Companion Animals

Chronic Pain Recognition in Cats: A Welfare Guide

How to recognise subtle signs of chronic pain in cats to seek appropriate treatment.

Key Facts

Cats are stoic — chronic pain is consistently underrecognised and undertreated
Reduced grooming, changed sleeping position, and altered social behaviour indicate pain
The Feline Grimace Scale provides objective pain assessment for clinical use
Multimodal analgesia including meloxicam, gabapentin, and buprenorphine manages most chronic pain

Welfare Considerations

Chronic pain welfare in cats is fundamentally a recognition challenge — cats rarely vocalise pain and their behavioural changes are subtle. Welfare-focused cat care uses structured pain assessment tools, investigates any change in behaviour in older cats as potential pain, and initiates multimodal analgesia when pain is identified. Regular welfare-focused consultations that assess pain alongside other health parameters improve outcomes substantially.

What You Can Do

Use the Feline Grimace Scale as a pain assessment tool — images are freely available online
Investigate any behavioural change in your cat — changes in activity, grooming, or social behaviour may indicate pain
Ask your vet to assess for chronic pain at every senior cat consultation