Common shellfish supplement ‘could ease age-related joint pain in big cats’

Big cats in captivity tend to live longer than their wilder counterparts (Liam McBurney/PA)

A shellfish supplement commonly given to pets could also help ease age-related joint pain in big cats such as lions and tigers, early research suggests.

Scientists have found captive felines who took antinol – a food supplement derived from a type of shellfish known as the New Zealand green-lipped mussel – regularly for six weeks saw an improvement in their mobility by up to 30%.