"Could your cat be in pain? Cats are experts when it comes to masking illness, making it difficult as a pet parent to know that something is wrong. You can watch for subtle signs and changes in behavior that suggest your cat may be in pain.
Just like with people, chronic pain can affect your pet’s quality of life. In order to make life more comfortable and healthy for your cat, learn the signs, causes and how to work with your pet to get to the root of your cat’s pain and start a pain management program.
Warning signs
Cats in the wild hide their pain to protect themselves from predators. Your indoor cat’s wildest moment may be the feline race through the house when you’re trying to sleep, but he is really not all that far removed from his wild counterparts. Here are some signs to look for that may indicate your cat is in pain.
Cats in the wild hide their pain to protect themselves from predators. Your indoor cat’s wildest moment may be the feline race through the house when you’re trying to sleep, but he is really not all that far removed from his wild counterparts. Here are some signs to look for that may indicate your cat is in pain.
- Acting quiet and withdrawn or hiding frequently
- Acting out – hissing, biting or running – when certain parts of the body are touched
- Agitation
- Altered movement or gait
- Changes in personality, particularly aggression
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Rapid breathing or excessive panting
- Weight loss
- Unkempt coat
Potential causes
There’s a variety of causes that could be triggering pain for your cat. Some of the more common sources are as follows:
- Arthritis
- Dental disease or oral infection
- Disease of the back or spine
- GI issues
- Eye, ear or skin infections
- Ingesting poisons
- Cancer
- Trauma or injury
- Bladder or kidney stones
- Pancreatitis
- Urinary tract infection
As you can see, many signs that your cat is dealing with pain are subtle but most of the causes are complex. It pays to watch closely and monitor any changes in behavior. Reach out to your veterinarian to help you get to the root of the problem and start a course of action. Pay particular attention to senior pets since there are many aches and pains connected to aging that can be managed.
Pain management
Once you find out the cause of your cat's pain, your veterinarian can work on a course of treatment. If it’s a health related issue, you may need to treat both the illness or injury and work on treating the pain.
Once you find out the cause of your cat's pain, your veterinarian can work on a course of treatment. If it’s a health related issue, you may need to treat both the illness or injury and work on treating the pain.
If your cat is facing surgery, many veterinarians will set up medication options prior to surgery that should decrease your cat’s pain and increase the effectiveness of anesthesia. Work with your vet if your cat is extremely stressed by vet visits to ease that stress – excess stress can also trigger excess pain for your cat."
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