25 July

Love & Toe Beans | Cat Health & Illness Guides | Greater Brisbane Region

Love & Toe Beans provides gentle in-home pet euthanasia, quality of life consultations, pet cremation, and grief support across the Greater Brisbane Region including Brisbane, Logan, Redland Bay, Ipswich and Moreton Bay.

A note from Dr Emma:

Of all the conditions I see in cats, osteoarthritis is the one that troubles me most in terms of how often it goes unrecognised. Cats are the masters of disguise when it comes to pain. They do not always limp the way people may do and they often do not cry out. They may simply and quietly withdraw, stop jumping, stop grooming and stop being themselves and because it can happen so gradually, it is easy to mistake for normal aging.

If you are reading this because something feels different about your cat, please trust that feeling. You know your cat and that quiet sense that something has changed is worth paying attention to. 🧡

If your cat has been diagnosed with osteoarthritis or if you have noticed them moving more stiffly, grooming less, or avoiding their favourite high spots, you are not alone. Osteoarthritis is far more common in cats than most people realise, and it is one of the most significantly under treated conditions in feline medicine.

At Love & Toe Beans, we walk alongside families across Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Redland Bay and Moreton Bay through every stage of their pet's health journey. This blog is here to help you understand what osteoarthritis means for your cat, what options are available, and how to keep quality of life at the centre of every decision you make.

In Part One of this blog, we explore what cat osteoarthritis is, how it can be diagnosed, treatment options, home modifications and how to tell if your cat is in pain.

🌸🐈 What Is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, is a progressive condition that affects the joints. In a healthy joint, smooth cartilage cushions the ends of the bones, allowing comfortable and fluid movement. In a cat with osteoarthritis, that cartilage gradually breaks down over time. As it wears away, the bones begin to rub against each other, causing inflammation, pain, and a gradual reduction in mobility.

The most commonly affected joints in cats are the elbows, hips, stifles (knees), and spine. The hocks and shoulders can also be involved.

Osteoarthritis can affect any cat of any breed, size, or background. Studies suggest that up to 90 percent of cats over 12 years of age have radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis, making it one of the most universal conditions of the aging cat. Because cats are so extraordinarily good at hiding pain and discomfort, many families do not realise their cat is affected until the condition is already quite advanced.

🔍💛 How Is It Diagnosed?

Diagnosing osteoarthritis in cats can be more challenging than in dogs, precisely because cats mask their pain so effectively. Many cats will not show obvious lameness or limping even when they are in significant discomfort.

Your veterinarian will assess your cat through a combination of information you provide, physical examination and imaging.

During the physical exam, your vet will observe how your cat moves, assess their gait, and palpate the joints to feel for swelling, reduced range of motion, crepitus (a grinding sensation), muscle wasting, areas of matted fur and pain responses. Many cats will not react dramatically to joint palpation even when painful, so a thorough and experienced examination is important.

Radiographs are the most common imaging tool used to confirm osteoarthritis in cats. They can show changes to the joint including bone spurs, narrowing of the joint space, and changes to the joint capsule. As with dogs, the severity of radiographic changes does not always correlate with the level of pain your cat is experiencing.

A detailed history from you as the person who knows your cat best is one of the most valuable diagnostic tools available. Your observations about changes in behaviour, mobility, grooming, and daily habits are enormously helpful.

💊🩵 Treatment Options

Managing osteoarthritis in cats requires a thoughtful and tailored approach. Cats are not small dogs and many medications used in dogs are not safe for cats. All treatment decisions should be made in close consultation with your veterinarian.

Pain management is central to treatment. Options that may be considered include:

💊 Meloxicam - an NSAID (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) that can be used carefully in cats with appropriate monitoring of kidney function

💊 Pregabalin - used for neuropathic/spinal pain and chronic pain management 💉

💉 Solensia - a monthly injection specifically developed for cats targeting a pain pathway involved in osteoarthritis, a significant advance in feline pain management

💉 Cartrophen (pentosan polysulfate) - injectable joint support treatment

💉Ketamine injections- low dose monthly ketamine injections can help manage chronic pain and improve quality of life

🌿 CBD oil - increasingly used for pain and inflammation, discuss appropriate dosing carefully with your vet as cats metabolise things differently

🐟 Omega 3 fatty acids - good evidence for anti-inflammatory effects and generally well tolerated in cats

🔦 Laser therapy - low level laser therapy can help reduce inflammation and pain in affected joints and is increasingly available through veterinary practices and physiotherapy centres.

