Signs of dental pain

We take a dental Xray of some painful canine teeth

Cats are determined to hide any sign of pain or discomfort from us. The observant owner may notice one or more of the following if they are really on the ball:

• not grooming properly, leaving coat matted, loose or scurfy
• eating on one side of mouth or tilting the head to one side when chewing
• resenting stroking around the face/jaw
• not enjoying handling at all
• keen hunter not interested in hunting any more
• keen warrior not interested in fighting any more
• not wanting to play with tug toys
• throwing food to back of mouth to chew
• bringing unchewed, unlubricated food up within 10 minutes of a meal
• hesitating at food bowl even though clearly hungry
• not crunching kibble
• preferring moist to dry food when used to prefer dry to moist and vice versa
• bad breath
• eating only a little but going back to the bowl often
• drooling
• pawing mouth
• swollen face
• bleeding from mouth
• grinding teeth

Cats get arthritis too!

Cleo curled up with daughter Cinta

Sixteen year old Burmese Cleo was  slow to jump down off the kitchen bench when caught out last week. She poured herself down the side, landed with a thud and looked stunned for a moment before moving off.
When we X-rayed her elbows we were horrified to find that she had severe osteoarthritis. She had been covering it up - as cats do - for a long time before we noticed she was having trouble.
We then noticed that she is also reluctant to jump very high. She uses chairs to get onto tables and has stopped leaping up to sit in the sun on the windowsill. Her painful knees make her hesitate before jumping and she then scrambles up rather than jumping. Unwilling to miss the electric blanket at night she pulls herself up on to the bed.
We've set up boxes as steps onto her feed bench and the bed. We also play gently with her by trailing ribbons and batting balls to strengthen her muscles. To reduce the strain on her joints we've restricted her food and watched her weight.
She makes sure that she sleeps in a warm, well-cushioned sleeping area - our bed!
This winter she is also on pain medication and is doing remarkably well.

Time to say goodbye?

Making a decision to say goodbye to a dearly loved pet and friend is never easy but at the end of life euthanasia can be the kindest and most humane way to go.

Only you know when the time has come. This checklist might be helpful:

•                 is your cat still interacting with you - lap time, dinner time - and with other people and pets in the family?

•                 is any pain, especially arthritic or back pain, well controlled. There is a limit to the efficacy of medications and good nursing.

•                 are the bad days starting to outnumber the good days?

•                 does she still have her little routines and habits?

•                 can she eat without assistance?

•                 can she get around to water, sun, bed, litter on her own

If you have done all you can to make your cat comfortable and happy but life is just not good for her anymore then you can feel more confident in making your decision.

Last chance to book for Cat information night

All dressed up and ready to go!

Only three weeks until our Cat information night! Seats are running out fast. If you haven't already registered phone reception today.
Our first speaker will put cat behaviour under the microscope. Ever wondered why cats rub their faces on everything? Or why some rip lounges to pieces? Or why some cats take to spraying urine all over the house? We'll learn why, and how to reduce this unwelcome behaviour.
Then we hear about a new diet for easing aching joints and reducing discomfort from arthritis.
I'll be talking about making a trip to the vet with your feline a more pleasant experience for you both. I'll also help you to recognise signs of illness and pain more easily.
Last of all we'll discuss how we can help you make the lives of your beloved cats as long and comfortable as possible.
Look forward to seeing you on the 21st September at Hall Pavilion!

Arthritis

Old cats suffer from arthritis just as often as old people or dogs. Over 22% of all cats X-rayed have arthritic changes in one or more joints. Many people are surprised when we tell them that their cat is arthritic. However, if you know what to look for you will identify arthritic pain in your old cat without too much trouble.
Changes in jumping behaviour are readily noticed in most arthritic cats because it is most common in elbow and knee joints.
Cats with elbow arthritis are reluctant to jump down and seem to ‘pour’ themselves off the bed or cupboard. Because they lose agility they jump down with a thud and stand a while before moving off. My cat Cleo crouches with her sore elbow angled out from her body if she jumps off the washing machine and jars it.
Cats with arthritic knee joints are reluctant to jump as high as before. They may use chairs to get onto tables or abandon high resting places altogether. Painful knees may make them hesitate before jumping, scramble rather than jump or even miss the target. Some cats pull themselves up onto the couch or bed rather than spring up.
Toilet accidents may happen because of unwillingness to strain joints climbing in to the litter tray.
Cats that move stiffly have arthritic backs. Because it is difficult for them to groom their sides and backs their coats look rough or matt into tufts. Some of these old kitties get cranky when picked up or petted because of the pain in their backs. Many spend the day resting and avoiding play.
If you suspect your cat has arthritis mention it at the next checkup. Your observations are very important to making the diagnosis.
We have many tools for reducing arthritic pain and making our cats’ senior years comfortable and enjoyable.