Are your cat’s joints and muscles showing decline? Whether this is happening due to age or injury, there are things we can do to help our kitties feel better at home.
It’s important to understand that cats are stoic beings. This means that they mask their pain instinctively. In the wild, a show of weakness leaves them vulnerable to predators – so they hide their pain from us too. Once you notice that your kitty’s musculoskeletal system is struggling the pain is usually significant.
According to studies, 90% of cats over the age of TEN will deal with some form of arthritis. Knowing this information means that responsible cat parents should begin taking proactive measures with our cat’s joints before we see signs of pain.
A few signs that your kitty might be suffering with joint pain are:
- Reluctance to jump
- Sleeping more than usual
- Limping
- No longer covering elimination in litter box
Here are some tips on how to help your cat’s joints at home.
- Feed a high protein diet. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means that their bodies need animal protein to survive. Since 93% of cat parents feed a dry food diet that’s full of carbohydrates and starches rather than meat, it’s no wonder arthritis has become an epidemic in the feline world. The animal protein will support their joints and help speed recovery from injury as well. Food does matter. Feeding a diet appropriate to the species goes a long way in supporting the musculoskeletal system.
- Add joint supplements to the daily meals. This is something that we do proactively in our home. Natural, anti-inflammatory antioxidants are a fabulous addition to our kitties’ diets. Free radicals are the culprit that destroy the joints, but antioxidants kill the free radicals in the body! Adding in joint supplements can go a long way to help get our cats moving like kittens again!
- Exercise your cat. You’ve heard the saying “a body at rest tends to stay at rest, while a body in motion tends to stay in motion“? The same goes for our cats. If your cat is bored she will be at greater risk of developing joint pain. Cats are designed to hunt, stalk, chase, pounce and move regularly. If we confine them into our four walls, it’s our responsibility to help them be cats. Routine playtime with a wand toy, supervised outdoor time, or even puzzles are great ways to enrich your cat’s indoor living space.
Don’t let your cat be one of the statistics. Help keep your cats from suffering from joint pain with these tips.
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