Acupuncture can help your aging kitty

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Her cat, Angel, was a beautiful, long-haired white cat that was 15 years old. The cat look pretty good for her age, but she had a slight limp in her right rear leg.

The cat was timid, would run away, yet mellow and not easily excited. The cat liked to be petted and sometimes had problems with loss of appetite.



The cat was slightly overweight. The cat seemed to have some weakness in the rear legs and was stiff in the mornings. After lying on hard surfaces the legs seemed weak. The cat was fed commercial prescription dry food.

On TCVM examination, the cat had a great Shen or mental attitude. The cat was relatively calm on the exam table. Her tongue, lips and gums were red and dry and her pulses were fast but deep on the right side. Her ears were hot, her nose was dry and her eyes were slightly red.

The owner reported the cat would sit on stools with cushions and the limping was worse when the cat laid on the hard, cold floors.

Angel had characteristics of several constitutions, but the predominant traits were of an Earth Constitution. The age of the animal indicated a deficiency problem instead of an excess problem. The redness of the tongue, lips, gums and eyes along with the hot ears indicated either excess heat or false heat.

False heat or Yin deficiency occurs when the cooling aspect of the body is not functioning properly i.e. the air conditioner is broken.

The dryness of the gums, tongue and nose indicated a loss of body fluids which also supported Yin deficiency. The stiffness indicated Qi stagnation where energy was not flowing like it should and this can also cause pain.

The deep pulse on the right side indicated some Qi deficiency. Obesity is caused by Spleen Qi deficiency. Rear weakness is associated with the Kidney element. Angel was diagnosed with Kidney Yin Deficiency, local Qi Stagnation and Spleen Qi deficiency.

Dry needle acupuncture was used and needles were placed to tonify Qi, relieve Qi stagnation, move phlegm (fat) and release Heat. Food therapy consisting of feeding high-quality meat based canned food was recommended to tonify Yin and replenish fluids. Cats are obligate carnivores and canned food is much better for your cat.

Angel returned three weeks later. The owner reported the cat was no longer limping and was very spry. Angel was jumping off the bed, which she had not been doing before, going outside, was talking more and had a louder voice.

She had adjusted well to eating only canned food. The owner reported an 80-95 percent improvement since the first visit.

This case was very rewarding, because I don't think the owner or I realized how much Qi stagnation Angel really had. Too bad cats can't talk human . . . . I guess we will have to learn cat talk.

Dr. Connie Clemons-Chevis, who practices TCVM on the Coast at Alternative Medicine for Pets in Bay St. Louis and Gulfport, can be reached and appointments scheduled by calling 671-6210.

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