| By :
Kate Rieger
If you have ever had a pet with arthritis, you will understand how difficult it is to see your friend in pain. Years ago, any pain relief for this condition was short term and often came with both a heavy price tag and many side effects. Now, however, cat arthritis treatment options include the use of both western medicine and/or traditional therapy and combine it with some natural and holistic remedies as well. Generally speaking, an arthritic cat will be an elderly animal that has joint deterioration evident. There are not a lot of younger felines that are diagnosed; however, that certainly does not mean that they do not exist. Normally, you can diagnose an animal based on a few small observations and if needed, back up your opinion with some x-rays of the joints in question. An arthritic cat will display obvious signs of pain when they are walking. They may have a different gait than they used to. Perhaps they are stiff when they stand after sitting or lying down. Many times these animals resist the opportunity to jump and will be reluctant to do so. They may even have a personality change and become aggressive or nervous and sometimes depressed. This is all due to the pain that the animal is in and it is important to know that it is treatable and there can be some relief found for these pets. The advice that a veterinarian will give you is that you need to address your cat's diet. Ensure that your cat is not overweight, and this will mean that you will have to exercise it even if it is reluctant to do so itself. Take it outside and allow it to come in by itself, if it is particularly reluctant. Then, simply pick the cat up and take it out again. Hopefully, the added exercise will help your cat to lose some of the weight which is only adding stress on the joints. Increasing the omega-3 fatty acid content in your pet's meals is recommended. This can be found in good quality cat food, and can also be as a supplement in the form of green-lipped mussels. These can be purchased dry and ground up and added to your pet's meal. Making sure that you seek out as many options for your cat arthritis treatment is imperative if you are going to keep your pet comfortable. Just as humans find the pain sometimes unbearable, so do animals. There are some very good veterinary-based medications that can be combined with some more natural holistic remedies that can have a positive effect on your cat's health. The most important thing is that you do seek advice on the matter, as your cat will be experiencing some degree of pain. Because it is a disease that is progressive, as your cat ages the pain will also grow worse. Knowing there are effective cat arthritis treatment options available that are very successful in managing pain and treating the conditions, you should speak to your veterinarian as soon as you notice any signs.
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