Category Archives: General Feline Health

Taken in part from Martin Zucker’s book The Veterinarians’ Guide To Natural Remedies For Cats.

How to tell if your cat could benefit from chiropractic  treatment

• If you encounter sensitivity when you stroke him or he seems untypically lackluster and low in vitality
• The head is cocked to one side
• He is reluctant or unable to raise the head or flex the neck without crying
• There is sudden behavioral change, particularly after teeth cleaning or other procedures
• There is shaking of the head or scratching of the face or ear, particularly on one side
• The mouth is sore when you try to open it
• The cat seems distressed or acts depressed.
• The cat walks almost on tiptoes
• If  he cries out when you lift him with your hands under the chest
• The cat walks with humped back
• She cries when she sits
• The cat sits off to one side

If you are sensitive to your cat you can see pain by looking in his eyes.

To find a veterinary chiropractor contact the American Veterinary Chiropratic Association (309-658-2920, or, The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (410-569-0795)

In recent years chiropracty has been found to be an effective treatment for cats when traditional methods were not or where no cause could be found for obvious symptoms of pain, discomfort and general dis-ease. Chiropractic treatments are aimed at relieving misalignments causing stress and restricting energy and blood flow to affected areas.

Skeleton of a Cat

Such misalignments can occur from injury, chronic disease, malnutrition, toxicity and from general wear and tear, Martin Zucker tells us in his book The Veterinarians’ Guide To Natural Remedies For Cats.

Most commonly, he says, chiropractic treatments are used to treat musculoskeletal problems stemming from arthritis and injury. In addition, older cats often develop stiff joints and spine problems as a result of their natural activities which over the years take their toll and chiropractic treatments can be helpful in relieving their pain.

Zucker goes on to say that many behavioral problems which do not respond to other treatments can be resolved with chiropracty by treating misalignments in the neck, and even of the skull bones.

“Roger DeHaan, DMV has found such misalignments in more than a third of the chronic behavioral cases he treats. “There is a jamming or pinching of the cranial plates, which can lead to headaches, irritability, hyperactivity or depression,” he says.” Sometimes one treatment can resolve an issue no other kind of treatment could.”

Coming soon – how to tell if your cat can benefit from chiropractic treatment.