If you are wondering whether or not your cat is sick or injured, you might just have to get out the old deerstalker hat in order to play detective. Sure, you’ll likely notice signs that your cat has suffered a serious accident, but many indicators of pain in cats can be just as sneaky and stealthy as the very feline you’re trying to understand.

As a companion blog to our previous coverage on pain in dogs, we offer some tips on preventing pain in cats, and when it’s time to get help.

A Note On Prevention

Most cats do their best to hide pain as a measure of self preservation. This makes it hard to sniff out any signs of pain in cats, and your cat could be suffering even in the absence of clear symptoms. To mitigate this, we recommend keeping your cat’s regularly scheduled wellness exams. Maintaining preventive care measures can highlight otherwise hidden or unnoticed signs of pain, and your cat’s health and longevity depends on it.

The Evidence

As a general rule, however, the following should prompt you to investigate further and contact us for assistance:

• Hiding or wanting to be left alone
• Increased sleeping, especially in the same position
• Absence of grooming
• Inappetance or changes in food preferences, such as dry to wet food
• Constant purring
• Restlessness
• Decreased mobility and agility

What Causes Pain in Cats?

Your cat’s pain can be classified as acute or chronic. Acute pain in cats is typically obvious and results from:

• Bone fractures from a fall or car accident
• Trauma following surgery
• Dental issues or complications
• Kidney infection
• Bladder obstruction (more common in males)
• Lower urinary tract disorders not associated with obstruction
• Pancreatitis
• Open wounds from an animal fight
• Eye injury

Chronic, or ongoing, pain can be trickier to identify, but can result from cancer or arthritis, among other health challenges.

Treating Your Cat

Once we understand what your cat is going through via diagnostics run our in-house laboratory, we can work toward developing a pain management treatment plan. There are a variety of options available to diminish your cat’s pain, including medication, stem cell or laser therapy.

Please never give your cat any medications intended for human use as certain drugs can be lethal for pets. Instead, consult with our veterinarians and staff if your cat needs pain relief.

Moving Forward

It’s widely understood that your kitten or senior cat feels pain the same way we do, and a large part of your cat’s long term health is compassionate pain relief. Your team at Schertz Animal Hospital is ready to help you and your cat whenever you need us. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.