Cat Chronic Pain Assessment and Management

Chronic pain in cats is commonly underrecognized and undertreated. Validated assessment tools and multimodal pain management improve quality of life for cats with ongoing pain conditions.

Key Facts

Degenerative joint disease affects an estimated 70-90% of cats over 12 years causing chronic musculoskeletal pain
Cats with chronic pain show behavioral changes including reduced grooming, altered social behavior and activity changes
The Feline Grimace Scale and CSOM scale provide validated tools for chronic pain assessment in cats
NSAIDs at cat-appropriate doses provide effective analgesia but require careful monitoring for renal effects
Gabapentin, buprenorphine and complementary therapies provide additional analgesic options

Welfare Considerations

Chronic pain is endemic among older cats and profoundly affects quality of life in ways owners rarely recognize as pain-related. Reduced jumping, altered social behavior, missing the litter box and changes in grooming are pain behaviors rather than normal aging. Recognizing and treating chronic pain in cats represents one of the highest-impact welfare interventions available for the large population of older companion cats.

What You Can Do

Learn the behavioral signs of feline chronic pain and assess your older cat using available tools
Request pain assessment at every senior cat veterinary visit rather than accepting behavior changes as aging
Discuss multimodal pain management options including NSAIDs, gabapentin and environmental modification
Provide supportive environmental adaptations including low-sided litter boxes and ramps to favorite spots
Use the Feline Grimace Scale to monitor pain control effectiveness between veterinary visits