This is a follow up page on the Feline Grimace Scale which is a way of assessing if a cat feels pain moderately or severely or is pain-free. This is an interesting picture showing a cat in pain. It sums up the facial expression that cat owners can expect to see when their cat or another cat is in pain. We need to be alert to this because it can be so difficult to get into the head of our cats to decide if she is suffering discomfort. Care needs to be applied with painkillers. There is one, Metacam (Meloxicam), which I think is dangerous and I don’t believe that it should be used as it can cause kidney failure. In other words it can make things a lot worse and fatal.

Cat suffering from acute pain showing the facial expression compared to a pain free cat and one suffering moderate pain.

You can see the flattened ears, the nearly closed eyes, the alteration in the posItion of the whiskers. I think the shape of the muzzle alters because the whiskers are thrust forward.

I am sure that many cat owners have not seen or had a good look at the face of a cat suffering considerable pain. Cat shelter workers have many more opportunities to observe cats who may be suffering pain to varying degrees. It would be nice to hear from them.

SOME PAGES ON PAINKILLERS:

Do cats feel pain like humans?

I don't believe that cats feel pain exactly like humans because their brain processes pain signals from their peripheral nerves ...
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What is [cat] brain freeze and is it dangerous?

The brain freeze that I have seen applies to domestic cats. It occurs when a person gives a domestic cat ...
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Feline Grimace Scale tells you more effectively if a cat is in pain

Thankfully vets are getting better at deciding if a cat is in pain. Back in the old days they didn't ...
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Scientifically measuring the changes in a cat’s facial expression when in pain

This is an interesting but bafflingly complicated study about measuring facial expressions in non-human animals. I'll summarise it in my ...
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Veterinarians don’t know how much pain cats are experiencing or if the drug is effective

Veterinarians admit that one of the hardest things they have to do when managing animal care is to try and ...
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Dogs Receive More Post-op Pain Management than Cats

Research by a vet website, dvm360, tells us that dog owners opt for pain management drugs for their companion animal ...
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Cats in Pain: Prompt Veterinary Intervention/ Treatment are Crucial

By Jo Singer Cats are masters at hiding pain as a survival strategy. However, kitty guardians who are “tuned into ...
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