My kitten's joints pop when stretching. What holistic remedies help?

Hi and thanks for posting on PetCoach! The first thing I'd make sure Willow is eating is enough calcium. Be sure Willow is eating a kitten food until she is about 9 months to a year of age as kitten food has more calcium and other minerals in it that is required for healthy bone growth. A great supplement you may want to consider is DHA and EPA. Both are types of omega 3 fatty acid that are excellent for healthy development for multiple organ systems such as the heart, brain, skin, and bone/joint health. I have a product I'd recommend below: # I hope this helps!

Hello. I assume you are concerned about Scottish Fold Osterchondrodysplasia. This is a progressive musculoskeletal condition in pure & some cross bred Scottish Fold kitties. The condition can manifest as young as 2 months, so I wonder why your veterinarian is hesitant to take x-rays in an adult cat like Mimi ( you indicate she is 20 months of age ). Most affected cats will have a thick, short, inflexible tail, & shortened paws. If your veterinarian does not feel comfortable doing x-rays, I would request the DNA test to see if she has the Scottish Fold mutation gene. The test is a simple cheek swab & is run through the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory. Once you have the results, then a good treatment plan, if one is needed, can be started. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. As cats get older they often develop arthritis. The best way to treat arthritis is by increasing muscle mass (which is sounds like the kittens are helping Tiger to do by playing with him), and decreasing weight (if overweight, not if underweight). I would first recommend having Tiger seen by a vet to make sure there isn't another cause of him slowing down and also to determine if Tiger is overweight or not. If he is overweight, I would get a low fat, high fiber, senior cat food. There are also special foods that are developed with joint supplement in them to help with arthritis. This is a good idea as well, especially if Tiger isn't overweight. Best of luck with your little ones.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! An orthopedic bed is not likely to help though it is very hard to make any recommendations with the information provided. It really depends on what the source of her condition is. I would highly recommend you check in with your veterinarian if he has not been improving as they would know more about his condition and would be able to make more specific recommendations. General medications for pain include buprenorphine for example. If they think he is painful, they may start him on something like that. Good luck!

Most likely this is arthritis. If he isn't limping then this is aa good indicator that it isn't causing too much pain yet. You can try over the counter joint supplements like Cosequin to help replenish fluid in the joint and also to help slow down the progression of arthritis. If he develops pain or limping then it is best to have the limb radiographed to get a better idea of what is happening internally, and also to get a prescription for stronger medications to help with pain.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. 80% of cats over the age of 8 and 95% of cats over the age of 12 will have arthritis. Cats are just very good at hiding their pain. It is likely that Lychee just has arthritis which is normal. There are treats that have medications in them that help the body produce more fluid in the joints, these can help. If the arthritis becomes severe (you are noticing Lychee slow or sore at home), then you can use stronger drugs, but these do have side effects. If Lychee is overweight then getting her on a diet and increasing the muscle mass is the BEST treatment for arthritis. Best of luck with Lychee!

You should get glucosamine and SAMe tablets - they are natural supplements with scientific proof that they do something good for the joints. You should be able to get these products over-the-counter at pet shops or at the vets.