Chronic pain in elderly cats — particularly from osteoarthritis — is among the most significantly underdiagnosed welfare problems in companion animal medicine, with effective management available if the problem is identified.
Chronic pain from osteoarthritis is the most common undetected welfare problem in older cats. The signs are subtle — a cat that no longer jumps to its favourite perch, that grooms less thoroughly, that is less playful or more irritable — and are consistently misattributed to normal ageing. Because cats are stoic and do not show pain as overtly as dogs, their arthritis goes unrecognised and untreated for months or years in many households. NSAID treatment for appropriately selected cats with confirmed OA (with renal function monitoring) produces measurable quality-of-life improvements. Environmental adaptation — reducing the need to jump or navigate stairs — provides welfare benefit without medication and should always complement pharmaceutical management.