Integrated Care Plan Cats

Integrated Care Plan

OFFER YOUR CAT A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE IN 5 SIMPLE STEPS

INTEGRATED CARE FOR A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE

Arthritis is a dynamic condition and your input is vital to reduce the impact it has on your cat’s life. Your veterinarian will work with you to set key goals for your cat, such as being able to jump onto furniture more easily, and to develop a plan to achieve these goals.

This plan will be based on the Osteoarthritis 5-Point Integrated Care Plan that combines medication with lifestyle changes:

METACAM anti-inflammatory pain relief
Diet
Exercise and rehabilitation
Environmental modification
Monitoring

1 - METACAM ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PAIN RELIEF

METACAM is a type of medication known as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is used to treat the pain and inflammation associated with feline arthritis. Your veterinarian has chosen METACAM for your cat for a number of very important reasons:

It is a proven and trusted medication—it has been used effectively for over 25 years
It is precise—the dosing your cat needs is accurately determined by their weight
It is flexible—the liquid formulation means that your cat can be given exactly the dose they need

Your veterinarian may recommend giving your cat the Lowest Effective Dose - this is the lowest dose that effectively controls your cat’s pain and inflammation. This may vary over time and your veterinarian will write the dosing schedule for your cat in the Home Monitoring Diary.

2 - DIET

Cats that become less mobile as a result of their arthritis can easily become overweight. The excess weight they carry contributes to the ‘vicious cycle’ of arthritis by increasing inflammation and causing increased loading through the joints.

Your cat’s veterinary team will advise you about which food, and how much, is best for your arthritic cat. The diet should be high in protein to maintain muscle mass, which supports the joints, but low in energy to help maintain a healthy weight. Weighing each meal will help to ensure you don’t give your cat too much or too little.

Maintaining a healthy weight can help slow the progression of arthritis and will help to improve your cat’s quality of life.

3 - EXERCISE AND REHABILITATION

Keeping your cat active and exercising is an integral part of managing their arthritis.

Physical rehabilitation has the ability to restore strength and function, and reduce pain. Your veterinary team may provide you with some basic exercises to carry out with your cat at home to improve their lean muscle mass and increase their joint flexibility.

Your cat may initially be suspicious of these exercises but with patience, practice and the support of your veterinary team they will become part of your cat’s routine. Alternatively, your veterinarian may suggest referral for more specialised rehabilitation.

4 - ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATION

As your cat’s arthritis progresses, they may struggle to do some of the things they used to manage. Simple activities like jumping up onto furniture may become difficult. Use the following suggestions as examples of how you can adapt your home to make your cat’s home life more comfortable:

Position steps next to their favourite spot to help them access it more easily
Make sure their beds are easy to access with at least one at ground level
Use a litter tray with low sides for easy access

5 - MONITORING

Daily monitoring is essential to the success of your cat’s integrated care plan and to the successful management of their arthritis.

By monitoring your cat’s progress, you will help your cat’s veterinary team assess how your cat is responding to their care plan.

As arthritis is a dynamic condition, your cat’s medication and lifestyle needs can increase or decrease. Daily monitoring allows changes to be made to your cat’s integrated care plan as soon as they are needed.

DOWNLOAD MONITORING DIARY