Mary Allen
Cats are tough, pain is difficult to recognize with them. If signs are interpreted correctly, the cat can be spared a lot of suffering.
Being loners, cats lack a social pack structure that could support them in the event of physical problems. With serious consequences: “Since cats are on their own, they enter the food chain and become prey,” explains Katrin Held from Rottenschwil AG, explaining the reason why cats hide the pain for as long as possible. The behavior and nutritional consultant for cats not only knows the problem from practice. Recently, she accidentally discovered a wound on her cat Samba’s paw. Samba picked up the injury the day before when she was out, but she hid it well at home. It wasn’t until the next morning that she was noticed by limping. A warning sign for Held. “If you notice a cat’s pain, it means that the pain level is already very high.”
Like Samba, most cats suffer in silence. Too often, cat owners notice pain too late or even misjudge it. The reasons for the development of pain and the mechanisms of pain do not differ from those in humans, explains veterinarian Sabine Schroll. “Receptors and certain nerve fibers are stimulated. These conduct the signal via the spinal cord to the brain, where the pain sensation arrives.” Countless chemical substances would then be released from the damaged tissues, activating inflammation and, at best, repair mechanisms.
Sensitive Paws
In her practice in Krems, Austria, Schroll only treats cats. She knows how big the difference is when expressing pain. “The cat’s subtle expression often leads to the assumption that something would not be so painful for the cat.” But even a cat would need pain therapy after castration. In addition to operations, acute injuries such as bites, abscesses, and broken bones also cause pain in cats. Inflammation of the bladder, skin, teeth, gums, or problems in the gastrointestinal or urinary tract hurt the cat just as badly. Schroll considers head injuries to be the most painful. Teeth, eyes, ears, and tongue are extremely pain-sensitive areas, as are claws, paws, and the tail. According to Schroll, abdominal pain and chronic pain are simply misjudged by numerous owners. In the case of osteoarthrosis, the ordeal of cats is therefore often particularly long. “These are most often caused by degenerative changes in the musculoskeletal system, which does not only affect old cats.”
However, classic suffering factors are tooth problems and gingivitis. Behavioral expert Katrin Held always thinks of these first when it comes to fussy eaters. “When cats have dental problems, they juggle their food from right to left, eat, lick and then suddenly stop.” It is similar to the painful moment of salad dressing hitting canker sores in the human mouth. The idea that a cat can’t have any problems in its mouth as long as it’s eating is simply wrong, says Held. «Food is one of the basics of survival. Let’s just think about ourselves: how bad does the pain have to be for us to stop eating?”
Constant Licking as an Indication
In order to recognize pain early on, Held advises observing the cat – from day one. “Only if the owner knows his animal well when it is healthy can he later perceive changes in behavior.” There are many indicators of pain. “Many cats withdraw when they are in pain, they lie with their backs to people, stare at the wall or become anxious.” Loss of appetite, reduced activity, purring, marking behavior, and uncleanliness are also often observed. “If you touch the comfortably lying cat in pain, it will start whipping its tail or quickly look back at the point of touch, a possible pain point.”
In the event of a headache, the cat crouches down, and in the case of gastrointestinal problems, as in many stressful and painful situations, the so-called fake sleep with minimally opened eyes can often be observed. Constant licking can also indicate pain, possibly elsewhere. “In particular, licking the abdomen and flanks does not necessarily indicate abdominal pain or joint problems, but can often even be of a psychological nature.” If a cat unexpectedly attacks other household members, this can also be a sign of a physical ailment.