Treating cats
01 Mar 2015
Hi Laurie,
One of the vet techs at the clinic I work out of wants me to look at her cat. She said he has an odd posture and always has, kind of like he is kyphotic. She has had x-rays of his back before and they were clear. She said her cat is good and there was no pressure to check him out.
Just wondering if you have any pointers for treating a cat!?!? Or anything different I should know.
Thanks,
C.R.
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Hey C.R.,
Cats are indeed interesting. I have always found a lot of spine / back problems with cats... so I'd start looking there.
Cats do not have bite or scratch inhibition... so you have to start off a bit gentler and really watch for signs of pain... and believe them when you find them... instead of testing 2 or 3 times. If a cat gets a bit cranky, I have found that treating them while they're in a 'cave' helps a bit (maybe a box, a crate, under a towel...). If you have upset the cat but you still need to do something aggressive (i.e. manip the pelvis)... then wrap the front end up in a towel...and maybe put boots on the back feet. But if you can, stay gentle with them… it may take longer… but your flesh will thank you!!
They do very well with craniosacral & laser!!! Myofascial release techniques could also be a good option here.
Exercises can be tricky… but if they are food motivated, you can get them to do a few things… otherwise, you are out of luck or have to be very creative about ways to ‘trick them’ into doing things. (i.e. maybe reaching / stretching up, or vice versa, stretching down). We’ve all seen the videos of cats in the UWT… so that could be an option as well.
Good luck!
Laurie
PS Want to learn craniosacral therapy? Check our my upcoming courses in craniosacral for ACPAT in March and in New Jersey for the STAAR Conference in April.
