What are the early signs of arthritis?

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jmc - 08 Jan 2005 23:23 GMT

My cat Meep's around 8 years old now. She has some fairly serious
abnormality in her limb structure, especially her hind legs (she can
run and jump normally, but probably not as high as a cat with better
legs). When I talked to the vet when Meep was a kitten, she didn't
think her structure would cause early arthritis.

She'd had x-rays on one of her hind legs due to luxating patellas but
no arthritic changes were seen. She also had a cystitic attack. This
was all around 6 months ago. The vet had her on a glucosamine
supplement for the cystitis, and on her recommendation we have
continued, I put her on a glucosamine chonodroitin supplement. In
about two weeks, I noticed she was much more active than before, I
hadn't even noticed she'd slowed down 'till she picked up again.

Of course, I've been continuing the glucosamine supplement. She's
still doing her flying leaps to her 'furniture', so I doubt anything
is seriously wrong. What I've been noticing is just a lot more
stretching before she moves off after a long sit, and more desire than
normal to be on my lap pretty much any time I stop moving.

Also, surprisingly, she seems to LIKE (not just tolerate) her
polarfleece dog coat. It *is* a bit cool in the house (can't be
helped, heating system sucks), but it seems sort of odd that she'd
actually like to wear a coat. Fortunately, she has a nice warm
sleeping spot in the closet, against the wall shared with the water
heater.

I'm not concerned enough yet to want to put her through more x-rays to
look for arthritic changes, but I'm wondering what other subtle things
I should be looking for if she is getting a bit of arthritis, and if
there is anything else non-intrusive I can do to help her stave off
what is probably inevitable.

I was wondering as well, what's the 'normal' age to start seeing
arthritis in an otherwise structurally healthy cat (which category
Meep, unfortunately, probably doesn't fit into)?

jmc
usenet [at] jodi [dit] ws
Any day you learn something isn't a total waste.

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Karen Chuplis - 09 Jan 2005 01:18 GMT

> My cat Meep's around 8 years old now. She has some fairly serious
> abnormality in her limb structure, especially her hind legs (she can
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
> usenet [at] jodi [dit] ws
> Any day you learn something isn't a total waste.

Well, even if she is arthritic, you are doing what you would need to do
anyway. Since she is more active, it's pretty possible that she is getting
arthritis and the Glu/chon should slow that down.

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Darmok - 09 Jan 2005 12:05 GMT

>My cat Meep's around 8 years old now. She has some fairly serious
>abnormality in her limb structure, especially her hind legs (she can
[quoted text clipped - 34 lines]
>
>jmc

FWIW, the Royal Canin "Senior formula" has glucosamine/condroitin in
it. It might be easier to keep your cat "medicated" by having this
supplement already in the food.

Bill

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Meghan Noecker - 10 Jan 2005 06:28 GMT

>FWIW, the Royal Canin "Senior formula" has glucosamine/condroitin in
>it. It might be easier to keep your cat "medicated" by having this
>supplement already in the food.

This is what I use with Maynard, and it really helps. I got samples at
a cat show last October, and I noticed a difference within a couple
days. I recently ran out and supplemented with the samples I had of
the mature stuff. He liked it, but I could see he was slowing down
again. I got the Senior stuff again, and he is moving better again.

It doesn't have as much glucosamine as the tablets I have. But he
won't eat the tablets on a regular basis, and he will eat the kibble.
So, he gets the kibble available 24/7, and I try to supplement with
the tablets when he will take them.

I am really pleased with the food, and I was pleased to find it in
regular pet stores.

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jmc - 14 Jan 2005 18:54 GMT

>>continued, I put her on a glucosamine chonodroitin supplement. In
>>about two weeks, I noticed she was much more active than before, I
>>hadn't even noticed she'd slowed down 'till she picked up again.

>FWIW, the Royal Canin "Senior formula" has glucosamine/condroitin in
>it. It might be easier to keep your cat "medicated" by having this
>supplement already in the food.
>
>Bill

I'll keep that in mind, but it doesn't seem to be necessary - she
actually likes the taste of the supplement she gets each night - I
just top-dress her wet food, don't even have to mix it in.

I can't quite remember the name, Joint Care I think, from Drs. Fosters
and Smith. It comes in gelcaps; I just break one open and sprinkle it
on.

I'm considering getting one of those reflected-heat thermal pads. Any
opinions?

jmc
usenet [at] jodi [dit] ws
Any day you learn something isn't a total waste.

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Monique Y. Mudama - 14 Jan 2005 21:18 GMT

> I'm considering getting one of those reflected-heat thermal pads. Any
> opinions?

