Cats are masters at concealing pain, meaning chronic conditions like arthritis often go undiagnosed and untreated for years, significantly reducing wellbeing.
Because cats evolved as both predator and prey, expressing pain signals would attract predators. This stoicism means chronic suffering often persists unrecognised for years. Affected cats withdraw socially, stop self-grooming, and lose interest in activities they once enjoyed — signs owners often attribute to normal ageing. Validated pain assessment tools now allow veterinarians to detect and quantify feline pain reliably, enabling targeted treatment that dramatically restores quality of life.