General diseases of the cat's musculoskeletal system and their consequences
If you compare the frequency of diagnosed diseases of the musculoskeletal system, you will find that dogs suffer from them much more often than cats. However, if a problem with the musculoskeletal system does arise, it can in most cases be assumed to be a trauma. Unfortunately, this is also the reason why many cat owners don't know much about their animals' musculoskeletal system diseases and their consequences. Basically, if you don't receive treatment, you will only have to endure the problems more and more over time. This can be a big challenge, especially with outdoor animals.
The osteoarthrosis
Although this diagnosis is rare, this is due, among other things, to the non-specific symptoms. Very often, changes in personality, problems jumping up or a stiff gait are the only thing the owner notices. It is noticeable that degenerative problems are predominantly found in the spine. But the elbow and hip joints are also often affected.
In many cases, therapy begins with weight loss and pain treatment. If necessary, it is also necessary to reduce existing inflammation. Since cats are often very sensitive to medication, you should strictly adhere to the veterinarian's dosage recommendations.
Polyarthritis
It is often recognized by an increased temperature, a great reluctance to move with associated pain and general muscle hypotrophy. This disease should definitely be presented to the veterinarian so that the right treatment method can be chosen based on the causes.
The big joints
The large joints include the knee joint, elbow joint and the hip joint. The elbow joint is affected much more often than the hip joint. This is due to the stress it is exposed to. Signs of wear and tear and strain on tendons as well as calcifications or dislocations must be diagnosed. The latter can occur at any age.
The hip joint is rarely affected. However, when buying a young cat and when breeding it, you should pay attention to prevention with regard to HD (hip dysplasia) or ED (elbow joint dysplasia) or to a slight tendency towards HD / ED. With HD or ED, the animal can experience constant pain with every movement.
The knee is susceptible to patellar luxations, cruciate ligament rupture (anterior cruciate ligament) and calcification of the joint area. These problems are often breeding-related, so this problem can be expected particularly in pedigree cats. The exception here is a cruciate ligament tear, which can of course also occur due to incorrect stress, trauma or the like.