Snoopy and Bonnie live in New Jersey, together with Bonnie’s other cat. Snoopy loves to play with his friend, jump around the house and go on walks with Bonnie.
“He’s a purebred Siberian forest cat. They're very large cats, known as leapers. They have dog-like characteristics, so I walk him on a leash. He's very well-behaved!”
Unfortunately, Snoopy has recently been unwell, and although he is now much better, Bonnie began to notice he was becoming stiff during his illness.
“He had some bladder stones that blocked his urethra, and I had to take him to a vet hospital to have the stones removed. But he was lacking energy and was just really out of it. It turned out he also had some inflammation in his bowels. “
The veterinarian treated his bowels, and whilst he was on the medication, Bonnie noticed his mobility seemed better, but he became stiff again once he finished the course of treatment.
“He had some really bad mobility issues. He wasn't moving around anymore. He had a lack of energy. His personality was just blah.”
The vet recommended cold laser therapy, which is commonly used in dogs but less so in cats. Bonnie decided to give it a try, and it helped a little. But Snoopy was NOT impressed with visiting the vet three times a week.
“So my vet suggested to me that I try this product, Antinol®, and I'd never heard of it before. And I said, ‘Well, okay. If I don't have to take him to the vet every day, I'll try it.’ I didn't know what to expect. I was so devastated that he had these mobility issues that I thought, ‘Geez, I'll try anything.’ And I was pleasantly surprised.”
Siberian forest cats are big cats, and Snoopy weighs almost 16 pounds. So Bonnie and her vet decided to keep Snoopy on two soft gels a day beyond the initial 15 days.
“I began to notice his personality was different. He was licking me. He was starting to play with my other cat, which he had stopped doing. He was trying to climb his cat tree, which he had stopped doing. And all of a sudden, it was like I had a new cat. I was thrilled because I wanted to keep him healthy and keep him as long as I could.”
Bonnie had done her own research into Antinol® before she started giving it to Snoopy.
“I read about the manufacturing process being unique and coming from ‘The clear waters of New Zealand,’ as they say. It seemed to be a very natural process, and there was a lot of emphasis on quality control, which was important to me, as I take lots of supplements myself. I've always taken fish oil, which I liken to Antinol® for cats.”
“I saw an extremely noticeable difference with Antinol®. He had stopped jumping around at home, but he was back to bouncing from my table to the center counter. It’s a 27-inch jump. The first time I saw him do it, I closed my eyes, and I hoped he wouldn't miss.”
When it’s Antinol® time in Snoopy’s daily schedule, Bonnie and Snoopy have their own special routine.
“I had tried giving him some other supplements a couple of years ago, and I had difficulty because you had to sprinkle them on the food, or he just wouldn't take them. However, these are small enough that I just give it to him by mouth. We have a little routine, and I tell him, ‘Chin up, whiskers back, open up, here it comes.’”
Now, Snoopy is back to climbing his cat tree, chasing his friend around, and jumping on the furniture.
“At Christmas, I had bought some toys, and he actually was playing with them. Before Antinol®, he had stopped being interested in that kind of thing.”
And it’s not just changes to his mobility and zest for life that Bonnie noticed.
“Siberian forest cats are the only cat in the world with three layers of fur. And it is so silky now – it's just like velvet.”
Even Bonnie’s vet has noticed changes in Snoopy. She has seen improvements in his walking and how he places his paws.
“One unique thing about this crazy cat is that he doesn't lay on his side when he lays down. We call him the flounder cat because he lays on his stomach and spreads his hind legs behind him. It's the funniest thing! But he wouldn’t do that before Antinol®. I'm assuming that's because his hips bothered him so much that he couldn't get into that position.”
Snoopy and Bonnie are back to going on leash walks, and he is “getting the zoomies” again with his friend.
So, what would Bonnie say to other pet parents worried about their cat’s mobility?
“I would say that you have to give it time to work. It's not a quick fix. I think you have to wait for the body to adapt to it. But I would give them as much time as they need. I mean, you love them. They're like your children. So I think you need to give it as much time as possible.”
Disclaimer: These stories are for informational purposes only. The information is not a substitute for expert veterinary care. Stories are written by the Antinol team based on real interviews conducted with the pet parents and represent their own observations. These observations are not guaranteed, are not medically substantiated, and may not be typical for other pets.