⚖️ Weight management - maintaining a healthy weight reduces load on compromised joints. Even modest weight loss can result in meaningful improvement in comfort and mobility.

🪡 Acupuncture is used by some veterinary practitioners and may offer additional pain relief for some cats.

🐱 Physiotherapy and massage - to help manage pain and build and maintain strength

🏡 Environmental modifications are particularly important for cats with osteoarthritis and can make an enormous difference to daily comfort and independence. Small changes at home can go a long way:

🪜 Ramps or steps so they can still reach their favourite spots, especially warm sunny windowsills

🥣 Elevated food and water bowls to ease strain on the neck and spine

✂️ Regular nail trims, especially for indoor cats. As cats age they lose some ability to retract their claws, and long nails can catch on carpet, rugs and furniture

🧸 Gentle trimming of matted fur. Mats can pull on the skin and add to discomfort, making it even harder for a sore cat to move freely

🛏️ A soft, supportive bed suited to aching joints

🚽 Low sided litter trays that are easy to step into

🪟 A safe resting spot with a view outside. Watching birds or the garden can be genuinely soothing

🎾 Gentle play they still enjoy, keeping their mind and body active and helping you stay connected

🤲 Gentle massage, which can ease tension and double as a lovely bonding moment

🐾💛 A Note on Pain and the Stoic Cat

Cats are perhaps the most stoic of all our companion animals when it comes to pain. They rarely limp obviously and instead, they simply adapt. They stop jumping to their favourite spots. They groom less, or stop grooming certain spots or their whole body entirely. They become quieter, more withdrawn, less interactive and they sleep more. They stop doing the things that used to bring them joy.

These changes can be so gradual and so subtle that they can be almost impossible to see when you are with your cat every day and if you don’t know what signs to look for. What you may interpret as your cat simply getting older and quieter may in fact be a cat who is in chronic pain and has found quiet ways to manage it.

Signs of pain in cats that may be easy to miss or to normalise:

❤️ No longer jumping to previously favourite high spots

🧡 Reluctance to use the litter tray, particularly if it has high sides

💛 Reduced or absent grooming, particularly of the hindquarters, spine and tail

💚 Sleeping more than usual or in different, lower spots

💙 Being less interactive or less interested in play

💜 Subtle changes in personality, being more irritable or less affectionate

🩷 Matted or unkempt coat despite previously being a meticulous groomer

🤍 A general sense of flatness or withdrawal from family life

If you are noticing any of these signs, a conversation with your vet about pain assessment and management is always worthwhile.

For more on how cats communicate pain and discomfort through body language, please see our blog "When Silence Speaks Volumes."

For more on stoic pets and what their behaviour can and cannot tell you, please see our blog "When Their Eyes Still Light Up."

🌸🌿🌼 Related Reading

🐾 PART 2- Osteoarthritis in Cats: What It Means, How to Help, and When to Consider Saying Goodbye🌈

🌈 Quality of Life Blog Series

💛 FAQ: Knowing When It Is Time

🩵 But My Cat Is Still Eating and Purring

💜 When Their Eyes Still Light Up

🧡 When Doing Everything Isn't Always the Kindest Choice

🌸 When Silence Speaks Volumes: Understanding Pet Body Language

💛 Osteoarthritis in Dogs (coming soon)

🌿 Aging Gracefully: Caring for Senior Dogs and Cats

🌈🐾

Love & Toe Beans provides Quality of Life consultations, gentle in-home pet euthanasia, pet cremation, and grief support across the Greater Brisbane Region including Brisbane, Logan, Redland Bay, Ipswich and Moreton Bay.