How to Improve Your Cats Joints

If you notice that your cat has problems with mobility, especially after napping, it may suffer from arthritis or another disease that affects its joints. Cats that suffer from osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, polyarthritis or other types of degenerative joint disease have trouble walking and usually limp or favor one leg over the other. These conditions affect the cat's joints by damaging and eroding the cartilage that cushions the bones of the joint and lead to painful inflammation. You can take steps to improve your cat's joints and increase its mobility, giving it a better quality of life.

Things You'll Need

  • Glucosamine and chondroitin supplement for cats
  • Canned cat food
  • 1/2 tsp. salmon oil
  • Low-calorie canned or dry cat food
  • Cat toys
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Instructions

    • 1

      Supplement your cat's diet with glucosamine and chondroiton. Purchase specially formulated, flavored sprinkle capsules, made for cats, from your veterinarian or a pet supply store. Open the capsules and mix these powdered supplements into your cat's canned food daily, following the package dosing directions. These supplements help the cat's body produce new cartilage to repair the damaged cartilage between its joints and inhibit damaging enzymes within the joint, according to the website Pet Education.

    • 2

      Give your cat a supplement that contains omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon oil. Omega-3 has anti-inflammatory properties that will help relieve inflammation of the cat's joints, improving its mobility. Mix 1/2 tsp. of salmon oil into your cat's canned food daily.

    • 3

      Feed your cat a low-calorie food if it is overweight or obese. This will help it lose weight gradually. The extra weight on your cat's joints leads to more stress on its joints, inflammation and decreased mobility.

    • 4

      Play with your cat daily using an interacting toy on a string to give it some light exercise, keeping its ligaments and tendons flexible so that the joints do not become stiff, according to the website Vet Info.

    • 5

      Massage your cat daily, kneading the muscles around the joints to increase your cat's range of motion, recommends Pet Education. Use your fingertips to massage the area with gentle, circular motions.