Osteoarthritis is extremely common in older cats but is dramatically undertreated because cats hide pain so effectively.
Feline osteoarthritis causes chronic pain that limits activity, grooming, and social interaction over months to years. The subtlety of pain signs in cats means the majority of affected animals never receive treatment. An older cat that has stopped jumping to its favourite spot is not simply ageing — it is likely in pain that is readily treatable. The new monoclonal antibody treatments represent a significant advance as they avoid the gastrointestinal risks associated with NSAIDs in cats.