Chronic pain in cats, particularly from arthritis and dental disease, is vastly underdiagnosed and undertreated due to cats' tendency to hide signs of pain.
Cats hide pain as an evolutionary strategy, meaning chronic suffering often goes completely unnoticed. An arthritic cat who stops jumping on the sofa or grooms less is not simply ageing - they are adapting to pain. Regular veterinary assessment using validated pain tools, combined with appropriate pain relief, can dramatically improve welfare for these hidden sufferers.