Recognition of Pain in a Cat
Minor Trauma
- Flinching
- Vocalisations
- Attempt to escape
- Aggression sometimes
Severe Injury
- Hissing
- Spitting
- Aggressivity
- Vigorous attempts to escape
Continuing Pain after trauma
- Withdrawn and immobile
- Rare vocalisations – occasional low growls
- Tense demeanour
- Distant demeanour
- Possible hissing and spitting depending on the individual cat
- Rapid breathing possible
- Non-stop purring
- Hunched back and other abnormal body positions
Later on after trauma
- Attempts to hide
- Reduced appetite
Chronic Pain (long term pain)
- Cats try and hide the fact that they are not 100%
- Alteration of behaviour
- Reduced activity
- Sleeping a lot
- Hiding
- Decreased interest in surroundings
- Wanting to be left alone
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Signs are similar to those caused by diseases
- May react when touched or handled
- Irritability
Localised Pain
- Abnormalities in posture
- Lameness
- Stiffness
- Reluctance to do certain physical actions (jumping)
Links on Pain Relief
- Search results on PoC for “pain relief”.
- Pain in Cats search result on PoC.
- Newish pain killer for cats.
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