Geriatric cats suffer from multiple concurrent painful conditions that are frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated due to their remarkable ability to mask pain signs.
The suffering of geriatric cats from unrecognized and undertreated pain represents one of the most significant preventable welfare problems in companion animals. The tendency of cats to hide illness combined with owner normalization of reduced activity as aging means that many cats live with significant chronic pain throughout their senior years. Veterinary education and client communication strategies that emphasize proactive pain assessment, validated monitoring tools, and evidence-based treatment options are essential. The development of novel analgesic options including monoclonal antibody therapies targeting nerve growth factor, which is licensed in the US for cats, offers new options for long-term pain management.