Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a common, chronically painful gastrointestinal condition in cats that significantly reduces quality of life and requires long-term management.
Cats with IBD experience significant, ongoing discomfort from nausea, abdominal cramping, and the fatigue of malabsorption and weight loss. The chronic nature of the disease means suffering can continue for years without appropriate diagnosis and management. Cats are stoic animals that often hide signs of pain, meaning owners may not recognise how much their cat is suffering. Pain and nausea associated with IBD can cause behavioural changes — hiding, reduced interaction, inappropriate elimination — that are often misread as behavioural problems. Early diagnosis and consistent dietary management are the most effective welfare interventions.