Help with aging cat.

[phoenician lady]

My aging Persian cat is about 16ys. old. He has had a few health issues and had to have two teeth removed due to an abscess.
That is cleared up but, he is moving so slowly ! The vet gave him steroids' to help his appetite but I'm looking for something to help his joints. There is so much product on the market. I need some suggestions Please. He is a "luv" and I want to make him comfortable. Thank you!

 

[theyremine]

My Stellar (14 years) mysteriously started drinking more water and eating less. Finally, not hardly eating at all. Two rounds of all types of testing yielded no clues. I insisted on a dental as a last resort even though my vet said she had a dental only 2 years ago and she saw no evidence of dental issues. A dental was scheduled for the next week. That night my vet called and said she wanted to try something first. She thought it might be a jaw problem (although she saw nothing on examination). Stellar had been abused as a kitten, 3 detached ribs and a broken tail so a jaw issue? Maybe. We tried Onsior tablets. One tablet for 3 days and she started eating again after the first day. 30 days later I gave her another round when she started to show signs again. Then she went 5 months before needing another round. What's wrong with her? I don't know. I suspect an inflamation/arthritis in an old jaw injury. I'm just pleased she's doing well.

 

[LTS3]

You can try Cosequin or Dasuquin for the arthritis. Talk to your vet about which one would be best for your cat. The product info page has a "Buy Now" button that will show you a list of some web sites that sell the product as well as any local stores that sell them. Chewy.com sells both products.

 

[phoenician lady]

You can try Cosequin or Dasuquin for the arthritis. Talk to your vet about which one would be best for your cat. The product info page has a "Buy Now" button that will show you a list of some web sites that sell the product as well as any local stores that sell them. Chewy.com sells both products.

Thank you so much. I will look up both . I'm sure its just age setting in.

 

[Furballsmom]

A product I'm using which I prefer because it's a liquid and easy to mix in food for my purposes, and is available in unflavored, is Liquid Vet hip and joint.

 

[phoenician lady]

Thank you again

 

[daftcat75]

Is he still on steroids? That can make him lethargic. Someone may suggest CBD. If he is still taking steroids, you don't want to mix steroids and CBD as they compete for liver enzymes in their detoxification. CBD could make steroids stronger or last longer.

Cosequin/Glycoflex and other glucosamine/chondroitin preparations may not agree with all cats.

I might start with fish oil or salmon oil if he likes the taste. You have to give it at least a month and possibly two before moving up the ladder.

If he’s not still taking steroids, the next rung I would consider would be CBD. If he is taking steroids or a non steroidal anti-inflammatory like onsior, then I would skip CBD and move to the next rung on the treatment ladder.

The next rung I would try would be Cosequin or GlycoFlex. Choose only one. Give this one at least two months if it’s tolerated. If it’s not tolerated (eg butt or gut reactions), don’t force it. Discontinue it and try something else.

You may also want to have a look at Vitality Science.

Arthritis-Joint Pain Archives

It looks like they have a lot of promising supplements. And again, you’ll probably want to give these two months to see results.

And that’s really why I recommend a ladder approach starting weakest to strongest. When you find something that is working for him, even if you think you’re just imagining it, keep using it as long as it is well-tolerated. Most (all?) of the treatments are cumulative. That’s why you have to give them time to build up or time enough to effect a change. I don’t recommend stacking these ladder rungs though. Meaning once you’ve decided to move up, discontinue the lower rung treatments. Like CBD and steroids. I would consider these separate ladder rungs and they shouldn’t be combined. But all of the supplements from Vitality Science, unless they state otherwise, are meant to be used separately or together. And this is kind of a trap too. How long do you give each plus each combination before you move on? You can spend a lot of time with these supplements that could be spent on higher rungs. I would place Vitality Science on the lowest rung meaning least risk of side effects but also possibly the least powerful. I have used some of their other supplements. And when they work, it’s like magic—super effective. But it can take a lot of trial and error to find the right dose and combination of supplements. And they don’t work for every case. Sometimes the dis-ease is just too far along and you gotta bring in bigger guns; more well-established treatments like Cosequin or GlycoFlex, CBD, steroids, or other vet recommended therapies.

You may also look into environmental improvements like a heating pad or a self-warming pad, cat stairs or ramps to help him up or down, and make sure he remains active. His joints will actually feel better if he gets a little exercise everyday even if it’s chasing the red dot for a minute or two or walking him around the home for a lap or two with his food plate in your hand if he is food motivated.

 

[DreamerRose]

As an old person with arthritis, I think the thing that helps the most is heat. My hands get so stiff and painful I can hardly use them. So I wear gloves to bed, and today had to warm them under a throw while I watched TV. The heating pad or self-warming pad is a really, really good idea. I also take naproxen everyday and sometimes Celebrex. Kitty can't take that, but you can check with your vet and see is there is a pain reliever like that for your cat. Anything to help your kitty's last years.