05/31/2026
The most frequently diagnosed feline joint disorder is osteoarthritis, otherwise known as degenerative joint disease (DJD). This condition may be caused by an injury to a joint, by gradual wear and tear on a joint that takes place over time, or as the secondary consequence of a disease that compromises the internal structure of a joint.
In all cases, DJD is characterized by the erosion of cartilage, the smooth tissue that protects the ends of bones from rubbing directly against one another within a movable joint. When this protective tissue, for whatever reason, is worn or torn away completely, the bone ends come immediately into contact, and the persistent grinding of bone against bone results in inflammation and pain of varying severity.
All joints in a cat’s body can be affected by DJD, but those that become most visibly apparent to the owner will be the movable joints, most often the shoulders and elbows. But the knees, wrists and hips are also frequently affected. Outward signs of the condition will vary, depending on which joints are most painful, the extent of damage, and the animal’s age.
The earliest visible sign of DJD is likely to be apparent stiffness and a subtle reduction in an affected animal’s activity. Altered gait may eventually occur as the disease progresses or if the joint disorder has resulted from an injury.
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