The most common signs of arthritis and joint disease in cats
include stiffness, limping, or favoring a limb – particularly
after sleep or resting, reluctance to jump or even climb stairs,
and noticeable pain. As in dogs, there are many causes of
arthritis and joint disease in cats. These include trauma,
infections, immune system disorders, and developmental disorders
such as hip dysplasia (yes, cats can get hip dysplasia). In the
following article we will discuss some of these causes or
conditions which are more common or unique to cats. Before you
read on, you may want to check out the articles Joint Anatomy
and Veterinary Procedures Used to Diagnose Joint Disease for
some background information. Information on how to manage cats
with arthritis and other joint problems, including the use of
Glucosamine and Chondroitin is discussed in Treatment of
Osteoarthritis in Cats. Feline progressive polyarthritis, as the
name suggests, affects multiple joints in a cat and worsens over
time. There are generally two type