Cat arthritis?

[BWatchWatcher]

My lovely 9 year old cat has started taking the long way around into the house rather than leaping over fences and gets very annoyed if you stroke right to the base of his tail.
Could he have feline arthritis? He is otherwise in good shape, he has put some weight on, but fights a lot (he is neutered just angry).
Thanks!

He may have just hurt his tail in some way. 9 seems a bit young for arthritis. My cat had a bite on the base of his tail which was incredibly painful for him. I would pop him to the vet as he's obviously uncomfortable. They will give him something to make him more comfortable I am sure.

Or look at his diet. We are looking after 3 strays, and one was limping badly (he wasn't injured) so we stopped giving him the wheat based cat dried and tinned food , he got better quickly , we tried again just to check it wasn't a coincidence and he limped again, then stopped on the wheat free diet So it works.

They all thrive on it with some raw too.

Meant to come back.
Poor cat was diagnosed with arthritis. He is now on Metacam for the pain and while there is some improvement he is still not very happy.
What is a wheat free diet?

Ask your vet about Nutraquin - that may help.... Our cat has spinal / vertebrae problems and so had a short dose of metacam but is prescribed Nutraquin for the autumn/winter months. Getting him to eat his food with the stuff mixed into it is another matter, but it has made a difference to his agility.

That's good. At least you know now. He should feel better very soon.

Two of my cats are on loxicom painkiller for their arthritis. The vet told me that you should assume that all cats have some kind of arthritic pain over the age of 5, when they live in a colder climate.