Chronic pain is underdiagnosed and undertreated in cats. Recognising subtle behavioural signs and using appropriate assessment tools enables earlier intervention and better welfare outcomes.
Chronic pain in cats represents a large-scale welfare problem that is largely invisible. The stoic nature of cats means that arthritis, dental disease, and other painful conditions cause suffering for months or years before owners notice the subtle changes that indicate pain. By the time owners observe obvious reluctance, reduced grooming, or withdrawal, chronic pain may be severe and long-established. The welfare imperative is earlier recognition: teaching owners to use standardised assessment tools, actively looking for pain indicators at every veterinary visit, and treating pain empirically when clinical signs are consistent but not definitive. The transformative response owners describe when cats receive effective analgesia — increased activity, social engagement, and apparent joy — confirms that the preceding period involved significant suffering.