Chronic pain in cats is dramatically underrecognized and undertreated due to behavioral masking of pain signs, with significant welfare implications for the estimated 40-90% of cats over 12 years with osteoarthritis.
Feline chronic pain represents one of the most significant welfare gaps in companion animal medicine - millions of cats live with unrecognized and untreated chronic pain from osteoarthritis because owners and sometimes veterinarians fail to recognize the subtle behavioral signs cats exhibit. Unlike dogs, who limp obviously, cats with OA may simply reduce activity, jump less, groom differently, or become less social - changes easily attributed to personality or age. The advent of monoclonal antibody treatments for feline OA pain, with excellent safety profiles and monthly administration, represents a welfare revolution for affected cats whose owners can access and afford treatment.