Chronic pain in cats, most commonly from arthritis, dental disease and cancer, is significantly underdiagnosed and undertreated, representing a major welfare challenge.
The chronic pain burden in the cat population is enormous and largely invisible. A cat that has stopped jumping on furniture, is less interactive or grooms certain body areas excessively may be in significant chronic pain. The stoic nature of cats means that owners frequently attribute these changes to 'old age' rather than recognising them as pain signals. Effective diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain - particularly arthritis and dental disease - can transform the quality of life of senior cats.