What is the average bone density for cats?

My 5 mo. old kitten is healing after his second broken bone. Each time the break was a result of a fall. The first was a broken leg from a fall out of his cage at the humane society, and this new one is a broken back that happened from what appears to be a fall from the kitchen counter. My vet is worried about bone density. Is it commone for cats to break bones? What is the average bone density in cats? Can it be improved?

Did you ask your Vet. all these questions? You Vet should be able to tell you all of it, if not you need a different Vet.You might also try the sources I've listed below as they may have the info you're loking for.

There are no real numbers for bone density in animals that I am aware of. I once treated a kitten like this, seemed just accident prone. But once when we took xrays, we had another kitten of similar age and we took xrays of a similar part. The broken kitty had bones only about half as dense as the normal kitten. When I had an orthopedic specialist in my area look at the films, he surmised that with the number of healed fractures, and the decreased bone density, the kitten had osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease). Hopefully your kitten is just accident prone, and will grow out of it!

I agree with the individual who mentioned Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI). I have this disorder, and cats can have it, too. OI is caused by a mutation in the collagen gene. Either the body is not producing enough collagen, or the collagen produced is defective. Collagen gives bones strength and flexibility - without it, bones are brittle and weak and prone to fracture without trauma. With OI in humans, some improvement in bone density has occured with treatment using bisphosphonates (Fosamax is a bisphosphonate drug - you've probably seen the commercials on TV for Fosamax for post-menopausal women with osteoporosis). I would be very interested in hearing the outcome of your kittie's situation. Please email me and let me know!