Degenerative joint disease is one of the most common ailments among senior cats. In many cases, joint diseases are unavoidable because they’re part of the natural aging process. Even cats who spend years living a healthy, active lifestyle can develop arthritis or other degenerative diseases.

Some pet parents have a hard time motivating their four-legged friends to workout. For others, it’s the complete opposite! Plenty of breeds jump at the opportunity to embark on long treks and swim in the ocean. But with intense exercise comes the risk of injury, which can put a premature end to all the fun.

Most people don’t know what a torn ACL is until they’ve experienced one. The injury is mostly associated with professional athletes who play football, basketball and soccer. You might be surprised to learn your pup can sustain an ACL injury, too. In fact, torn ACLs comprise most of all orthopedic injuries in dogs.

When pet parents see their pups hobbling around, they often believe arthritis is to blame. What many don’t know is that joint pain is associated with a slew of other canine diseases, most notably Lyme disease.

Just like humans, our furry companions often experience mobility issues later in life. Many pets develop arthritis, which makes it painful to navigate stairs and furniture. All of a sudden, owners might notice their senior pet bumping into the coffee table or tripping over objects left on the floor. Stiff joints, visual impairments and other disabilities are all normal parts of the aging process.

Lots of yoga poses are named after animals—like cobra pose, swan pose and the ever-famous downward dog. Yogis have gotten so used to performing downward dog on their own that they’ve nearly forgotten who it’s named after! As it turns out, your furry friend is the perfect companion for a hot new trend called “doga.”

Young kitties are capable of some impressive feats. They clear vast expanses with a single leap, nimbly navigating your living room like the jungle cat that they are. But that was years ago—now your fur baby is all grown up and takes things a bit slow. If your cat is avoiding their usual perches, arthritis could be to blame.

For years, pet owners and vets failed to see the signs of arthritis in cats. One common misconception about our feline friends is that if they don’t display overt signs of pain, they must be fine. The truth is that cats are as much at risk for developing arthritis as dogs—they just have different ways of showing it.

Arthritis is an unfortunate reality for many pets. Once they hit a certain age, pets are more likely to stiffen up and slow down as their joints become inflamed and painful. While there are a number of pet arthritis treatments that relieve swelling and pain through medication, there are even more non-traditional methods that can round out your pet’s management plan.