Chronic pain is widespread in cats but severely underdiagnosed due to their stoic nature. Validated assessment tools and modern analgesics are improving pain management in feline medicine.
Chronic pain in cats represents one of the most significant hidden welfare problems in companion animal medicine. The combination of cats' stoic nature, their tendency to reduce activity rather than vocalise pain, and the limited availability of licensed feline analgesics creates a perfect storm for underdiagnosis and undertreatment. The development of anti-NGF monoclonal antibody treatments specifically for cats represents a major advance, providing safe, effective monthly injection-based pain relief with a good safety profile suited to feline metabolism. Recognising chronic pain requires observing subtle behavioural changes: reluctance to jump, changed grooming patterns, altered facial expression, and reduced engagement with normal activities. Owner education about these signs and regular pain assessment at veterinary visits are essential for improving chronic pain welfare outcomes.