poor old cat

[hbean]

Hello, I wonder if you can help..
I have a fairly old and fairly decrepit cat who, the vet tells me, is suffering with arthritis in his back legs. Apparently he is not in any huge amount of pain and he just about manages but his limbs are very stiff and his movements laboured. I wonder if perhaps clay might help to ease his discomfort in some way?
Anything you can tell me on this subject would be of great help, thanks very much.

[admin]

Dear hbean,

the most comprehensive answer is published in Our Earth Our Cure by Raymond Dextreit and Michael Abehsera:

They have said that 'injured cats' prefer ontop of a soft blanket in a bed filled with powdered clay. You'd use the rhassoul clay for this. Also they suggested administering edible clay in any of the following ways. In the drinking water using a ration of 1/4 soup spoon per liter of unboiled water, or mix a little in with the food, or dust the edible clay into the cats coat so that the cat can lick it. [1993, 196] I would be certain to try the last method on the joints which the cat can easily reach.

I would only recommend the ultra-ventillated clay French clay, as other clays contain micas which can harm the digestive tracts. Also try to feed the cat either some fish oil, or up to a tablespoon of argan oil (the edible kind, not the cosmetic which is more expensive). The edible kind has been shown to be very beneficial for humans with joint problems. Since I have given it to my cat who is middle aged she has become more lively. She demands the oil every day.

If you are going to make up clay water for the cat, allow the clay to stand in the water for 4 hours to hydrate, use good quality water - rather than making up a liter at a time, work out how much water your cat drinks and scale the amount of powder and water down accordingly.

It is well known that clay helps rheumatic and arthritic conditions in humans, and Marie-France Muller, author of L'argile facile says that animals respond to clay therapy in the same ways as humans - of course modifying the doses and methods of application. [1998, 84] A poultice or mud bath would be great for a human with joint problems - but I think most cats would draw the line at this!

I can't claim to have any personal experience of using clay to specifically help cats with joint problems, but I would think that you would see improvements within 3 months. Please let me know how it goes!