Many cats are affected by arthritis at a higher age, but it is often unclear why. A study from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences shows that it is primarily larger and thicker cats that get the joint disease.
In the study, X-rayed 72 cats. Arthritis occurred in the majority of the cats, but the changes were larger and more common in those who had a larger body.
Cats with larger skeletons have a higher risk of being affected by arthritis in the carpal joints, while thicker cats run a higher risk of arthritis in both carpal joints and elbow, knee, and hip joints. Therefore, one should avoid letting the cat become overweight to reduce the risk of arthritis if the cat is large.
