Feline degenerative joint disease (DJD) is extremely common but chronically underrecognised, causing significant hidden welfare compromise in ageing cats.
Feline DJD welfare is a hidden epidemic: millions of cats live with significant, treatable arthritic pain that goes unrecognised because they do not display the obvious limping behaviours owners associate with joint pain. The evolutionary masking of pain means welfare suffering is occurring at scale without owner awareness. Welfare assessment requires owner completion of validated tools (e.g., Client-Specific Outcome Measures) tracking the cat's ability to perform specific activities — jumping to favourite spots, grooming the back, using the litter tray — over time. Treatment evidence for cats is improving: NSAIDs have demonstrated safety with appropriate monitoring, and emerging therapies including anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibodies (frunevetmab) offer new welfare options. Environmental modification (raised food bowls, lower-sided litter trays, ramps to favourite resting spots) provides immediate welfare benefit at no cost.