How to Tell if a Cat Is in Pain

Co-authored by Natalie Punt, DVM

Last Updated: June 24, 2024

As a cat owner, it is your responsibility to look after the health and welfare of your pet. An important part of this responsibility is recognizing when your cat is in pain and seeking professional veterinary care to alleviate that pain. Unfortunately, cats are masters at masking pain, as it is ingrained in them not to appear weak or vulnerable.^{[1]
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Natalie Punt, DVM
Veterinarian

Expert Interview. 15 February 2022.} Although spotting the signs of pain in your cat is tricky, it's not impossible if you pay close attention to their behavior and character.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Looking For Behaviors That Signal Pain

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1
Look for changes to your cat's routine. Your cat has regular habits that it sticks to every day. This might include what time it gets up, how it greets you when you come home from work, how it asks for food, and how often it goes to the bathroom. Be alert for changes in these habits, especially when they involve the cat becoming more withdrawn.^{[2]
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- The changes are usually for the worst, such as eating less, not getting up to greet you, hiding away, or toileting outside the litter box.^{[3]
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  Natalie Punt, DVM
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  Expert Interview. 15 February 2022.}
- Your cat may also enter and exit their litter box more than usual.^{[4]
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  Natalie Punt, DVM
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  Expert Interview. 15 February 2022.}
- These changes are not specific for pain, so just because the cat hides away doesn't automatically mean they are in pain, but it does mean something is wrong and you need to look for other signs and clues as to what the problem could be.
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Pay attention if the cat abandons beloved activities. You should be used to what's normal for your cat, such as which toy it likes to play with and for how long, or which is its favorite sleeping spot and how long it spends there. Changes in favorite activities can be a clear sign that your cat is in pain.
- For example the cat in pain may find it difficult to rest and so it paces around instead of curling up to sleep. It may repeatedly settle and then get up again. Or perhaps it adopts one posture and then holds it whilst looking stiff and tense.
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3
Look for difficulty with movement. The cat may have difficulty getting up from a sitting or lying position. Once it starts moving be alert for a limp, and look to see which leg the cat is limping on.
- Even lack of movement in the ears can signal a problem. The ears would normally move to catch fleeting sounds in the environment. Often a cat in pain has more fixed ears that may well be flattened against its head.
- If your cat is experiencing skeletal pain, they may not jump as easily as they used to. They also may not want to go up and down stairs, or jump onto your bed.^{[5]
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  Natalie Punt, DVM
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  Expert Interview. 15 February 2022.}
This is easily done by fixing on one spot of hairs on its chest and watching them move in and out. A cat usually takes 20-30 breaths a minute, whereas a cat in pain may take rapid shallow breaths. In extreme cases the cat may breath with its mouth open, which is not something cats do normally unless they are extremely hot.
Does it cry out, wince, or scrabble to get away as if picking it up has hurt it? A change of reaction from what is normal can indicate a problem, especially if other signs are present.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Assessing Changes to Your Cat's Character

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1
Determine if the cat is acting out of character. A cat that is normally sweet-tempered who becomes irritable may well be in pain. This is a giveaway that there is a problem. The placid cat that suddenly turns aggressive, hisses, and spits rather than let you pet it is probably experiencing pain.
- Be alert for a friendly cat, that changes character backs away, arches their back, hairs erect, dilated pupils, ears flattened back, hisses and spits. These are all signs of aggression.
- Alternatively, you may have a feisty cat who suddenly becomes withdrawn and starts hiding.
- Indeed, the cat who stops grooming may be in pain.
2
Take a look at the cat's face and posture. The signs are subtle but a cat's facial expression can tell you a lot about whether it is stressed or not. This is important because a cat in pain is also a stressed cat, and stress signals can be a vital clue.
- Look for a worried or tense expression on the cat. This could include a furrowed brow or a vacant stare. The pupils are likely to be large and dilated, whereas a cat at rest in normal lighting conditions should have slit-shaped pupils.
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Notice changes in vocalization. Some cats may cry more and vocalize when they are in pain.^{[6]
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Natalie Punt, DVM
Veterinarian

Expert Interview. 15 February 2022.} However, many go the other way and become quiet and withdrawn.
- Be aware that purring does not always mean the cat is happy. Purring can comfort the cat and so even a distressed cat may purr to itself in order to feel reassured and a bit better.^{[7]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Treating Pain

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1
Identify where the cat's pain is coming from. Common causes of pain include dental discomfort, bite wounds, inflamed eyes, sprains, fractures, pancreatitis, cystitis, ear infections, skin infections, bone disease, cancer, and arthritis. Your veterinarian may be able to figure out why your cat is in pain if you can't.
- If your cat has had recent surgery, then you will want to be sure it is not in pain while healing. Make sure it is getting the necessary medication to recover without pain.
Some cats will shy away from affection, almost as though they expect petting to cause them discomfort. However, other cats go the other way and seek extra attention, as if needing reassurance.^{[8]
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Seek professional veterinary treatment for the pain. Ask your vet about a safe but effective pain relief medication. There are a variety of these that can be prescribed to meet your cat's pain management needs.
- In addition to pain management, your veterinarian should be treating the underlying cause of the pain. If your vet can't find the source, go to another vet for a second opinion.
- Never treat the pain at home with human drugs. Cats metabolize drugs very differently to people and the medication we have in our medicine cabinets can be toxic to cats.
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Stop your cat from self harming. A cat with a low grade or nagging pain, may try to distract or comfort itself by excessive licking, which results in broken hairs and a moth-eaten look to its coat. Some cats may do themselves actual harm and bite at an area that is painful, as if they perceive there is something attacking their body and they wish to get rid of it.
- If this is the case consult with your vet about ways to stop the cat from licking or biting itself. One solution is to put a cone on the cat until the pain is eliminated.
- Sometimes the cat will lick the area that is painful, for example a sore joint, other times it will lick an area that is not the source of pain but is just soothing itself. In these cases the cat may lick an easy to get to spot, such as a paw or its belly.

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Question

Do cats meow if they are in pain?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

Cats do meow and purr when in pain. Experts believe this is because the cat finds it comforting, so it's never safe to assume a cat is not in pain because they are vocalizing.

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Question

What can you give a cat for pain?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

Truly the only safe medications for cats in pain are those supplied by the vet. Most household pain killers are highly toxic to cats, and you would end up with a pained cat that has also been poisoned.

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Question

What are the symptoms of a cat dying?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

A dying cat may often hide away and seek a solitary place. In addition, they are unlikely to eat and will quickly become dehydrated. Check for this by lifting the scruff and letting go. If it sinks back slowly, the cat is dehydrated.

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