Glucosamine/maybe Arthritis/hip Dysplasia

So anyone that has been reading my threads, knows how I've been trying to get Lily more active/lose weight/and better "potty habits" I may of come of across something, I was googling rag doll cats, and I came across an article about hip dysplasia, how it often affects big cats. Laziness is a symptom, also walking like a "waddling walk" Lily tends to walk that way, at least as long as I can remember. Yes I know, going to the vet would be the ideal answer, but right now since I'm not working, I can't make that happen. It just kinda all makes sense, her laziness, and getting fat. and not moving around as much causing the constipation. So Anyway, I went to Petsmart today, and picked up some GNC hip and joint supplements, hopefully this will help. I thought about Cosequin, but they are powders it looks like and the GNC ones are treats and well Lily loves treats. and it contains the glucosomine, and also DHA & EPA, which is good for their coats, which may help with hairballs? I know I'm kinda rambling on and on, but I finally feel like I might of found an answer, and I've been reading about it and glucosamine supplementation all afternoon. Would it be safe for Zoe to take too? She just turned 3, and has no lazy issues, super active. Thank you guys though for responding to all my posts, I know there's been a lot, and sometimes redundant, I'm just trying to do whats best for Lily.

Cosequin is a capsule. Most people open the capsule and sprinkle the powder into canned food. You can pill it using a Pill Pocket or something similar if needed.

I don't think a glucosamine treats would hurt the younger cat. If the younger cat gets the occasional piece, no big deal. But I'd stick with regular treats for her.

I read somewhere a few days ago that not all animals with hip dysplasia will develop arthritis, and not all animals with arthritic hips are dysplastic.
Bet that didn't help, did it
Point being, unless you're wanting to get her x-rayed to see if her hips are dysplastic or not, I'd treat her symptoms and do what works for her.
Baby Girl walks like a giraffe wearing too tight garter hose and she's not yet 6. I've wanted to get her hips x-rayed out of curiosity, but my wife and the vet both talked me out of it because there's no sense in putting her through it since conservative treatment is the same no matter what.
Cosequin, a good quality fish oil, and even some bone broth would be good. We've found certain foods tend to make her (whatever her problems are) worse. Anything higher in carbs fed over a period of a few days makes her much stiffer. Which stinks because I think she'd blacken my eye for a piece of bread
It stinks Lily only 3 and BG is only 5, but I'd try the fish oil or the cosequin (or both) and see if she's better in a month or two. It can take time for those things to build up in the system. Remember, you're not just masking any problems with pain killers, you're trying to build up the lubrication system in her joints, so just give it some time.
It might help you to take a video of her walking, jumping, etc., before you start those supplements, and then take another 2-3 months later so you can be 100% sure if you see improvement or not and not let your mind start playing "but I don't remember for sure" games Done that myself.
I wouldn't hesitate to give a young, healthy animal a good joint supplement, either. Fish oils are good for joints, but also their cardiovascular system, skin and coat (and decreases shedding )

Did I post about meat stock in your other thread? That’s a great source of glucosamine and chondroitin. I give Krista a teaspoon in the morning and one at night and my 15 year old with arthritis has a spring in her step and wants to play every night. Some nights more vigorously than others but I believe we’re still seeing improvements.

daftcat75 , yes, I've read your posts and I really want to try it, I'm just the worst cook ever, I'm not sure if it would come out right, then would Lily actually drink it? But just the hydration alone makes me want to try it, I'm always trying to get more fluids in her.
And 1 bruce 1 , thanks I feel better giving it to both of them. Lily just turned 7, which is by no means an old cat, but with her laziness,constipation, and fretting over her health, I feel like she's double her age. Hopefully this help her. And tomorrow if I get her on her walk, I'll record her walking, and then compare it later on.

I cook meat stock for my cat and I don’t eat meat. If I can do it, I think you can too.

3 or 4 skin-on, bone-in pieces of turkey with filtered water to cover in a crock pot on low for 10 hours. The good stuff you want—the glucosamine, chondroitin, and gelatin—that comes from the joints. It’s not necessary to cook it to bone broth.

Strain the liquid, cool it a water bath (so you don’t put a bowl of steaming stock into your fridge), cover it, and allow it to set for 8 hours.

(If you want to feed fresh stock to your cat, skim the fat away or take from the bottom of the pot with a baster. Pour it onto a plate and allow it to cool to lukewarm. Don’t burn her tongue with hot stock.)

Come back your fridge stock in 8 hours and scrape the congealed fat layer off the top. This fat was cooked for too long and isn’t suitable to eat or feed. You can serve your defatted meat stock jell-O to your cat just like this. But you’re not going to get through all of it before it spoils. So save a few teaspoons or tablespoons for the next couple of days and freeze the rest into ice cubes.

I like to feed Krista the meat stock jell-O straight from the fridge. It’s easier for her to find it on the plate and easier for me to see that she ate it. When you thaw the ice cubes, put them in a baggie, run them under hot water to thaw them back to liquid, and then let them set back up again for 8 hours in the fridge. This gets them back to the jell-O consistency.

A couple of words of caution that Krista and I learned from experience. Don’t thaw more than a couple of days’ worth of stock in the fridge, and don’t let thawed stock sit out too long. For Krista, I’ve set the limit at 30 minutes. Usually I just offer her the stock as the jell-O and it’s gone as soon as she gets to it. But if I was going to thaw it back to a liquid and use it as a broth, I would dump any broth-soaked food that she hasn’t finished in 30 minutes. Better down the sink than on the carpet. And finally, as wonderful as it is for Krista, more isn’t better. Watch for GI discomfort, vomiting, and/or runny poops to see if you are giving yours too much. For Krista, 1 spoonful of the jell-O twice a day is her magic dose.