(AD) I am a cat person. I like dogs in small doses, but my home life never really feels the same without a cat. There have only ever been short periods in my life when I didn’t live with a cat. I love that they are independent, but still want the occasional bit of attention and cuddles, even if they like to show that through coming to sit on my keyboard as I type! I think they are my spirit animal, and just like me, cats don’t like to show weakness. When they are hurting they are more likely to hide away and (literally) lick their wounds than let us as owners know they are suffering.
Mittens took part in a 30 day booster programme with Antinol |
Joint Pain in Cats
As cats get older, just like humans, their joints can start to feel stiff. By the age of 12, 90% of cats are thought to have arthritis and it’s not uncommon for them to get it from just a few years old. In the early days of joint stiffness it can be easily missed, but of course as owners we want to spot issues before they are causing real pain. This is why I was interested to work with Vetz Petz and trying a 30 day Booster Programme of Antinol®.
Antinol® is a natural product made from sustainably sourced Green Lipped Muscles. It contains over 90 fatty acids and high levels of EPA and DHA. The patented formula containing PCSO-524 is unlike other products on the market. The concentrated formula supports the natural anti-inflammatory action of a pet’s metabolism, helping to keep joints healthy and to maintain mobility. It supports cat’s joint health & mobility to help keep them active and playful.
Mittens is 5 years old and had been showing a reluctance to jump up |
The Antinol® 30 Day Booster Programme
We have just completed the 30 day booster programme of Antinol® to see if the capsules helped Mittens. The dose will depend on the cat’s weight and symptoms, but for the first two weeks you should give your cat a double dose which for us was two capsules a day. The double dose is called a loading dose and basically helps to quickly get the fatty acid levels up to where they need to be for an anti-inflammatory benefit. After this we gave one capsule a day.
The capsules can be given to cats whole or they can be pierced and squeezed onto food. When Mittens was younger we struggled to give her tablets so I started off by trying to add it to her wet cat food. Despite the cat food being fish based and Antinol® smelling strongly of fish Mittens refused to eat it. This surprised me and I’m sure other cats would go mad for it, Mittens however is a fussy eater and seems to enjoy being difficult.
After trying it in her food a few times and it being rejected I decided I would need to give it to her as a tablet. Luckily Mittens has chilled out a bit as she has got older and this wasn’t too difficult. One challenge over and we just had to remember to give her Antinol® every day for the next 4 weeks. We mostly managed to remember.
The Difference
I have noticed for a while that Mittens had become more reluctant to jump up on surfaces. She has been avoiding going through her cat flap which requires her to jump on to a windowsill, and has been asking to be let in through the back door instead. It’s just little things, but it was a concern to me. Mittens is only 5, the average life span of a domestic cat is around 14 years old, so she isn’t old yet and I don’t want her to be slowing down.
Earlier this year we took her to the vets because Mittens had some cuts on her tummy. Unlike the bite marks she has had in the past from fights with other cats in the neighbourhood these seemed to be from getting caught on something, like she misjudged a jump. The vet gave us some painkillers and antibiotics and the cuts healed fine, but we were also warned about Mitten's increasing weight. Since then we have been measuring her food levels more and we think she is gradually getting back to a more healthy cat weight (although as she didn’t look big to me in the first place I’m not the best person to judge). I'm sure being a healthier weight is helping her mobility, but I still noticed a reluctance to jump etc.
Over the last week or so, after several weeks of giving Mittens Antinol®, I have noticed that I am having to remove her from the kitchen table more. She is still choosing to sleep in any cardboard box or basket of clean clothes I might accidentally leave on the floor for more than a few minutes, but she is sleeping more on higher surfaces too. We have also caught her kicking toys around the living room and under the sofas more so it definitely feels like she is a happier cat than she was.
Mittens may be moving more easily, but she still loves to sleep all the places she shouldn't |
Does your cat (or dog) have the start of mobility problems?
Currently you can get a (affiliate link) free 30 day sample of Antinol® to try with your pet. If you think your cat or dog might benefit from it then complete the screening survey and find out what it recommends. It asks a few basic questions to assess if they would benefit from the capsule and encourages you to think about if they are more reluctant to jump up on surfaces, if they like to be handled less than they did and if they aren’t grooming as well. I think it is definitely worth a try to see if there is an improvement in your pet's mobility.
***Disclosure: This is a paid post in partnership with VetzPetz and Antinol®. I received the 30 day pack and completed the booster programme with Mittens so I could share with you how we got on.***
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