Chronic pain is underdiagnosed and undertreated in cats, partly because feline pain expression is subtle and owners and vets may miss the signs until suffering is advanced.
Feline chronic pain represents a major but largely hidden welfare problem. Because cats hide pain as a survival strategy, owners often attribute reduced activity or grooming changes to normal ageing rather than treatable suffering. The veterinary community increasingly recognises that systematic pain assessment using validated tools such as the Feline Grimace Scale and Montreal Instrument for Cat Pain should be routine in older cats. Treatment includes pharmacological pain relief, physiotherapy, acupuncture, and environmental adaptation. Owners who learn to recognise subtle signs of chronic pain and seek veterinary advice promptly can dramatically improve their cat's quality of life.