Some Facts About Poly Arthritis In Cats

There are many people out there who love cats and have them as pets. Cats make wonderful companions - they are warm, caring and extremely independent. They never really depend on you for food or...

There are many people out there who love cats and have them as pets. Cats make wonderful companions – they are warm, caring and extremely independent. They never really depend on you for food or shelter, though they love to be indulged and having ready-made meals. Cats are extraordinary hunters and even the best-fed ones, enjoy a good hunting session every now and then.

Poly Arthritis Is Common With Cats

Cats are very nimble and they mostly move by jumping from one place to another while outdoors. Their movement involves a lot of stress on the joints – particularly of the limbs and hip. As the cat grows older, the natural wear and tear of the body sometimes catches up and causes arthritis. This often happens when the cat gets hurt – traumatic arthritis – and then spreads to the other joints in the body. Sometimes, it is genetic and sometimes it is caused by bacteria.

The term poly arthritis means arthritis affecting many joints at the same time. From the description of its name itself, you can realize how painful this disease could be for an animal that is almost always in motion outdoors. The poly arthritis is characterized by many symptoms, some of which are briefly listed below:

Sudden body stiffness – the cat moves with a very peculiar (almost comic) stiff gait

Visible limping in one or more limbs

Suddenly sitting in a peculiar manner, favoring one side of the body or one particular limb

You can realize something is paining because the cat cries or moves away when you caress a certain portion of its body

Sudden aggression when the painful body part is touched

Does not play or ask for food in the usual manner

Does not rub itself around your legs anymore, but prefers to lie down in a corner throughout the day

Is not tempted to hunt, even if it sees something provocative enough

Stops climbing stairs

Stops jumping even from small heights

It is extremely sad to see your pet suffering. Fortunately, it is possible to treat poly arthritis if caught sufficiently in advance. The veterinarian would need to carry out a few tests, such as radiographs, blood test, ultrasound, and careful physical examination before the diagnosis is reached. Once poly arthritis is diagnosed, the pain can be treated with drugs such as Chondroitin, minuscule amounts of NSAIDs and Glucosamine.

Given regularly and complemented with a good diet and Vitamin C, the cat would be able to recover a good deal within a fortnight to a month.

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