Pain in Cats: Recognizing the Signs & Seeking Relief
Author: Dr Valerie Rathbone
I have personally experienced how well cats hide pain. I am an experienced veterinarian. I have been practicing for 8 years. Part of being a veterinarian includes completing continuing education to make sure we stay current on updates in medicine and to expand our knowledge. I have been focusing my continuing education on pain management and palliative care recently and realized I have missed signs of pain in my own cat who I see every day. This sweet cat is Pearly. She has quite the story. I fostered her for a rescue while doing volunteer work in Nicaragua. They had found her at 6 weeks old being kicked down the street by kids. I raised her over the summer and decided I couldn’t leave her behind and brought her home with me. She has had some issues over her life – deformed eyelids requiring multiple surgeries, she is slowly losing her vision, she has never had full control of her claws frequently getting stuck, and she has chronic stomach issues. She is now 11.5 years old and doing great. However, as I learn more about cat pain, I am watching her and realizing that I have missed her signs of pain. She doesn’t jump down – she slowly stretches her paws down close to the ground first. She was walking more gingerly on her front feet. She was hesitant and paused before jumping up and often didn’t make jumps and had to claw herself the rest of the way up. She had decreased the amount of time she spent sitting with us. And she was even crankier than normal with our other cats. Once I realized these signs of pain, I started treatment and saw definite improvement. Her coat is even shinier now even though I hadn’t noticed any decreased grooming. I was so embarrassed that I had missed these signs of pain, but it showed me just how well cats hide pain and gave me even more empathy for cat owners in my same position and made me even more determined to help other cat owners to detect signs of pain in their cats so we can help alleviate that pain and improve their quality of life.
How Cats Hide Pain and Feline Arthritis
Cats are the masters of hiding. They can hide themselves just about anywhere. However, they have also become the masters of hiding pain, likely due to the fact that cats are solitary hunters who must remain healthy and strong in order to hunt successfully, and to protect themselves from predators and perceived threats. Unfortunately, pain in cats is common. As cats age, pain from arthritis becomes very common. Studies show that 60% of cats over the age of 6 and over 90% of cats over the age of 12 have radiographic signs of arthritis.
Feline arthritis (or degenerative joint disease, DJD) is where the normal cartilage that cushions the joint degenerates and is worn away, resulting in inflammation, discomfort, ongoing damage, and secondary changes in the joint. This leads to chronic pain, decreased mobility, and poor quality of life. Cats experience arthritis most commonly in their lower back, elbows, knees, hips, shoulders, and hocks. Cats with arthritis rarely limp because the disease usually affects the same joint on both sides – for example: both knees.
So how do we tell when our cats have arthritis? Any change in a cat’s normal behavior can be a sign of pain. This is why you – the owner – are so important in helping diagnose arthritis in your cat. You know your cat better than anyone. You know their normal temperament, routines, and activities. Sometimes these changes come on gradually and we don’t notice, so it is important to compare your cat’s daily behaviors and reactions in relation to those when they were a young adult. Signs that may indicate arthritis pain include (but are not limited to):
· Reduced mobility
o Reluctance, hesitance or refusal to jump up or down
o Jumping up to lower surfaces than previously
o Jumping up or down less frequently
o Difficulty going up or down stairs
o Stiffness in the legs, especially after sleeping or resting for a while; occasionally there may be obvious lameness
o Difficulty using the litter tray
o Difficulty going through the cat flap
· Reduced activity
o Increased time spent resting or sleeping
o Not hunting or exploring the outdoor environment as frequently
o Sleeping in different, easier to access sites
o Reduced interaction and playing less with people or other animals
· Altered grooming
o Reduced frequency of time spent grooming
o Matted and scruffy coat
o Sometimes overgrooming of painful joints
o Overgrown claws due to lack of activity and reduced sharpening of claws
· Temperament changes
o More irritable or grumpy when handled or stroked
o More irritable or grumpy on contact with other animals
o Spending more time alone
o Avoiding interaction with people and/or animals
Zoetis has this easy to navigate quiz with animations for cat owners to help detect arthritis: · https://www.zoetispetcare.com/checklist/osteoarthritis-checklist-cat
How to Address Feline Discomfort
If you have any concern your cat may be experiencing pain it is very important to have your cat evaluated by your veterinarian. Videos can also help you and your veterinarian identify signs of pain – especially videos of jumping up, jumping down, and playing. Your veterinarian may recommend radiographs to determine severity of the arthritis and can discuss treatment options. Considerations for helping manage a cat with arthritis include:
· Environmental enrichment for arthritic cats
o Provide soft, comfortable beds placed in easily accessible, quiet, draft-free locations
o Provide steps or a ramp to allow cats to access favored higher spots
o Ensure the cat flap is very easy to open or tie it open
o Provide a litter tray with at least one low side for easy access
o Make sure food and water are easily accessible – at floor level or with steps up to higher levels
o Ensure the cat doesn’t have to go up or down stairs to access food, water, or litter trays
o Spend time grooming and cleaning an arthritic cat as this may be difficult for them
o Regular trimming of overgrown claws
· Diet and dietary supplements:
o Being overweight will exacerbate arthritis and so should be avoided
o Several dietary supplements and diets are available for cats with arthritis and can be recommended by your veterinarian
· Medical treatment:
o Medications can be very effective at controlling the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis, but should only be used under direct supervision by your vet, as any drugs can have side-effects
· Additional treatments
o Acupuncture
o Laser therapy
o Massage therapy