A Michael Broad Blog
The question in the title presupposes that all Scottish Fold cats suffer from chronic pain but my research indicates that this is not necessarily true. Whether a Scottish Fold suffers chronic and severe pain depends on how the cat was bred. There are two ways to breed Scottish Folds. One way is acceptable while …
Thankfully vets are getting better at deciding if a cat is in pain. Back in the old days they didn’t really consider it. Although there are behavioural signs which are discussed on this site, a more practical and efficient method of measuring cat pain is through a range of facial expressions. This is the …
Yes, IBD in cats is painful. It is painful in people and therefore it must be the same for cats. Also, I know this because today I was reading about a study on facial expressions when cats are in pain. It’s a study which looks at how cats’ facial expressions change subtly when they …
This is an interesting test and I’d like cat owners to come forward to do it and report in a comment. Let’s see what happens. Note: the results may be muddied by the fact that domestic cats often don’t like their paws being fiddled with. But it is worth trying nonetheless, I believe. Americans …
Does hyperthyroidism cause pain in cats? The reference books I have do not say that pain is directly caused by this disease. I believe that you have to know what causes hyperthyroidism in cats and ask if the illnesses which causes it also causes pain in the cat. As mentioned hyperthyroidism per se does …
Veterinarians admit that one of the hardest things they have to do when managing animal care is to try and figure out how much pain the patient is experiencing or even if the drug is effective. We need to remind ourselves of that unpleasant thought.
Domestic cats show pain and discomfort in their facial expressions. A cat’s facial expressions are much more subtle than those of humans but they are distinct. When in acute discomfort the face becomes strained and tense with half-closed eyes and a mouth more downturned than usual.
I think the question as to whether cats with renal failure suffer is a good one. This is because (a) a lot of elderly cats suffer from kidney failure and it is quite a common cause of death and (b) cats as we know are notoriously good at hiding the fact that they feel …
