Creaking Joints: Arthritis?

**Kirsten** · 11-15-2011, 10:37 AM

Several times, I heard the joints of Lunas legs making a creaking sound when she walked by. Do you think she could have arthritis? She's 11, and she's overweight due to her struvite crystal diet. She doesn't seem to be in pain, but we all know that cats can hide it well.
Sometimes when she gets up after a nap, her walking looks somewhat wobbly, but then she'd stretch, and it gets better.

Is there a treatment for arthritis? Only pain meds, I suppose...

**Scooter's Mom** · 11-15-2011, 05:32 PM

I don't have any answers, but wanted to send warm wishes to your two lovely girls. They're two of my favorites here at PT.

**Kirsten** · 11-16-2011, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by Scooter's Mom

I don't have any answers, but wanted to send warm wishes to your two lovely girls. They're two of my favorites here at PT.

Thanks you!

Originally Posted by Karen

Kirsten, I will ask this of the vet that will be on the radio show tomorrow, as I am sure trying to call in from Germany would be a bit too much in terms of figuring out time zones et al! I will let you know what she says, okay?

Karen, that would be awesome! Thanks a lot!

Originally Posted by Asiel

I really don't know much about cats Kirsten but I remember one horse I had that would crack and creak in her ankles when I would take her out, she did this for about 10 minutes and I was convinced she had arthritis. The vet came over and he found it funny....he listened and checked her good and turned out that she had oxygen that was locking in her ankles and it would work it's way out after some walking. After she had been with me for a few months it went away and I never heard it again.
I hope it's something as simple as that for your cat. If it is arthritis I'm sure they have great meds like they do for dogs.

Wow, oxygen inside the ankles?

Never heard something like that before. Glad she's doing better now! Well, I guess to be sure whether it's arthritis or now, a vet visit and an x-ray shot is in order....

**Karen** · 11-15-2011, 06:15 PM

Kirsten, I will ask this of the vet that will be on the radio show tomorrow, as I am sure trying to call in from Germany would be a bit too much in terms of figuring out time zones et al! I will let you know what she says, okay?

Cats can be so adept at masking pain that it is often hard to help them!

**Asiel** · 11-15-2011, 08:46 PM

I really don't know much about cats Kirsten but I remember one horse I had that would crack and creak in her ankles when I would take her out, she did this for about 10 minutes and I was convinced she had arthritis. The vet came over and he found it funny....he listened and checked her good and turned out that she had oxygen that was locking in her ankles and it would work it's way out after some walking. After she had been with me for a few months it went away and I never heard it again.
I hope it's something as simple as that for your cat. If it is arthritis I'm sure they have great meds like they do for dogs.

**Scooter's Mom** · 11-16-2011, 04:56 PM

I did think of something.

I used to have a kitty bed for Scooter Bug, that was really just a big square. The thing that was special about it was that it was supposedly "self warming" so that it was better for kitties with arthritis and other ailments. Scooter Bug loved it! I don't know how 'warm' it ever got, but I do know he laid on it all the time. (LES, gosh I miss him.)

It was sort of like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Solution-Self-...1480517&sr=8-4

**Catty1** · 11-16-2011, 05:34 PM

My vet noticed arthritis in Oscar's hips, though he wasn't really showing any discomfort. (He proved this by jumping up high on the kitchen cupboards!). However, his back "thigh" muscles were a bit atrophied.

She said to use a good Omega-3 oil on his food, one squirt a day. It was a pretty good price even at my vet's office.