Dental disease causes chronic pain in a majority of adult cats, yet remains one of the most underrecognised and undertreated welfare problems in companion animal practice.
Feline dental disease presents a profound welfare challenge because cats are exceptional at concealing chronic pain from their evolutionary history as both prey and solitary predators. A cat living with severe periodontal disease or resorptive lesions may appear outwardly normal while experiencing ongoing oral pain that affects every meal. The revelation of pre-existing pain through owner reports of improved behaviour after dental treatment confirms that cats were suffering without obvious signals before treatment. The high prevalence of dental disease means this is the single most common preventable source of chronic pain in companion cats. Proactive dental screening rather than waiting for owners to identify a problem is the welfare-positive approach given cats concealment of dental pain.