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| How can I treat a cat with arthritis? |
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 Obesity can aggravate arthritic pain Arthritis is a particularly topical condition to discuss at the moment, for two reasons: firstly because it has only been discovered in recent years to be relatively common in cats; secondly — and perhaps as a result of that — because there have been some exciting recent developments in its treatment in cats. Arthritis is the term given to an inflammation of the joints, although it is most commonly used to describe osteoarthritis, which is known as the ‘wear-and-tear’ kind of arthritis. It is a chronic condition characterized by the breakdown of the joint’s cartilage. Cartilage is the part of the joint that cushions the ends of the bones and allows easy movement of joints. The breakdown of cartilage causes the bones to rub against each other, resulting in stiffness, pain and loss of movement in the joint. This then sparks off changes in the bones themselves, causing bony spurs and thickening to develop. New developments So what’s new about arthritis? Surely it’s been about for a long time? Well, yes it has, but we have traditionally believed that it was uncommon in cats because they do not often show the long-term signs of lameness that other species, such as dogs, demonstrate when they are affected. But we now know that arthritis is common in cats — about 20 per cent of the whole population, and a much higher proportion of elderly cats, show signs of arthritis when their joints are radiographed. So if cats often don’t show the typical signs of lameness, how can we recognise the condition? It seems that affected cats can show a variety of signs, such as hiding away more than normal, crying if picked up, aggression, and running away if handled. But by far the most common signs are an unwillingness to jump, and if they do, a reduction in the height they are prepared to leap. This means that the owner of an affected cat will often notice subtle changes in their pet’s behaviour patterns — but often not appreciate the cause. Examining a cat for arthritis also gives very unreliable results. As we all know, cats can be very bloody-minded, and cats with perfectly normal joints may scream and resent having them manipulated, and others with badly affected ones may not show the signs of swelling and restricted movement that we would expect. The only way to reliably diagnose arthritis in cats is to radiograph the joints (the elbow and the hip are most commonly affected). This does require an anaesthetic, or at least deep sedation, in order to position the cat correctly to get diagnostic radiographs. More recently, supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate, that help the cartilage that lines the bone within a joint to heal, have become available for cats. They are safe, and effective in mild cases, but require long-term daily dosing in either capsule or powder form, which many cat owners find challenging. There are other dietary products that have been used to try and control arthritis in cats, such as those containing green-lipped mussel extracts, with varying success. More recently, Hill’s Prescription Diet™ Feline j/d has become available, which has been shown to have a marked anti-inflammatory effect upon the joints. It achieves this by the balance of fish oils within the food, and in particular the balance between what are known as Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids. Because of the high levels of fish oil in the diet, it is highly palatable to most cats, but it is also quite high in calories, so care must be taken to ensure that cats on the food do not become overweight. Of course, obesity is a major aggravating factor for arthritis. Keeping a cat slim may not stop the problem from developing, but it will lessen its effects. If an obese cat develops clinical signs of arthritis, weight reduction becomes a priority. That has changed recently with the introduction of a drug called meloxicam in a formulation licensed to treat cats with arthritis or other causes of chronic pain. Marketed under the trade name of Metacam for Cats, it comes as a liquid that can easily be administered orally once a day, using a specially marked syringe. It is one of the products that was formerly available only in a canine formulation, but had been used quite widely off-licence in cats. The feline product is significantly less concentrated than the canine one, so can be dosed more accurately. This is important, as if it is over-dosed, there is a significantly greater chance of developing side effects, particularly vomiting or diarrhoea. It is gratifying that we now have another effective feline product in our armoury to help control what we now know to be a very significant cause of chronic pain in cats.
20% of the UK cat population shows signs of arthritis Glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate supplements can help mild-cases Hill's Prescription Diet Feline j/d can reduce inflammation Preventing obesity lessens the effects Acupuncture can also be of use Meloxicam (Metcam) can be used to control pain |
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