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Arthritis in cats: symptoms, diagnosis and remedies

Arthritis in cats is one of the diseases that make up the complex chapter of diseases of the musculoskeletal system of our animal friends.

To understand this disease in detail, it is necessary to investigate the etiology, that is the cause that leads to this disorder, exacerbating the symptoms. Let’s find out what arthritis in cats is and what are its variants!

What is arthritis in cats?

Arthritis in cats (or osteoarthritis) is ainflammation of the joints which compromises the normal walking of domestic felids, causing a lowering of the quality of life characterized by constant discomfort and pain.

Joint problems associated with advancing age are often associated with this condition, but this is not always the case!

Arthritis (as well as cat osteoarthritis) is not always related to age, which turns out to be a simple predisposing cause, along with:

  • obesity,
  • animal genetics,
  • the habitat in which to live.

Arthritis Symptoms in Cats

Symptoms of arthritis in cats can vary based on the cause, but in general the cat with arthritis will notice:

  • reluctance to move,
  • lameness at different levels of severity,
  • swelling in the affected joints.

At the same time as the problems relating to the musculoskeletal system, we will notice febrile episodes with depression of the sensory and progressive weight loss up to anorexia.

Osteoarthritis Diagnosis

It is important to specify that only a veterinarian can make a diagnosis through a clinical visit and with the help of a radiographic examination.

In addition to clinical “clues” such as lameness, joint swelling, and fever, the x-ray will confirm the diagnosis of arthritis in cats.

Bone proliferations surrounding the joint and gradual disappearance of the joint space and effusion will be evident on the plate. The joint space it is essential for the functioning of a joint: it allows the bone heads to interact with each other and determine locomotion.

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Types of osteoarthritis

The causes that can lead to this condition are extremely variable, so much so that arthritis in cats can be divided into 3 large families:

  • Infectious arthritis
  • Non-infectious arthritis
  • Idiopathic arthritis

How do they differ from each other? How can they be treated to restore Micio’s proverbial agility of movement and motor coordination?

Let’s find out together by indicating and deepening the variants of this pathology!

Infectious Arthritis: Feline Calcivirus

Is senior cat arthritis the only one that exists? Absolutely no! In the case of infectious arthritis, the youngest subjects are affected 6 and 12 weeks of age.

Arthritis in cats can therefore also be caused by microorganisms (such as Feline calicivirus) which, insinuating themselves into the joints, create important pain problems (persistent pain) and consequent walking problems.

Infectious Arthritis Symptoms

The clinical picture will see the appearance of fever, lameness and pain on palpation of the joints.

Along with what can be called typical symptoms, we will see the appearance of ulcerations of the oral mucosa and infections of the upper respiratory tract.

Infectious Arthritis Diagnosis

Diagnosis will be possible only through one PCR which aims to identify the RNA of the Feline calicivirus and who will guide the veterinarian on choosing the right pharmacological approach.

In fact, when the virus is identified, it will be essential to… wait.

Yes, in this case remission is spontaneous in less than a week.

This pathology is a blatant example of how important the diagnosis is and must make us prefer the search for the cause of the disease and not its immediate cure through the use of drugs: the latter are not always the solution!

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Non-infectious arthritis induced by inflammatory processes

As noted above, there is no single cause that leads to arthritis in cats. In this case the triggering agent will not be a microorganism but rather a condition deriving from another pathology.

In fact, we are talking about osteoarthritis (or polyarthritis if generalized to many joints) secondary to any chronic inflammatory process. This definition also includes:

How to help a sick cat?

Often we refer to episodes of progressive and rapid worsening of the health condition of our pets. In these cases, waiting is never a solution.

It may happen that chronic diseases of other systems or even drug therapies can trigger the formation of immune complexes that mediate osteoarthritis.

What happens in case of inflammatory arthritis in cats?

The synovial membrane of the joints thickens, becomes congested and edematous, with possible fibrin deposits. In simple terms?

The cat will experience severe pain, showing acute or chronic lameness, pain with passive movements and palpation of the joints. Naturally, the symptoms of the underlying pathology will be associated with these manifestations.

The therapy involves the elimination of the underlying pathology or the suspension of the causal drug therapy.

Feline idiopathic arthritis

This pathology is known as chronic progressive feline arthritis. It falls within the field of immune-mediated pathologies in which there is no external agent that causes a problem but it is the organism itself that “damages itself”.

In this case it is the immune system that affects joint health through a pathogenetic mechanism that is still under study.

Feline Idiopathic Arthritis Symptoms

I symptoms are those characteristic of this type of disease with walking problems accompanied by fever and progressive weight loss.

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The change of mood

Those affected are not willing to move, so let alone jumping on the windowsills, playing with the sofa cushions or climbing on the owner’s lovely shoulders: in short, a real change in behavior!

Joint pain from infectious diseases: what do FeSFV and FeLV have to do with it?

There is a correlation between this condition and feline syncytial virus (FeSFV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) seropositivity. This correlation, however, is only described but not sufficient to explain in detail the infectious mechanism that leads to joint problems.

Often during the visit after having made an X-ray the veterinarian will carry out a test antigenico for these infectious pathologies precisely to evaluate their concomitance.

How to cure arthritis in cats?

In these cases it is necessary to carry out drug, behavioral and dietary therapy. Usually the treatment plan involves the use of glucocorticoids to reverse clinical signs and slow the development of the disease.

Depending on the severity and timing of the diagnosis it will be necessary to set the duration of therapy which often lasts for the entire life of the subject.

At some point there will be the possibility that the subject no longer responds to drug treatments and for this reason it will be necessary to associate cyclophosphamide and azathioprine with glucocorticoids.

These immunosuppressive drugs can aid in the long-term control of feline idiopathic arthritis.

Remember, arthritis in cats can be very painful: never before has Micio needs your loving and painstaking care!