Why Glucosamine and Chondroitin Don’t Help Cats with Arthritis - And What Does

You’ve probably seen joint supplements for pets with glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate.

They’re everywhere, but here’s the catch: studies show that they don’t work for cats.

There’s no solid evidence that glucosamine or chondroitin improve arthritis symptoms in

cats. Studies comparing glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate with meloxicam haven’t

shown meaningful benefits, and most feline joint products contain these and just borrow

canine or human formulas. But cats aren’t small dogs, their metabolism is completely

different, and they process these compounds differently.

Feline arthritis is also tricky. It’s often associated with chronic pain and nerve changes.

Cats rarely limp (unlike dogs and people) - instead, they might stop jumping, avoid stairs, hide, avoid the litter tray, or groom less. That makes treatments aimed only at cartilage repair (like glucosamine/ chondroitin) unlikely to help.

So, what does work?

Based on published clinical trials in cats, and what I’ve seen work for my patients, the following are known to be beneficial:

✅ Type II Undenatured Collagen (UC-II) has strong evidence. It works differently, helping

to retrain the immune system to stop attacking a cat’s joint cartilage, reducing

inflammation at the source. Early feline data show improved mobility and reduced discomfort

✅ Glycine is also beneficial. This amino acid supports connective tissue and may help

reduce joint pain and stiffness

✅ Chicken sternum derived collagen peptides Unlike bulky molecules like chondroitin,

collagen peptides are easily absorbed and match a cat’s obligate carnivore biology

✅ Green lipped mussel This is a sustainable source of anti-inflammatory Omega 3s, and is

delicious to boot

The bottom line?

For cats … skip the glucosamine/chondroitin-based products and skip rebranded dog

supplements.

Also, make sure any supplement you give your cat is cat-vet-formulated and

has effective ingredient levels.

There are evidence-based ingredients that are perfect for cats and based in science!

Find out more about cat-specific clinically proven joint supplements - click here

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