Cat Pain Behaviour: Recognising Hidden Suffering

Cats are expert pain concealers, making recognition of chronic and acute pain a critical skill for owners and veterinary professionals.

Key Facts

Cats evolved to hide pain signs to avoid appearing vulnerable to predators
The Feline Grimace Scale provides validated facial action coding for acute pain assessment
Chronic pain signs are subtle — reduced interaction, altered grooming, and activity level changes
Approximately 61% of cats over 6 years have radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis, but most are undiagnosed
Pain tolerance tests including the Glasgow Feline Composite Measure Pain Scale improve clinical detection
Owner-completed quality of life questionnaires capture pain-related changes that clinical exams miss

Welfare Considerations

Unrecognised pain is one of the most significant welfare failures in feline medicine. The stoicism that protected wild cats from appearing vulnerable now leads domestic cats to suffer silently for extended periods — chronic arthritis pain, dental disease, and post-operative pain are all commonly undertreated. Welfare-centred cat ownership and veterinary practice begins with knowledge of subtle pain indicators: reduced jumping, changes in sleeping position, decreased grooming of hard-to-reach areas, altered facial expression, and reduced social engagement. The Feline Grimace Scale and Cat Grimace Scale provide objective assessment tools that any trained observer can apply. No cat should be allowed to suffer pain that is detectable and treatable.

What You Can Do

Learn to use the Feline Grimace Scale to assess your cat's acute pain
Monitor your cat's activity level, jumping ability, and grooming reach for arthritis signs
Request pain assessment at every veterinary visit, not just when you suspect a problem
Ask your vet about pain relief for diagnosed conditions without waiting for obvious distress signs
Report subtle behaviour changes to your vet — they are often pain signals deserving investigation