Published by: Ingrid King. Last Updated on: June 28, 2023 by Crystal Uys
You may be surprised to know that 61% of cats over the age of 6 suffer from arthritis. As cats age, this number is even higher: 90% of cats over the age of 12 have some form of arthritis. Since cats spend a lot of their time jumping and climbing, their joints, especially weight-baring joints like the shoulders, hips, elbows, knees and ankles, are repeatedly absorbing a lot of impact, and this can lead to joint damage – particularly in larger cats or overweight cats.
Feline arthritis is a degenerative joint disease. The cartilage within the joint is worn down, leading to inflammation, pain and decreased quality of life. But cats are mysterious and stoic. It’s often hard to know what they are feeling, and if they are in pain, they tend to suffer in silence. So, how do you know if your cat might be living with joint pain?
Signs of feline arthritis include:
• A reluctance to jump down
• Trouble going up or down stairs
• Sleeping in places that are easier to access than their normal spots
• Difficulty using the litter box
• Over-grooming of certain joints
• Acting irritable when petted or handled.
Although it is often challenging to diagnose arthritis in cats, if you notice any of these changes, you should first see your vet. He or she may be able to detect pain or swelling in certain joints, or may even recommend taking x-rays to confirm the diagnosis.
How to treat feline arthritis
While your vet can prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAID’s) or other pain medications, they often come with potentially harmful side effects like gastrointestinal ulcers or kidney problems, especially in cats who already have other health issues. Thankfully, there are also pain-relieving options that are safe, effective, and completely natural.
Technyflex® Feline from New Zealand’s Best
Technyflex® Feline from New Zealand’s Best is a nutritional supplement made from 100% Green Lipped Mussel (Perna canaliculus,) which is a shellfish that only grows in the pure ocean waters of New Zealand. Using only the best green lipped mussels and the highest standards of quality and purity in manufacturing, the mussel meat is dried into a powder, and then put into capsules. The unique nutritional content of the mussel makes it very effective as a natural pain reliever and anti-inflammatory. It has a combination of omega-3 essential fatty acids not found anywhere else, and these omega-3’s are powerful inflammation fighters. The green lipped mussel also contains glucosamine and chondroitin which are building blocks of joint cartilage, along with a variety of healthy vitamins and minerals. Together, they work to relieve the pain and inflammation caused by joint disease and arthritis safely, effectively, and naturally.
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For more information about New Zealand’s Best, visit http://newzealandsbest.com/collections/feline.
Featured Image Credit: inxti, Shutterstock
About the author
Ingrid King is an award-winning author, former veterinary hospital manager, and veterinary journalist who is passionate about cats.
Very curious as to the contents in this besides green lip mussel powder. Preservatives? What keeps them fresh. What is the size of this capsule? Is it small enough where I can pill my cat, or do I open contents into food?
Hello, Kelly. Thank you for your interest in Technyflex. New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel is the only ingredient in the product. It’s gluten-free and contains no yeast, starch, lactose, sugar, dairy, fillers, or artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
Natural Health New Zealand, the manufacturer of the product, uses a cold extraction method (mechanically removing the mussel meat and then drying it in tightly controlled conditions) which preserves maximum nutritional benefits of the green lipped mussel without the need to add preservatives. They also process the the mussel meat as soon as possible after harvest to ensure the highest quality product possible.
The capsules are the size of a small human capsule – about a half an inch in length. You would probably want to open the capsule and sprinkle the powder on your cat’s food. Because the powder has a fishy smell and taste, cats enjoy eating it!
If you have any other questions, please let me know. I hope you will give Technyflex Feline a try.
There is a more affordable source of green lip mussel by Super Snouts. I’ve used it for years. It does work.
i am very interested in this product, although my cat is only just turned 8, she is showing some signs of pain after jumping down. My concern is how to administer this sort of product. Are the pills small enough to put in the back of her throat? I am concerned she won’t eat it if its sprinkled in her food…little stinker has such a great nose! What have you or others done in this sort of case?
Hello, Julie. Thank you very much for your interest in Technyflex. The capsules are about 1/2 an inch long – the size of a smaller capsule that a human would take. It might be difficult to put that in the back of her throat – I know how hard it is to give pills to cats! However, because it is made from 100% New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel, it has a fishy smell and taste and most cats love it when you mix it with their food or sprinkle it on top of their food. If you decide you want to give it a try and for some reason your cat will not eat it, just let me know and I will be happy to give you a refund.
This is definitely something I want to try. My older guy has been having some trouble lately. Thanks for the info.
Thanks for the post.
Hello,
I wonder how you deal with leaving your cats–not for practicalities as making sure they’re fed, etc.–but for the psychological trauma. I am extremely close to my cat Nora and I suffer that I am not able to explain to her that I will be back–whether from errands or a week abroad. And she takes it very hard when I leave, stops eating for a day etc. As I live between an apartment in Paris and a country house 3 hrs away by highspeed train, I often face this dilemma. For longer stays in Paris I take Nora with me, but the travel and change are very hard on her. Maybe I’m abnormally attached to my cat, but I always feel as if I am not trustworthy when I leave her. Because all we both want is to be together all the time!!!
Thank you for your input.
I previously wrote about this topic, Barbara, maybe the post and some of the comments will help: https://consciouscat.net/2015/07/13/do-you-suffer-from-separation-anxiety-when-you-have-to-leave-your-cat/