Cats are famously good at hiding joint discomfort, so arthritis in a cat seldom announces itself with a dramatic limp. Instead the signs appear as small retreats from an old routine: a favourite high perch abandoned, a jump broken into two stages, a cat who once groomed her whole back now leaving the rear half dull. Reading those retreats as information, rather than as stubbornness or laziness, is how owners spot joint trouble early.
Jumping and climbing changes come first
Watch how your cat handles height. A cat with sore joints may pause and look up before attempting a jump she once made without thinking, use a chair or footstool as an intermediate step, or stop jumping altogether and wait to be lifted. Landing can change too, with a scrabble or a thud instead of a clean arrival. Favourite sleeping places often move downward, from the top of a wardrobe to a cushion on the floor, and a cat flap or a set of stairs may start to be avoided. These shifts are gradual, so comparing current habits with how the same cat moved a few months earlier is more useful than judging a single day.
Grooming, litter tray and mood clues
Stiff joints make twisting hard, so grooming often becomes patchy: the head and shoulders stay tidy while the lower back and hindquarters look scruffy or develop mats. Long claws can be another clue, because a cat scratching and stretching less wears them down less. Litter tray trouble is frequently misread as behaviour, yet a high-sided box can simply hurt to step into, leaving puddles or deposits just beside the tray instead of inside it. Some cats become grumpier when picked up, handled around the hips or stroked along the back, and a normally social cat may withdraw to quiet corners. Slower movement and extra stiffness in the first minutes after waking or napping, easing once the cat is moving, fits the same picture.
Simple home adjustments that help you observe
A low-entry litter tray, a step up to a favourite sofa and food and water placed without a climb all make daily life easier while you assess what is going on, and they also reveal information. If tray accidents stop the moment the entry is lowered, access was likely part of the problem. Keep sleeping spots warm and draught-free, and avoid encouraging big jumps for treats or toys. Note which specific movements look difficult: rising, turning in the tray, reaching the back end to groom, or jumping down rather than up. That level of detail is far more helpful to a vet than a general report that a cat seems stiff, and it guides what to examine first.
When joint changes need a veterinary visit
Book a vet if mobility keeps declining, if your cat stops using a tray, grooms much less, hides away or reacts when touched around the joints. Sudden inability to jump, dragging a leg, crying out when moving or refusing food needs a prompt appointment, because not every mobility change is arthritis and some causes need faster attention. A vet can assess gait and joint flexibility, discuss pain relief options that are safe for cats, and rule out injury or other illness. Recording the timeline of lost jumps and tray changes in your KinsLe Pet Passport keeps that mobility history ready to hand over at the appointment.