Give Your Cat Their Pounce Back

November 13, 2025

How to Spot and Support Your Cat with Osteoarthritis Pain 

Sponsored by Zoetis

The bond between cats and their caregivers is truly meow-gical – no one knows a cat better than the person who loves and cares for them. That natural connection makes you the first to notice when your feline friend starts slowing down, playing less, or acting out of the norm. Cashew’s caregivers noticed something was off with their beloved cat when he began having difficulty using the litter box and seemed less interested in chasing around his favorite toys.

Concerned, Cashew’s caregivers brought him to their veterinarian. After an examination and x-rays, he was diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA), a common yet often overlooked painful joint disease. It turned out his OA pain was preventing him from using the litter box and playing with his toys.

The Unseen Burden: Understanding Feline Osteoarthritis (OA) 

Feline OA is a type of arthritis and a chronic, painful joint disease that occurs when the soft cushion in your cat’s joints – also known as cartilage – wears down, which may even cause the bones to rub against each other.

You’d think this just makes moving harder, but OA can cause severe chronic pain. OA pain won’t go away on its own and without treatment, it can continue to worsen.

Although older cats are more likely to experience OA pain, it can affect cats at any age. Studies show that 40% of cats show clinical signs of OA1, with this number increasing to 60% in cats over 6 years2 of age and 90% in cats over 12 years3 of age.

Cats are experts at hiding their pain — that’s why it’s important as cat caregivers to keep a close eye on their behaviors so we know when something may be off.

Decoding the Pain: Signs & Symptoms to Watch For 

The signs of OA pain can be very subtle, but a key indicator is any change from your cat’s usual behavior. As in humans, pain looks different in every cat. While some cats, like Cashew, may play less or have difficulty using the litter box as a result of their OA pain, others may change their grooming habits or even seem to be in a bad mood. For example, Tubby experienced OA pain that left her irritable and withdrawn, causing her to self-isolate and fight with her humans and feline housemates.  

Additional signs that your cat may be suffering with OA pain include having trouble with the following activities:

  • Jumping up
  • Jumping down
  • Climbing up stairs
  • Climbing down stairs
  • Chasing moving objects – like their favorite toys!
  • Running

Pawsitive Steps: Supporting Cats with OA 

As a cat owner, you know your pet best and are their biggest advocate. Your attention and love can be the key to recognizing when they may be expressing that something is off, and that it’s time to connect with your veterinarian. For a helpful tool, you can also explore the Cat OA Pain Checklist quiz from Zoetis, which provides a personalized report to share with your vet, comparing your cat’s movements to those of a healthy cat.

While feline OA cannot be cured, a well-rounded approach involving controlling pain relief, maintaining a healthy weight, and encouraging regular exercise can make a difference. Reducing OA pain helps improve your cat’s quality of life, restore their mobility and rediscover the activities they used to enjoy so they can get back to pawsitively thriving.

If your vet diagnoses your cat with OA, it’s important to continue an open dialogue on the best treatment plan for your cat, which may include pain medication.

Solensia: Helping Cats Feel Like Themselves Again 

Solensia™ (frunevetmab injection) is the first and only FDA-approved treatment to control OA pain in cats. It helps your cat get back to moving more freely again and helps to keep OA pain from disrupting the unique bond they share with you.

It’s a monthly injection administered at your vet’s office and works like your cat’s naturally made antibodies, directly targeting the root cause of the pain by reducing pain signals4. In a clinical study, cat owners reported Solensia controlled their cats’ OA pain, leading to improved quality of life, better general mobility, enhanced comfort, and overall well-being5. A conversation with your veterinarian is the best way to determine if Solensia is right for your cat.

After being treated for his OA pain with Solensia, Cashew started using the litter box again and rekindled his love of play. His caregiver shared, “He’s getting back to his usual playful and talkative self!” See how Solensia transformed Cashew’s quality of life.

Solensia also proved to be a pawsitive intervention for Tubby. Her caregiver enthusiastically reported, “Her personality has significantly improved, and we are beyond pleased with the treatment results!” Witness Tubby’s before & after with Solensia.

If your cat has been diagnosed with OA pain and prescribed Solensia, the injection will be administered every four weeks at a veterinary practice. It’s important to remember that individual results may vary and it takes two injections to reach maximum effect. To ensure your cat remains on the right path after starting treatment to control their OA pain, consistent monthly veterinary visits are essential. These appointments allow for continued treatment and critical discussions about your cat’s progress, activity levels and overall lifestyle.

Navigating Vet Visits: Making it Stress-Free 

A monthly visit to the vet can be stressful for you and your cat, but it doesn’t need to be! You can help monthly visits feel more normal for your cat, with a few tips and tricks:

  • Make the carrier less scary by setting it up at home
  • Keep your cat calm by using spray pheromones
  • Practice examining your cat from head to tail to get them used to being handled
  • Bring your cat on regular car rides to disassociate the car with going to the vet
  • When in the waiting room at the vet’s office, keep your cat in their carrier so they feel more secure
  • Schedule your monthly appointments during slow times to reduce your cat’s stress
  • Bring something from home, like a blanket, to help comfort your cat
  • If your cat has a history of being stressed, talk to your vet about possible medications or supplements

Visit Solensia.com to learn more about how Solensia can help control your cat’s OA pain.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: For use in cats only. Women who are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding should take extreme care to avoid self-injection. Allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, could potentially occur with self-injection. Solensia should not be used in breeding cats or in pregnant or lactating queens. Solensia should not be administered to cats with known allergy to frunevetmab. The most common adverse events reported in a clinical study were vomiting and injection site pain. Solensia may be associated with scabbing of the head and neck, dermatitis, and pruritus. See full Prescribing Information at SolensiaPI.com.

INDICATION: For the control of pain associated with osteoarthritis in cats.

 

References

  1. Zoetis Market Research: KG MarketSense 2018 Global Veterinarian and Pet Owner.
  2. Slingerland L, Hazewinkel H, Meif B, Picavet P, Voorhout G. Cross-sectional study of the prevalence and clinical features of osteoarthritis in 100 cats. Vet J. 2011;187:304-309.
  3. Hardie EM, Roe SC, Martin FR. Radiographic evidence of degenerative joint disease in geriatric cats: 100 cases (1994-1997). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2002;220:628-632.
  4. Keizer RJ, Huitema AD, Schellens JH, Beijnen JH. Clinical pharmacokinetics of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. Clin Pharmacokinet. 2010;49(8):493-507. doi:10.2165/11531280.
  5. Gruen ME, Myers JAE, Lascelles BDX. Efficacy and safety of an anti-nerve growth factor antibody (frunevetmab) for the treatment of degenerative joint disease-associated chronic pain in cats: a multisite pilot field study. Front Vet Sci. 2021;8:610028. doi:10.3389/fvets.2021.610028