Elderly cats almost all have arthritis. There have been numerous studies that show that it’s present in most cats over 10. The problem is that it is massively under-diagnosed.

Why? Well, cats are not only predators but also prey species. Because of this, they have evolved to mask pain symptoms. This means that by the time your cat is acting like they’re in pain, they're actually in immense pain. So, your elderly cat may still be jumping up on your couch or climbing the stairs, but that doesn't mean that they don't have arthritic pain. In fact, they may show no symptoms at all.

So, today, we’re going to look at some ways to recognize arthritis and what you can do about it.

what are the Signs of feline arthritis?

Part of the difficulty in diagnosing arthritis is that many of the signs that your cat has it are going to be things your cat isn't doing rather than things that they are doing. So, your cat probably won't start limping, but they might start moving less or they might also stop jumping as much. You may also start to notice they aren't grooming as well. What they likely won’t do is vocalize or limp the way a dog or human will. So, it’s important to keep an eye on an older cat for the more subtle symptoms.

Here’s a list of some of the things to look for:

Issues with jumping

Not jumping high as they used to or not attempting to jump at all
Hesitating or bobbing before jumping. Most cats just look to a spot and jump up, but an arthritic cat may make a couple of false starts before trying
Jumping part way then pulling themselves up with their front legs
“Walking down” a vertical surface before the jump. So, if coming down from a counter, they’ll put their front legs on the vertical part before jumping down
“Bunny hopping” on the stairs. Rather than the normal walk up and down, they’ll use the stairs one at a time and hop with their back legs together
Using intermediary steps to get up or down from high areas
Asking to be lifted on the bed or couch if they want to be with you

They may not be running or playing as much
They stop grooming well and may develop matting, especially around the hips and back legs
They may be less tolerant to petting and handling, especially of their back end
Not using their litterbox all the time or at all. They may be going right beside the box, which is usually a sign they’re trying to use it but can’t.
Less activity in general and not interacting as normal. For example, if your cat usually hops up to meet you when you get home or supervise you getting out food and ceases to do so, it could be a sign that movement is more painful.

For more information on symptoms, here are a couple of online tools you can use.

https://www.catredflags.com/
https://www.zoetispetcare.com/checklist/osteoarthritis-checklist-cat

If cats are so good at hiding pain, how do you diagnose them?

Well, it can be pretty tricky. You'll need to take them to the vet for an assessment. The vet will likely examine their joints and watch them move around to assess their gait. However, cats don’t always behave normally at the vet. They can freeze if they’re scared or the adrenaline from that fear can cause them to move normally. It’s a good idea to take some video of your cat at home prior to the appointment so your vet can see their movement in normal circumstances. Try to get videos of your cat using stairs, jumping up on things, and walking around. The vet may want to take x-rays. However, arthritis doesn’t always show up on x-rays right away, so they may skip this step and instead assess their response to treatment. This involves giving your cat some medication or therapies and seeing how they respond.

So what can you do to help an arthritic cat?

Well, first is talking to your vet and following any treatment options they recommend. This may include pain medications or supplements.

But there are other things you can do to help your kitty get around more easily and reduce their pain.

Home Modifications:

Cats will continue to want to go to their normal resting places, like a couch or bed, even if it hurts to get up there. So, make it easier for them by providing intermediary steps, like a stool or pet stairs.
Get a lower sided litter box since climbing into a higher side one is more difficult and this can lead to litter box avoidance issues. If you’re finding your cat is starting to avoid the box entirely, consider switching to pee pads or a plastic shoe tray with sides
If your boxes are on a floor that isn’t the one your cat usually spends time on (for instance, the boxes are in the basement and your cat hangs out on the main floor), add a box on the main floor. If you have multiple floors, consider putting a box on each floor. If their box is too far away or too painful to get to, they may stop using it because the pain and increased time of using the stairs mean they can’t get to it in time.
Put things like their food and water in easily accessible places and all on one floor

Other treatments:

Keep a close eye on their grooming. For elderly cats, it can become really difficult to groom their back legs and hips as they're not as flexible as they used to be. Elderly cat skin can be really fragile as well, so if your cat gets matted, consider having a professional groomer or your veterinarian remove them. Once the matting is gone, consider keeping those areas short with regular shaving to prevent the matting from forming again. It’s much faster and less painful to shave off unmatted fur.
You can also look into physiotherapy and associated treatments. Cleopawtra recommends https://www.fourpawsrehab.ca/. Our chief detective, Jake Purralta, went there for some treatments due to his pre-adoption car accident and found everyone to be caring and knowledgeable.

Elderly cats are wonderful and still capable of so much love. We just have to make sure to monitor them for symptoms of pain to give them a high-quality of life in their twilight years.

For individualized help with a home modification plan for your kitty, consider booking a palliative consult. Or for help with grooming your elderly cat, book a grooming session. For information on medical treatments and medications, consult your veterinarian.

Senior Cat Arthritis: Keeping Your Older Kitty Comfortable