persevere in persuading the cat to wake up and move around, instead of allowing it to indulge in sleeping.