Cat Chronic Pain Management and Recognition

Chronic pain in cats is significantly underdiagnosed and undertreated, with osteoarthritis in particular causing widespread suffering in older cats whose signs are easily missed.

Key Facts

Studies suggest over 90% of cats over 12 years old have radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis
Cats rarely vocalise pain and show it through subtle behavioural changes rather than obvious lameness
Pain signs in cats include reduced grooming, reluctance to jump, hiding and altered social behaviour
The Feline Grimace Scale is a validated tool for assessing pain in cats from facial expressions
NSAIDs safe for cats (meloxicam, robenacoxib) are available but require prescription and monitoring
Newer treatments including monoclonal antibody injections (frunevetmab) target nerve growth factor for pain

Welfare Considerations

Chronic pain in cats is an enormous hidden welfare problem. Unlike dogs, cats do not vocalise or show obvious lameness when in pain, and owners frequently attribute pain-related behaviour changes to normal ageing. A cat that has stopped jumping, is less interactive, over-grooms certain areas or shows facial tension may be in significant chronic pain. Regular veterinary assessments using validated pain scoring tools can identify these cases. Treatment options have improved substantially with the development of feline-specific analgesics and biologics. Treating cat chronic pain dramatically improves quality of life in often-overlooked patients.

What You Can Do

Book a senior cat health check annually from age 10 - specifically ask about pain assessment
Learn to recognise signs of chronic pain in cats: reduced jumping, hiding, changed grooming
Do not assume behaviour changes in older cats are normal ageing - they may indicate pain
Ask your vet about the Feline Grimace Scale and pain scoring at appointments
Support research into feline pain management and advocate for feline-specific pain guidelines