Feline Osteoarthritis (DJD/OA): 6-Question Home Checklist + 2022 Solensia Treatment

Degenerative Joint Disease, DJD, OA — All the Same Condition

Cat joint problems are referred to by multiple names in the literature and clinic, which often confuses owners. They all describe the same disease process:

• Degenerative arthritis — everyday lay term
• Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) — older veterinary literature
• Osteoarthritis (OA) — more common in 2025 international veterinary writing

All three describe the same progression: cartilage degeneration + osteophyte formation + chronic joint inflammation. This article uses DJD and OA interchangeably; if owners search for "degenerative arthritis," "bone spurs," or "joint degeneration," they all fall under this category.

How Common Is Feline Osteoarthritis?

DJD/OA in cats is far more prevalent than previously recognized. Multiple studies across different years and regions agree:

• Cats aged 12 and over: ≥ 90% have degenerative changes in at least one joint(Hardie et al., 2002).
• Cats aged 6 and over: ~61% already show radiographic DJD changes(Lascelles et al., 2010).
• The 2020 retrospective radiographic study in Frontiers in Veterinary Science(Kimura et al.) found 74.26% of cats had appendicular DJD and approximately 41% had spinal degeneration (lumbosacral most common). Among appendicular joints, the elbow was most commonly affected.
• Age was the only significantly associated variable — each 1-year age increase added approximately 13.6% to the total DJD score.

The 2025 review in Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery(Lefort-Holguin et al., 2025) confirms DJD/OA as "one of the most common yet most overlooked sources of chronic pain in cats." Owners frequently attribute the signs to "getting old" or "personality changes," missing the window for early intervention.

Why Is Feline Arthritis Often Overlooked?

According to the AAFP and ISFM joint statement (2022), feline arthritis is severely underdiagnosed for the following reasons:

• Cats Are Masters at Hiding Pain: As solitary predators, cats instinctively conceal signs of weakness
• Subtle Symptom Presentation: Unlike dogs, which show obvious limping, cats more often exhibit behavioral changes
• Owner Misinterpretation: Decreased activity is often attributed to "getting old" or "personality changes"
• Difficult Clinical Examination: Cats easily become stressed at the clinic, making it difficult to accurately assess joint pain through palpation
• X-ray Findings Don't Always Correlate with Clinical Signs: The severity of radiographic changes does not necessarily reflect the degree of pain

Signs of Arthritis

At-Home Screening SOP: The Validated 6-Question Checklist

A 2025 study published in JFMS (Gober, 2025, PMC12535645) developed and validated a short owner-administered checklist for screening DJD, with 97% specificity for DJD — meaning a "yes" on any item is highly likely to indicate true DJD. Owners can use it at home. If your cat has difficulty or noticeable decline in any of the following 6 activities, schedule a vet evaluation:

1. Climbing UP stairs
2. Climbing DOWN stairs (often harder than going up)
3. Chasing toys or moving objects
4. Jumping UP onto furniture/windowsills/bed (or needing to break the jump into stages)
5. Jumping DOWN from height (hesitation, climbing down instead of jumping)
6. Running (becoming sluggish, shorter stride, or no longer running)

Beyond the core 6, also observe: personality and social changes, urination/defecation habit changes, and increased hiding.

DJD prevalence by age (per study population):

• < 6 years: ~9%
• 6–12 years: ~38%
• > 12 years: ~71%

The authors recommend "screening all cats in clinical practice" — not only senior cats. If your cat is over 6, run this 6-item self-assessment at least annually.

Diagnosis

According to AAFP guidelines, DJD diagnosis in cats should incorporate a multi-faceted assessment:

1. Owner Questionnaire: Using validated pain assessment tools such as the Feline Musculoskeletal Pain Index (FMPI)
2. Orthopedic Examination: Gently evaluating joint range of motion, swelling, and pain responses
3. Imaging: X-rays can reveal osteophyte (bone spur) formation and joint space narrowing
4. Ruling Out Other Conditions: Hyperthyroidism, diabetic neuropathy, and other conditions can also cause decreased mobility

Pain Management (Including Latest Drug Options)

Solensia (frunevetmab) — FDA Approved in 2022

The U.S. FDA approved Solensia (frunevetmab) on January 13, 2022, making it the first-ever monoclonal antibody approved by FDA for any animal species. Solensia targets nerve growth factor (NGF), a key driver of chronic pain, via a monthly subcutaneous injection that blocks pain signal transmission.

