Chronic pain — especially from osteoarthritis — is widespread in older cats and significantly underrecognised by owners and vets.
Chronic pain in older cats represents an enormous unaddressed welfare problem. The combination of owners attributing mobility changes to 'just getting old' and vets having limited pain assessment tools until recently has meant millions of older cats live with inadequately managed pain. New validated assessment tools, owner education, and expanding pain medication options are beginning to address this. A cat that stops jumping to elevated surfaces is not merely 'slowing down' — they may be in daily pain that is entirely treatable.