Mary Allen
Cats often suffer in silence. It is all the more important for the owner to recognize even the most subtle pain signals in good time. Read here what you need to watch out for.
If a cat were to show even a moment’s weakness in the wild, it would spell certain death. This is why cats keep their pain a secret from those around them for a long time. We explain which signals you absolutely have to pay attention to.
Classic Cat Pain Signals
Certain cat behaviors indicate that it is in pain. You should know these classic pain signals.
In terms of body language:
- Avoid jumps
- Limping, uneven loading, lameness
- increased withdrawal
- Touch sensitivity when caressed
- head held permanently low
- stooped posture
In the field of spoken language:
- growls and moans
When visiting the litter box:
- heavy pressing
- frequent but often unsuccessful visits to the litter box
- Meowing while visiting the toilet
- Licking the genitals after going to the toilet
Other Classic Pain Signals:
- increased reluctance to move
- neglected personal hygiene
- excessive licking of certain parts of the body
- food refusal
- Finding dark corners
- mood swings
If your cat shows one or more of these signals, you should not delay a trip to the vet for long. Cats are masters at hiding their pain. But most health problems can be treated much faster and more effectively if they are discovered as early as possible.
Steer Clear Of Painkillers
Even if you only mean well: Never give your cat painkillers from the medicine cabinet. Active substances such as ibuprofen or paracetamol are highly toxic for cats and in the worst case even deadly. Also, don’t leave pills lying around that a pet might eat out of curiosity. Special painkillers for animals should only ever be prescribed by a veterinarian.
Study: Read pain from facial expressions
Animal behavior specialist Dr. Lauren Finka of Nottingham Trent University found that pain can also be read on a cat’s face. The researchers evaluated almost a thousand photos of cat faces. They use a special technique to be able to track even the smallest muscle movements.
The result provided the following pain indicators:
- Ears are narrowed and set wide apart
- Mouth and cheek areas appear smaller and are drawn in towards the nose and eyes
- Eyes appear narrowed
- The nose leans more toward the mouth and away from the eye
However, many of these signals are so subtle that cat owners hardly notice them.