Wild cats are masterful in hiding their pain. This instinctual technique is one of their strongest survival tactics. And because our domestic kitties are so closely related to their wild cousins, they too have adopted exactly the same tactic to avoid being attacked. But since frequently keep pain to themselves, this amazing strategy often can make it extremely difficult for their guardians to know when their cat is hurting.
This said, cat guardians who are deeply attuned to their kitties’ behavior are generally able to quickly recognize any unusual changes in their feline’s demeanor, which often indicates that their cat is suffering.
Cats that are experiencing pain may act unusually quiet, appear withdrawn (see picture above), behave oddly, become anxious, refuse to eat, have difficulty lying down or unable to sleep, pant or breathe rapidly. Their heart rates may escalate; they may bite or hiss, avoid being touched on different parts of their body, or seem lame.
The majority of cats who are in pain won’t generally show outward signs of their discomfort. In fact, very few cats will vocalize excessively. But when a generally quiet cat suddenly starts crying or howling, this is generally a sure sign that the cat has something untoward going on and needs prompt professional attention.
Many of the more common causes of feline pain range from a trauma, an injury, urinary tract conditions, such as kidney stones or bladder infections, constipation, dental or oral infections, spinal or back conditions, gastric disturbances, indigestion, poison ingestion. Major medical conditions such as pancreatitis, kidney disease or cancer can also cause cats significant pain.
Since external injuries are generally visible, most kitty guardians recognize that their cat has been hurt. Cats recovering from illness or surgery or are being treated for gum disease, eye or ear problems may obviously show their discomfort. However, arthritis, internal injuries, an underlying urinary tract problem or a bad tummy ache are conditions which may not be readily apparent on the surface.
P.S.There are some more articles on cat pain just below this article
Additionally as cats age they often may develop painful conditions such as disc disease, degeneration of the joints and osteoarthritis. Cats who are reluctant to climb, or who have become less playful and are no longer energetically leaping high up in the air to catch that favorite toy, may indeed be suffering with one of these conditions. Therefore, it’s extremely prudent for cat guardians who suspect that their kitties may be suffering from one of these conditions to make an appointment for a thorough wellness examination with their veterinarian.
For more information about cats in pain, take a moment to watch the video created by Steve Dale, renowned author and feline behaviorist.
When you are checking to determine if your cat is in pain, what signs do you look for when you are evaluating if your kitty is in pain? Share these signs with a comment.
Jo
P.S. the comments are helpful: 2 good signs of pain are (a) unexplained change in behavior and (b) being picked up causes a cry and/or reluctance.
SOME MORE ON PAIN…
Same here i feel so safe and it really is my family. I feel at ease great to be somewhere where we arent judged and are appreciated. I love this place so much.
So sorry for your loss Its so hard going though this. Brings tears to my eyes as my girl been gone two months now. Your cat was beautiful. Its so painful saying goodbye. hugs i still live daily with the loss. I
leah hes beautiful thats horrible what you had to go though.:( Its so hard dealing with this. I really wish i had of done more with cassy. I could of prob pervented what happend but then maybe not.
Laura is with the cats almost all the time. When she goes to visit family I worry I’ll miss something. It’s hard for me to just keep up with which cat is hiding where for a nap and if everyone is eating Ok and such.
He pissed me off big time! I have to use him as a cheap vet but no way will I take a really sick cat to him. When Jubi had the calicivirus she went to the expensive vet. That’s the trouble with an 80+ year old vet.
Laura actually stares at each cat several times a day to do some empathic health check. She’s never been wrong. Back when I was working I was roused from bed 2 hours early so I could do a vet visit before going to work.
And if it’s necessary Laura fixes a meal of KMR Milk and some A/D in a syringe and makes the cat eat a bit. Jubi got sick late Sunday and you can’t get a vet on the weekend here so she kept her hydrated til Monday morning when I had her at the vet when they opened.
Eliza, you are relying on your intuition to assess whether a veterinarian has made a decent diagnosis and I admire that. An experienced and observant cat caretaker can assess their cat, in some ways, better learn a veterinarian can. The cat who used to play and who no longer plays is demonstrating a change in behaviour and, as previously mentioned, a change in behaviour is perhaps the single biggest indicator that something is wrong healthwise.