Chronic pain in cats is profoundly underrecognized due to their prey-animal instinct to hide vulnerability. Understanding subtle signs and advocating for pain assessment in veterinary care dramatically improves feline welfare.
Chronic pain in cats represents one of the most significant hidden welfare problems in companion animal medicine. Unlike dogs, cats rarely vocalize pain and may appear to "cope" even when experiencing significant ongoing discomfort. The result is that millions of older cats live with undertreated chronic pain — particularly from osteoarthritis — that could be substantially relieved with appropriate veterinary intervention. Recognizing chronic pain requires watching for behavioral changes rather than waiting for overt symptoms: a cat that has stopped jumping to its favorite spot, grooms less, sleeps more, or interacts less with family members may be experiencing chronic pain rather than "just aging." The Feline Grimace Scale — which assesses ear position, orbital tightening, muzzle tension, whisker change, and head position — provides a validated pain scoring tool even for lay observers. Veterinarians have increasingly effective analgesic options including anti-NGF monoclonal antibody therapy, which provides monthly pain relief with minimal side effects. The welfare gain from successful pain management in senior cats is profound and often immediately visible.