Cats are expert at masking pain, making behavioural recognition a critical skill for owners and veterinarians seeking to identify and treat sources of chronic discomfort before significant welfare compromise occurs.
Behavioural pain recognition in cats is a skill that directly determines whether cats receive treatment for conditions causing chronic suffering. Because cats so effectively suppress obvious pain signals, the burden of detection falls on observant owners and trained veterinarians. Changes from individual baseline behaviour are more informative than absolute behaviours — a formerly social cat that becomes reclusive, a cat that stops jumping onto favourite perches, a fastidious groomer that neglects coat care, or a previously playful cat that no longer engages with toys all represent potential pain indicators deserving investigation. The Feline Grimace Scale, developed through rigorous research, enables rapid standardised pain scoring from photographs and is increasingly used in clinical settings. Validated quality of life questionnaires for cats with known chronic conditions allow owners to monitor welfare trends between veterinary visits. The consistent finding that analgesic treatment improves owner-assessed quality of life in cats previously scored as apparently normal provides powerful evidence that hidden pain was present and is now being relieved.