Effective pain management in cats requires multimodal approaches combining different drug classes and non-pharmacological interventions due to unique feline physiology and the challenge of pain recognition.
Feline pain management has advanced significantly with the development of validated pain assessment tools and growing recognition that cats actively hide pain as a survival mechanism. Multimodal approaches combining analgesics from different drug classes with environmental modifications, physiotherapy and behavioral support achieve better pain control with lower doses of individual medications. Chronic pain conditions including osteoarthritis affect a much higher proportion of cats than previously recognized, with studies showing radiographic changes in the majority of cats over 12 years old. Improved pain recognition and treatment represents one of the most significant welfare opportunities in feline veterinary medicine.