My cat loves hers, and she doesn't even have joint pain =P

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monique, roommate of Oscar the (female) grouch
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eros was adopted! Eros has a home now! *cheer!*

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Meghan Noecker - 10 Jan 2005 03:28 GMT

>Of course, I've been continuing the glucosamine supplement. She's
>still doing her flying leaps to her 'furniture', so I doubt anything
>is seriously wrong. What I've been noticing is just a lot more
>stretching before she moves off after a long sit, and more desire than
>normal to be on my lap pretty much any time I stop moving.

This sounds like arthritis, so I would definitely keep up with the
glucosamine like you are doing. Also, be more aware of places that may
be harder for her to get to.

My elderly cat has arthritis, and while the glucosamine helps (he can
climb onto the couch rather than beg to be lifted), he still has
trouble. When he started having trouble jumping to the bathroom
counting (not quite making it sometimes), we put in a bench across
from the widest spot on the counter. He could jump up on the bench,
then up and over to the counter. Two smaller jumps instead of one
steep jump. Later, when that was getting harder, we built a little
stairway. It has 3 stairs, and he can just walk up to the counter. He
really likes that. Sometimes, he jumps down, sometimes, he takes the
stairs back down.

>I'm not concerned enough yet to want to put her through more x-rays to
>look for arthritic changes, but I'm wondering what other subtle things
>I should be looking for if she is getting a bit of arthritis, and if
>there is anything else non-intrusive I can do to help her stave off
>what is probably inevitable.

Other things to look forward to is stiffness, which it sounds like you
see (all that extra stretching). When I pick up Maynard for a stretch,
he stretches slower, and not as far. He also takes the stairs slower
than he used to. I can see a definite change when he goes on and off
the glucosamine. That stuff definitely helps him. I have tablets that
he eats irregularly, and I have a senior cat food- designed for 15
year olds and older. It's Royal Canin. You might try it. She's
younger, but it's good for the joints, and I think it helps with the
energy level a little too.

>I was wondering as well, what's the 'normal' age to start seeing
>arthritis in an otherwise structurally healthy cat (which category
>Meep, unfortunately, probably doesn't fit into)?

I'm sure it varies with the health. I know my sister's cat was walking
stiffer when he was 14. He died when he was 15.

Maynard is currently 18, much better health than my sister's cat. And
I think the arthritis started about 2-3 years ago. It's hard to say. I
know we have had the stairway since August, and we used the bench
about a year before that. He didn't start begging to be picked up
though, until this year, and he quit when we got him on the
glucosamine.

I can tell you that with the supplements, they can still live a good
life. Maynard is still happy and healthy, and he plays and trots on
occasion. He gets around a lot. The only thing that he can't enjoy is
the cat tree, and I am working on a custom cat tree that will allow
him to get all the way to the top in smaller increments. He loves to
be up high, but he can't do it with a standard cat tree.

Also, Maynard seems to have some days when he seems etxra frail. It
usually happens every 3-4 weeks, and last for a few days. I don't know
if he gets off his feed, or what. But he just seems to need to be
picked up more, maybe misses some attempts to get on the couch, or
falls over (his balance isn't as good these days). The first couple
times it happened, I got really worried, thinking he had taken a huge
downturn. But after a couple days, he goes back to normal. I suppose
everybody has to have a bad day here and there.

So, keep an eye on the changes and find ways to assist her. But
chances are, you will still have many good years with her. She just
needs more attention and some specific help to adjust to her
limitations.

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Meghan & the Zoo Crew
Equine and Pet Photography
http://www.zoocrewphoto.com

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Monique Y. Mudama - 10 Jan 2005 20:50 GMT

> My cat Meep's around 8 years old now. She has some fairly serious

[snip]

> I'm not concerned enough yet to want to put her through more x-rays to look
> for arthritic changes, but I'm wondering what other subtle things I should
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> in an otherwise structurally healthy cat (which category Meep,
> unfortunately, probably doesn't fit into)?

Well, I don't know much about cat arthritis, but I'm 27 and have had arthritis
in my knees for several years. It probably started with a knee injury in my
late teens. It would not surprise me one bit to find that a cat with Meep's
history could have arthritis.

Maybe I can give you some of your cat's perspective *grin*. If Meep could
talk, she'd probably tell you that cold makes her joints stiff and that it's
hard to get moving if she's been sitting for a while. She'd also probably
tell you that changing weather conditions, particularly cold drizzly days, are
the worst.

As I understand it, there are basically two types of arthritis. One will
continue to degenerate, but the other type (typically caused by injury) won't.
I was told by my doctors to go ahead and do anything I want to do; it may
hurt, but it's not further *damaging* my knees.

I also find that Ibuprofin does wonders for me. So does Aleve (Naproxin?),
but apparently it's now been associated with heart problems. However, I have
no idea whether a cat's system could tolerate such pain killers.

All of that being said, I have no idea how much translates to the feline body.
I would definitely talk to your vet. Perhaps they can suggest some kind of
pain-killer without having to do x-rays first.

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monique, roommate of Oscar the (female) grouch
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eros was adopted! Eros has a home now! *cheer!*

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