Two important Gruen 2021 clinical studies on Solensia, which should be read separately:

• Pivotal Field Trial (Gruen et al., 2021, JVIM): approximately 77% of cats in the frunevetmab group met the primary efficacy endpointversus ~37% in placebo (statistically significant).
• Pilot Field Study (Gruen et al., 2021, Frontiers in Vet Sci, PMC8195238): 126 cats over 56 days. At Day 56, the treatment group reached 80.3% treatment success (CSOM reduction ≥ 2) vs 44.7% for placebo (P = 0.0033).
• Solensia has much lower kidney and liver burden than NSAIDs, making it a preferred option for senior cats with concurrent kidney or heart disease.

Notable adverse events: per the pilot study, the treatment group experienced dermatitis/eczema in approximately 14–24% of cases (versus only 2.4% in placebo), making it the primary non-serious adverse event. Other common events: vomiting, injection-site reactions.

Other Pharmacologic Options

• Meloxicam: one of the few NSAIDs licensed for chronic use in cats (EU label has allowed long-term use since 2007; in the US, only the injectable form is FDA-approved — oral use is off-label). Low-dose long-term use requires close kidney monitoring. The 2024 ISFM/AAFP consensus guidelines on long-term NSAID use in cats recommend a complete workup (blood pressure, blood biochemistry, urinalysis) before starting and regular monitoring during therapy.
• Robenacoxib (Onsior): Approved for acute use (up to 6 days).
• Gabapentin: Can supplement chronic pain management, especially neuropathic components.
• Buprenorphine: Used for short-term relief during acute pain flares.

Environmental Modifications

According to AAFP/ISFM recommendations, environmental modifications are an essential component of arthritis management:

• Litter Box: Use a large litter box with low entry sides for easy access
• Steps/Ramps: Place steps or ramps beside sofas, beds, and window sills
• Food Bowl Placement: Raise food and water bowls to an appropriate height to reduce neck bending
• Warm, Soft Resting Areas: Provide heated pads or memory foam beds
• Multi-Level Resource Distribution: Ensure food, water, and litter boxes are available on the same floor

Supplements and Complementary Therapies

According to WSAVA nutrition guidelines, supplements should be considered complementary and cannot replace proper pain management. Weight control is equally important — maintaining an ideal body condition significantly reduces joint stress.

References

1. Lefort-Holguin, M. et al. (2025). Osteoarthritis in cats: what we know, and mostly, what we don't know... yet. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. SAGE Journals
2. Gober, M. (2025). Implementation of a prospective in-clinic validated Feline Osteoarthritis Checklist. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 27(10). PMC12535645
3. Kimura, T., Kimura, S., Okada, J., Suzuki, S., & Kitanaka, T. (2020). Retrospective Radiographic Study of Degenerative Joint Disease in Cats: Prevalence Based on Orthogonal Radiographs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 7, 138. PMC7141235
4. Gruen, M.E. et al. (2021). Frunevetmab, a felinized anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of pain from osteoarthritis in cats — pivotal field trial. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Wiley
5. Gruen, M.E. et al. (2021). Efficacy and Safety of an Anti-nerve Growth Factor Antibody (Frunevetmab) — multisite pilot field study (126 cats, 56 days). Frontiers in Veterinary Science. PMC8195238
6. Taylor, S. et al. (2024). 2024 ISFM and AAFP consensus guidelines on the long-term use of NSAIDs in cats. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. SAGE Journals
7. U.S. FDA (2022). Solensia (frunevetmab) approval announcement, January 13, 2022. Zoetis press release
8. Hardie, E.M. et al. (2002). Radiographic evidence of degenerative joint disease in geriatric cats. JAVMA, 220(5), 628-632.
9. Lascelles, B.D.X. et al. (2010). DJD-associated pain in cats. JFMS, 12(3), 200-212.
10. Steagall, P.V. et al. (2022). 2022 ISFM Consensus Guidelines on the Management of Acute Pain in Cats. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 24(1), 4-30. PMC10845386
11. WSAVA. (2020). Global Nutrition Guidelines for Dogs and Cats.