Dear Sinéad, Siouxsie and Thomas:
I am e-mailing you because I have a cat who is nine months old and it has been apparent for the last few months that he is going to be bowlegged in the back legs. He seems totally healthy -- he runs, jumps, chases and plays well with the other cats. I have rubbed his back and tugged lightly on his back legs and he never shows any signs that it is hurting him, but when he walks it looks like his back is arched, I don't know if this should be of any concern sense it doesn't seem to hurt him. I am concerned though, mostly because of the arch in his back, I don't know what the long term effects it will be on the spinal cord. If you could give me any advice I would appreciate it greatly. Have a great day.

A Concerned Parent,
Nikki

Sinéad: There are a number of reasons why cats could develop bone deformities, Nikki. We don't know about your kitty's history, but if he was adopted from an animal shelter or rescued from stray-cat-hood, it's very possible that he got inadequate nutrition when he was a small kitten.

Siouxsie: Also, if his mother didn't eat well when she was pregnant with him and his littermates, this could affect his bone development, too.

Thomas: Cats can suffer from vitamin deficiency diseases, just like humans. When humans don't get enough Vitamin D in their diet, for example, they can develop rickets. Rickets causes bone deformities such as bowleggedness, because without enough Vitamin D, the leg bones aren't strong enough to support body's weight and bow under the strain.

Sinéad: While some vitamin deficiency diseases are reversible in the early stages of the disease, after a certain stage in the disease process, some of these conditions cannot be cured or relieved. For example, taurine is a mineral vital to cats' health. We can't manufacture our own taurine like humans can, so we need to get it from the food we eat. If we don't get enough taurine, we can go blind or develop heart problems. If the taurine deficiency is reversed early, we can generally recover, but once a cat goes blind from lack of taurine, it will be blind for the rest of its life.

Siouxsie: We believe -- although we don't know for sure -- that deficiency-caused bone deformities are very difficult to cure in cats. If a human child developed rickets and became bowlegged, human doctors might perform surgery and use bracing to try to correct the deformity. However, we don't think such treatments are available for cats.

Thomas: Even if they were, they would probably be far too expensive for most humans to afford.

Sinéad: But the good news is that your kitty shouldn't have any major long-term damage as a result of being bowlegged. He may develop arthritis as he ages, since his joints will be strained more than usual due to the bone deformity, so be on the lookout for signs of pain and discomfort so you and your vet can treat them and give him a good quality of life.

Siouxsie: Cats can develop bone deformities like hip dysplasia (in which the hip joints don't fit properly into the sockets, which can cause pain and trouble with walking in more advanced disease), and perhaps even scoliosis (a side-to-side curvature of the spine).

Thomas: There is something else you should know. Cats sometimes arch their backs because they're in pain and they're trying to protect a part that hurts. If a cat is in chronic pain, he might simply gets used to walking around with his back arched. Even after the pain stops, the arching could continue.

Sinéad: That's right. One day when I was much younger and more foolish, I was chasing my neighbor cat through an open window, and I knocked a stick that was holding the window up, and the great, big window landed right on my shoulders. I ran right through without stopping, but my shoulders were pretty sore for a while, and I walked with a bit of an arch in my back to keep the hurt away.

Siouxsie: Mama's neighbor didn't tell Mama what had happened for a few days, and when Mama found out, she was mad that she hadn't been told right away. But Mama felt around to make sure there weren't any broken bones and gave her some Arnica to help with the hurt and bruising.

Sinéad: Mama told Doctor Sarah, my vet, about it too, and Doctor Sarah checked me out and said I was just fine. It was just a bruise, but boy it sure hurt!

Thomas: So the moral of the story is that your kitty may have gotten in an accident at some point, and he may still be hurting from it.

Sinéad: Regarding your concerns about your cat's spinal cord: We don't think his arched back will put undue pressure on the cord itself. However, it is possible that the nerves that go from the cord and out between the cat's vertebrae to the rest of his body could be put under pressure due to misaligned vertebrae.

Siouxsie: If you've ever had a "pinched nerve" yourself or suffered from sciatica, you know how much pain and discomfort nerve pressure can cause. But again, if every spinal curvature or misalignment caused severe pain, we think every human in America would be limping and miserable!

Thomas: That's right. These type of nerve problems effect you humans much more than they do us cats. Because you walk on two legs instead of four, and the entire pressure of gravity goes down your spinal column, you primates tend to suffer a lot more back pain than four-leggeds like cats and dogs.

Sinéad: We recommend that you talk to your vet about your concerns. Your vet will be able to either reassure you that everything is normal or tell you what's going on and what the long-term consequences may be for your kitty's health.

Siouxsie: From your description, we couldn't even begin to tell you why your kitty might be bowlegged and arch-backed. But your vet will be able to make a diagnosis, and maybe even refer you to a veterinary chiropractor if that is necessary.

Thomas: Believe it or not, there are veterinary chiropractors! And they do help animals that are suffering from misalignments of the spine.

Sinéad: Another thing your vet can do is check your cat for arthritis and help you find vitamin supplements that will strengthen his joints. Glucosamine and chondroitin has been given to arthritic dogs for a long time and has certainly done many of those dogs a world of good. We're sure there are other "nutraceuticals" (vitamin and mineral supplements with proven medical benefits) that can help your kitty stay happy, active and pain-free for a long time.

Siouxsie: Good luck, Nikki!

Got a question? Need some advice? E-mail us at advice@paws-and-effect.com. None of the material in this column is meant to be a substitute for regular veterinary care.