It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No! It’s… just your cat flying across the room.

Cats love to run, jump, leap, spin, and move in almost every way possible. The average house cat can jump five times its own height.  Cats have strong back legs and are extremely flexible, which makes them very agile and active. Unfortunately, there are a few things that can slow these fast felines down, including injuries and old age.

When a cat has an accident, injury, is overweight, or is old, he can experience joint problems. Usually, these joint problems are caused by arthritis that has developed. Arthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes inflammation in the joints. Some signs your cat has arthritis or joint issues include: stiffness, limited movement, trouble getting up or laying down, trouble climbing stairs, trouble jumping, and joint swelling. Cats can also experience joint issues from infections or an autoimmune disorder.

Although dogs are commonly known to develop arthritis, your feline friend is not immune to this disease, either. In cats, joint problems, including arthritis, progress slowly, so it isn’t always easy to catch pain and problems from the beginning. If your cat is slowing down or his behavior in movement changes, don’t ignore it! It’s best to talk to your vet about any change in your cat’s mobility to make sure his joints are doing OK. Unlike humans, cats can’t express to you when they have aches and pains!

So, what can you do to help your cat feel better?  There are a few things you can do!

• Bring your cat in for regular vet checkups. He or she will be able identify early signs and symptoms of joint issues.
• Manage your cat’s diet to make sure they stay in a healthy weight range. Excessive weight puts pressure on the joints.
• Use anti-inflammatory medications for the cat to manage symptoms prescribed by your vet.
• Opt for surgery if the joints are a serious, advance case of arthritis or other joint disease.
• Give your pet a joint supplement per your vet’s OK to do so. Ark Naturals sells Joint Rescue Super Strength Chewable joint supplements that offer support for cartilage and joint function. This product contains glucosamine, herbs, and botanicals that provide comfort to your cat with stiffness, and age-related mobility issues. Ark Naturals also sells Sea Mobility Joint Rescue, which are soft chews that contain glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin and seas cumber; these chews help with mobility and flexibility for pets with active lifestyles or age-related joint issues.

Many house cats can easily live into their teens and early 20s, so joint problems aren’t always preventable. Also, accidents happen, and knowing how to treat your cat’s joint issues is important, so they don’t get worse. If you pay attention to your cat’s mobility and bring him in for regular vet checkups, you’ll be able to catch any early symptoms of joint issues.

At Ark Naturals, we take pride in creating products that promote pet health so they can live longer, healthier and happier lives. Click here to view and purchase all our joint products for cats. For other wellness cat products, click here.