Chronic pain from conditions like osteoarthritis, dental disease, and pancreatitis is underdiagnosed and undertreated in cats, causing prolonged suffering.
Chronic pain in cats is a major and substantially underaddressed welfare problem. The evolutionary tendency of cats to mask pain means that most chronically painful cats never show overt distress, leading owners and veterinarians to underestimate the problem. Osteoarthritis in particular causes persistent joint pain affecting mobility, grooming, and quality of life. New veterinary treatments including anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibodies now offer effective chronic pain control with excellent safety profiles. Regular pain assessment should be standard for all senior cats.