What? Cats can have acupuncture? Yes they can. Many cats are surprisingly receptive to acupuncture.

 

Special silicone coated needles (Serin needles) are useful for feline acupuncture. They are so fine and easy to insert that they are almost painless. These needles do fall out more easily than the regular acupuncture needles, but it is still possible to stimulate acupuncture points and see beneficial results in cats. Distraction from owners like scratching under the chin or yummy treats can help cats receive their treatments peacefully. If your cat is hard to find or catch, or if your cat does not like to be petted, they may not do well with house call acupuncture. If you have concerns about your cat tolerating house call acupuncture, you should call to discuss this before scheduling a visit.

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Some conditions that respond well to acupuncture in the cat include:

 

• Arthritis pain: cats who don’t jump up on things, move very slow, have trouble going up stairs

• Constipation: in some cats this is related to back pain

• Kidney Disease: cats with kidney disease often don’t eat well

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease: cats with chronic diarrhea and/or vomiting

• Immune Support: cats with feline leukemia or feline immunodeficiency virus can benefit from immune stimulation as well as cats undergoing chemotherapy

 

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