Chronic Pain Recognition in Cats

Cats frequently suffer from unrecognised chronic pain conditions including arthritis; validated pain scales and owner education significantly improve detection and treatment rates.

Key Facts

Arthritis is estimated to affect over 90% of cats over 12 years
The Feline Grimace Scale enables objective pain assessment from photographs
Many owners attribute chronic pain signs to 'normal ageing' rather than treatable conditions
NSAIDs and other analgesics significantly improve mobility and quality of life in arthritic cats

Welfare Considerations

Chronic pain in cats creates a welfare crisis of invisible suffering that persists for months or years without recognition or treatment. The stoic concealment of pain by cats as prey animals, combined with owner normalisation of age-related behaviour changes, allows substantial pain burden to continue untreated. Veterinary use of validated pain scales and owner education about the signs of chronic pain — reduced grooming, reluctance to jump, altered behaviour — enables earlier detection and dramatically improves welfare outcomes.

What You Can Do

Learn the signs of chronic pain in cats including reduced grooming, reluctance to jump, and altered demeanour
Request pain assessment for senior cats as part of routine health checks
Do not attribute behaviour changes in senior cats to normal ageing without ruling out treatable pain conditions