Clients often bring in their cats for what veterinarians call “ADR” (Ain’t Doin’ Right). The client knows something is off with their cat but they are not sure if their cat is in pain or is just acting strangely.
Evolutionarily nature was unforgiving of weakness. A painful animal was a weak animal. A weakened animal had much less of a chance of survival and made it much more vulnerable to its predators and its pride’s leader. Survival of the fittest.
As a result, cats have learned to hide their pain well. In the wild, cats must hide any sign of illness. Our cats no longer live in the wild, but this trait of hiding their pain remains.
They mask it in a variety of ways. One common way is to hide.
“Cats who are painful may withdraw from their usual family interactions, may become less engaged in their surroundings, and may start hiding,” said Dr. Malcolm Weir, a veterinarian and author.
Cat Pain Symptoms
- Hiding
- Meowing a lot more (vocalizing)
- A change in attitude and/or personality, being aggressive, growling and hissing, and not wanting to be picked up or held
- Decrease in eating and/or drinking
- Change in typical activities, such as not wanting to jump up on the cat tree, window sill or furniture; being restless; not wanting to play; not wanting to scratch (itch) themselves
- Not grooming. Their coat becomes messy and they may get mats, especially around the areas that are painful or areas that pain does not let them reach. Some cats in pain actually will over-groom and traumatize the skin in the areas where they are sore.
- Less energy and less endurance when playing with toys and play hunting. They may become reluctant to go up or down stairs. Avoid walking on hard wood floors (slippery floors).
- Urinating or defecating outside litter box
- Sleeping a lot more or a lot less. Sleeping in atypical places.
- A change in their posture whether standing or sleeping. Such as sleeping with paws tucked under their body, not stretched out or standing with their front legs tucked under themselves, in an arched position.
- A change in their facial expression
Veterinarians often use the change in the facial expression in a cat to access the degree of pain a cat is in.
We use the Feline Grimace Scale, developed in collaboration with researchers at the Université de Montréal, to improve feline pain management/treatment.
The scale includes five features, called “action units”:
- Ear position
- Orbital (eye) tightening
- Muzzle tension
- Whiskers position
- Head position
Ear position is not complicated to observe. A pain-free cat holds its ears upright and facing forward. A moderately painful cat’s ears are not held completely upright but slightly pulled apart. And a very painful cat has its ears rotated outward with a somewhat flattened appearance.
With orbital (eye) tightening, you will see a pain-free cat with its eyes opened wide but, when a cat is moderately painful, its eyes are partially close (half-masked). A very painful cat will have its eyes squinted, almost closed completely.
Muzzle tension is a little harder to evaluate. A pain-free cat has a relaxed muzzle (mouth area), round in shape, while a moderately painful cat has mild tension in its muzzle, a slight grimace. But a very painful cat’s muzzle is tense (elliptical in shape).
Whisker position changes with pain. Pain-free whiskers are relaxed and curved but a moderately painful cat’s whiskers are slightly curved or even straight and held close together. A very painful cat’s whiskers are kept straight out and facing forward, away from its face.
Regarding head position, a happy cat holds its head above the line of its shoulder, while a moderately painful cat holds its head at its shoulder line and a very painful cat drops its head below the line of the shoulder or tilts its head down toward its chest.
Click here for photos and information that clarifies these signs of pain.
If your cat is ADR and you are unsure if it is feeling painful, this scale may help as a guideline for you, but your veterinarian’s examination can fully access the pain, find the source of the pain and begin treatment.
Pain may be from arthritis, injury (trauma) or illness.
I hope this helps you recognize when your cat is not feeling well and a veterinary visit is needed. If you are unsure if your cat is in pain, it is best to bring your cat in for a veterinary examination.