Is massage good for cats?

Question

I have an 16 year old cat that's fit and healthy other than arthiritus in her front legs, they are all twisted outwards and she doesn't walk too well...I read that massage might help...What do u think? It works for people so why can't it work for cats too?...I don't want to do more harm than good...

Answer 1

Yes it works, look up "T Touch" or "Tenterton Touch" its fantastic!

Answer 2

Both I and my 22 year old cat have severe arthritis. It's rough when you first get up in the morning and gets better as you move around. That's true of Cameo too. I have given and received many massages over the years and was trained to do Tragger massage. I haven't had one in years though.

So I would encourage the cat to move as much as possible. When Cameo gets up from her resting places she comes to the kitchen from my bedroom or outside and I give her a small amount of dry food for her efforts. Playing with a feather toy or cat dancer on a frequent basis will get some movement into her joints too.

Legs on a cat would be hard to massage and I think just the gentle stroking of her body, brushing and combing would make her feel good without specific training in how to deal with arthritic animal legs.

Answer 3

Massage does work for cats! However, a serious massage should be done by a professional who knows what he/she's doing. A person who has not been trained may end up hurting the cat more than it already was.

My mother and uncle are both LMTs and while my mother only practices on humans, my uncle massages both humans and animals. So I know it's done and that it works. You may want to do a search and see if you can find a massage therapist in your area that massages cats.

Answer 4

I have a 17 year old cat that is moving slower but still attacks and plays like a kitten.

Recently she has taken to being petted more which results in shoulder and back massaging.

No vet told me to do this but she stands up and lays down with less effort.

Also, she really likes hot surfaces.

There is a cat heat pad available (not electric) at pet stores or Walmart that traps heat and makes Ginger feel better.

Answer 5

I have arthritis for years and I'm only 14 years old, but I never massage them. I either just let the pain pass away or I soak my skin in hot water. Don't give too much special treatment to cats.

Answer 6

Gentle stroking on the affected area is probably all you need to do and will probably be appreciated. No more than that in case you cause her pain. If my house is a bit cold, my cats love the heat pads you stick in the microwave for 5 minutes. The heat lasts for about 12 hours, so it's good for overnight use. It may help to relieve your cats stiffness.

Answer 7

i have a cat named fritz hes a 17 year old male Manx with bad hips i started using a small hand ma sager he didn't like it a first but he began to like it after a few days i noticed he was walking a lot better and even started to play with the other cats you do have to be car full the doctor told me to ma sage kind of like rubbing a chicken breast good luck fellow cat lover

Answer 8

i think you should try it. it helps people and many other animals. what harm could it do? i have a six yr old cat and she loves it when i massage her around her sholders and stuff. you should try it for a while, if it works, keep it up. but if it still gets worse, you should probably take her to an animal clinic for an expert opinion and mabe some medicine. they have medicine to help with artheritis. just try it.

Answer 9

i massage my two dogs who are 1 and 2 and a half for an hour everyday as it does help they have no health issues at all but it all helps in the longrun when they get older.

Answer 10

if you learn about where to focus your touch on and gradually build up to it to not freak her out I don't see how it can do any harm.. and just to confirm what everyone else said I have also heard that it benefits them