Assessing pain in cats is one of the most challenging tasks in veterinary medicine, but validated tools now make systematic pain scoring possible. Better pain assessment directly improves welfare outcomes for the millions of cats experiencing acute and chronic pain.
The development of validated feline pain assessment tools has transformed the possibilities for systematic pain management in cats. Before the FGS, pain assessment in cats was largely subjective and unreliable between practitioners. Now, standardised photographic assessment provides an objective, inter-rater reliable measure that can be incorporated into routine clinical workflows. The clinical impact is substantial: cats assessed with validated tools receive analgesia more consistently, at appropriate doses, and for appropriate durations. Owner-completed tools like MI-CAT extend pain monitoring into the home environment — enabling veterinarians to track treatment responses over days and weeks. The next implementation challenge is universal uptake: pain assessment tools are only valuable if they are used consistently, which requires training investment and institutional commitment to pain management as a welfare priority.