My 12 year old cat has been diagnosed with arthritis and she does not do well with drugs. Her vet wants to put her on a drug program, but I’d like to try something else first. I would like to know if there is an alternative to drugs, something I can give her and what dose….I have tried cod liver oil…but she is so finicky on her food if I alter it at all she stops eating. I don’t like seeing her in pain but I would like to do this on a healthier plan. Any suggestions?
Thank You
There is a relatively new product called Cosequin for Cats. It has been used in horses for a long time. It is a combination of glucosamine & chondroitin, both of which are nutraceuticals. There is also a more cat-friendly NSAID called Metacam which is a liquid. I would ask your vet about these if interested.
Best of luck,
Joy N. Ritz, DVM
Decatur Veterinary Clinic
Indianapolis, IN
Cats with arthritis do very well with omega (3) fatty acids, found in fish oil. You can get fish oil capsules to put on the food, or Glycoflex makes a soft chew treat with glucosamine, msm, and omega fatty acids. I started my 13 year old cat on the Glycoflex chews and she loves them as a treat and they work well for her mild arthritis.
Good Luck,
Tammy Evans, DVM
Caring For Life, Inc.
Cocoa, FL
Hi – My own 12-year-old cat has arthritis and I have been giving him Seraquin, which is a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement. He is now jumping on and off the bed like he used to, and is much more comfortable. It is a tablet, but it is chewable, and my cat eats them like candy. See if your vet can get you some. Otherwise, you could try Arthrimaxx, which is a liquid that seems to taste pretty good, or Cosequin, which is a capsule that you open up and sprinkle on the food (it is supposed to be tasteless). These are all natural supplements and shouldn’t have any side effects – in the worst case, you can use a very tiny dose of cortisone (cats don’t have as many side effects as other creatures and you can often get it compounded in a tasty flavor like tuna or liver). Cats can be very stoic and tend to suffer in silence, so we need to anticipate their discomfort and treat it accordingly.
Good luck – Jo Ann Greenberg VMD
Atlantic Animal Care
Brooklyn, NY
I would highly recommend you try a GOOD and CERTIFIED glucosamine/chondroitin supplement. I use one called CHONDROFLEX in my practice, and have clients add it to the food every day. Metacam is an NSAID that is relatively safe in cats and works very well in controlling pain in most.
Mike Keem, DVM
Aurora Pet Hospital
East Aurora, NY
Adequan injections
Philip McHugh, DVM
Park Veterinary Hospital
Durham, NC
my cat has insulin dependent diabetes, i think glucosamine can raise blood sugar levels- he is overweight, with a ravenous appetite. what to do for his arthritis pain ?
In eastern alternative medicine your cat have painful Cold Bi or kidney yang deficiency. Also dampness and wind increases the pain from arthritis, I recommend 2 chines herbal formula’s that helps your cats condition. The first one called Dok’s formula, which is designed for Painful bi (Cold bi) or Kidney Yang Deficiency bi, addresses the elimination of Wind-Damp, dissipation of coldness and tonification of Kidney Yang. This formula commonly used for arthritis and chronic joint pain in dogs and cats.
The second formula is called body sore. Body soreness is a common problem in pets with osteoarthritis. Body aches are often caused by musculoskeletal injuries or arthritic changes in the bone due to aging. From a Traditional Chinese Medicine view, pain results from energy blockage called Qi stagnation. The key to relieving the body soreness is promoting the free flow of Qi and resolving stagnation. Based on this classical TCM theory, Body Sore is designed to move Qi, activate Blood, eliminate stagnation and relieve pain.
Frank J Akawi, B.S., M.S., MBA, PhD, DVM, CVA
Greenfield Animal Hospital, Greenfield Center, NY
Full service animal hospital, ultrasound and laser therapy
Wellness and holistic approach including herbs and diet
small animal acupuncture, Integrative medicine
I have had success with electronic acupuncture for my 12 year old cat, Kismet. She is on prednisolone for another reason but this does not help her arthritis much anymore (she is nearly 20 lbs), however she cannot be taken off of it due to the underlying issue. So had to seek alternatives. After one acupuncture session she was not limping anymore but rather walking just about normal. 2 more sessions to go before we wean down (like chiropractic sessions). Found an eastern/western vet who does the acupuncture. He also recommended and ordered for us the Dok’s formula herbal supplement, just received in the mail today. Will have to ask him about the Body Sore as well. She is also on Synflex (liquid glucosamine condroitin).
If your kitty can’t use drugs or you don’t want her to- please research acupuncture and/or herbal supplements from a Chi Institute certified vet. Hopefully your kitty will have amazing results too 🙂
Hi Vetlocator,
I know what you mean, My cat Tigger has had pretty bad arthritis for years, but I was hesitant about trying anything for fear of side effects. However it’s now getting to the point where she really has to have something. I refuse to use drugs or NSAIDS, but have heard great hings about supplements like Cosequin and Synflex. Has anyone used one of the natural remedies? I’m leaning towards trying Synflex and adding MSM. I’m also starting hydrotherapy with her as well as therapeutic massage and possibly acupuncture. ANy othger suggestions would be helpful too. She already has a nice super thick high density orthopedic bed and gets a great diet with Wysong Uretic kibble (every time I’ve tried to discontinue it she gets UTIs), By Nature Organics canned food, as well as Paw Naturaw raw diets and homecooked organic meats and wild caught fish. She also gets wild salmon oil, CoQ10, Taurine, LCarnitine, B-complex, and digestive enzymes to help her touchy tummy. She’ll be getting Resveratrol, RNA, and red clay shortly as well
Nice One!