My senior cat jumps on hardwood floors. Do rugs protect his joints?

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry that Majo is having these issues. Studies have shown that 95% of cats over the age of 8 have some form of arthritis, and often it is undiagnosed because cats hide their illnesses well. This could be the cause of Majo's inability to jump up. Other causes could be related to being overweight, neurological problems that can include both structural issues in her back, or metabolic conditions such as diabetes. Weakness from other medical conditions can also cause this type of behaviour. What I recommend is a visit to the vet to make sure there is no medical cause that needs to be addressed, and to assess her body condition to see if weight loss is needed. Otherwise, ramps are a great idea to help our furry friends get up on the bed. If arthritis is the issue, you can talk with your vet about different types of food and supplements that will help support joints. Best of luck with Majo!

Many cats show signs of osteoarthritis on radiographs as seniors even when they don't seem to be obviously painful. Since this is a recent change I'd recommend seeing your vet for a physical exam. If they agree that your cat may have arthritis they might recommend a joint supplement like Dasuquin or a trial of pain medication to see if it helps with mobility.

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. There are MANY different things that can be done to help him get around better - namely medications that your vet can prescribe. I think it would be the least you can do to help him. Remember, just because a dog is not crying or complaining doesn't mean he is not in pain. Animals do not manifest pain the same way we do. They just carry on and do the best they can like they would do in the wild. Please take him to a vet for an exam and to get him started on some NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication). Don't let him continue to be in pain. You will be surprised at how much the medications help. You could also get him nail grips or special boots/socks for him to wear the have grips on them to help him not slide around on the floor: ( https://toegrips.com ) ( https://www.amazon.com/DOK-TigerToes-Premium-Non-Slip-Hardwood/dp/B0BHKN1G9C/ ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

At his age, he likely has some arthritis. I suggest you get him started on a joint supplement. https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198944_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=120626 Give it a good 4-6 weeks to see if it helps him. If not, then please post again and we'll see if we can give you some more suggestions.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I would recommend taking Charlie to the vet. He is getting older, but isn't very old when some cats live into their 20s. There are some diseases that can cause weakness or loss of muscle, or her may have some arthritis making jumping difficult. The vet may recommend bloodwork to assess his overall health, possibly x-rays and may be able to prescribe medication to help Charlie get back to normal activity. DO NOT give any human or over the counter medications to cats, as many can cause a fatal toxicity. I hope Charlie is back to normal soon.

How peculiar! I wonder if your kitty's toenails have gotten overly long and the hard floor feels strange, or if your kitty is having some sort of orthopedic/joint pain and the hard floor feels slippery/painful. I would consider having your vet check her toenails and look her over for any signs of arthritis/pain in case this is the issue.

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.