products/tips for senior cats with arthritis? (x-posted like a mofo)
I've been posting this in pet-related communities, but I figured that I have enough pet lovers on my F-list that somebody can help me out. :o)
Hey everybody! I have a 13 y.o. cat (he'll be 14 in July) who has had arthritis in his hips for the past couple of years. I used to think it was just weight slowing him down, but x-rays last year confirmed it's some bad arthritis. It didn't affect too terribly much, but I still put him on a diet and started putting a chair next to my bed to help him get up there. A couple of weeks ago I noticed that the slowness, semi-limping has gotten worse. It's gotten so bad just in the past few days alone that he has begun stumbling whenever he walks on a hard floor (the kitchen, bathroom, etc.). I don't know if it's just age catching up or my semi-new 3 y.o. cat I adopted n February (he's a little bigger and likes to wrestle around a lot). I am taking my older cat to see the vet on Friday, but I like to do a lot of research on products before purchasing them, so I was wondering if anyone has any particular supplements or medications (or any other tips) that seem to do well for his or her cat, please let me know. If there's anything I should ask my vet about, I want to know. Healthcare for pets is pretty costly and I want to make sure I've done right by my boy and not wasted time and money on something that won't help him. Thank you for your help!
Hey everybody! I have a 13 y.o. cat (he'll be 14 in July) who has had arthritis in his hips for the past couple of years. I used to think it was just weight slowing him down, but x-rays last year confirmed it's some bad arthritis. It didn't affect too terribly much, but I still put him on a diet and started putting a chair next to my bed to help him get up there. A couple of weeks ago I noticed that the slowness, semi-limping has gotten worse. It's gotten so bad just in the past few days alone that he has begun stumbling whenever he walks on a hard floor (the kitchen, bathroom, etc.). I don't know if it's just age catching up or my semi-new 3 y.o. cat I adopted n February (he's a little bigger and likes to wrestle around a lot). I am taking my older cat to see the vet on Friday, but I like to do a lot of research on products before purchasing them, so I was wondering if anyone has any particular supplements or medications (or any other tips) that seem to do well for his or her cat, please let me know. If there's anything I should ask my vet about, I want to know. Healthcare for pets is pretty costly and I want to make sure I've done right by my boy and not wasted time and money on something that won't help him. Thank you for your help!