Chronic pain in cats is significantly underdiagnosed because cats hide pain as a prey animal survival strategy, but validated assessment tools and improved management are transforming feline pain care.
Chronic pain in cats is one of veterinary medicine's major welfare challenges. The species tendency to hide pain means that suffering cats are often not recognized by owners or even veterinarians until the pain is severe. Osteoarthritis — almost universal in elderly cats — is particularly commonly unrecognized, with owners attributing reduced mobility and activity to normal aging rather than treatable pain. Validated pain assessment tools now enable more systematic identification of chronic pain. The treatment options are more limited than for dogs due to metabolic constraints, but multimodal approaches including environmental modification (ramps, heated beds, easier litter box access) can meaningfully improve quality of life for painful cats.