Chronic pain from osteoarthritis and other conditions is extremely common in older cats but frequently unrecognized. Better detection and treatment significantly improves welfare in the ageing feline population.
Chronic pain is probably the most prevalent and underrecognized welfare problem in the companion cat population. The evolutionary tendency to mask vulnerability means that cats in significant pain may appear only slightly less active or less willing to be handled - signs that owners often attribute to normal ageing. The development of validated feline pain assessment tools like the Feline Grimace Scale has enabled more systematic detection. The discovery that over 90% of cats over 12 have radiographic osteoarthritis suggests that pain management in older cats is dramatically undertreated. The availability of monthly injectable monoclonal antibody treatments that specifically target the pain pathway of osteoarthritis represents a significant advance in feline pain management that is changing the welfare picture for older cats.