Cats who are painful may withdraw from their usual family interactions, may become less engaged in their surroundings, and may start hiding. You may notice decreased eating and/or drinking. You may also notice changes in sleeping patterns. Some may sleep more, while others may sleep less.
Common Cat Pain Symptoms
Hiding. Sitting still and hunched up. Loss of interest in people, other pets, or activities. Neglecting to groom themselves, or over-grooming in one spot.
Cats that are ill will usually show changes in overall appearance, energy level, sociability, coat appearance and/or amount of shedding, appetite, litterbox usage, breathing, or discharges from the eyes or nose. In general, any sudden change should alert you that your cat needs veterinary attention.
Signs Of Obvious Distress
Cats are typically very stoic animals, so if your cat suddenly seems to be in distress, it is a cause for concern. Howling, crying, hiding, and otherwise acting in a way that is out of character for your pet should alert you that something may be seriously wrong.
Hissing. Hissing often sounds aggressive or frightening, so it's no surprise that this is the cat noise that is elicited when your pet feels threatened, angry or is in pain. Cats most often hiss at other animals.
Sick cats often lie quietly in a hunched position. They might neglect grooming. They may be purring, which cats do not only when they're happy, but also when they're sick or in pain. A cat with breathing difficulties may refuse to lie on his side and may keep his head raised.
If your cat is sick once and is otherwise alert, active, and showing no other symptoms, there's likely to be nothing to worry about. If your cat is lethargic, persistently vomiting, has diarrhoea, loses his or her appetite, or displays any other symptoms, don't delay – get them to your local vet, fast.
Cat Pain: What We Know
Arthritis, dental disease, urinary tract disease, bone disease, and cancer are just a few of the common feline medical conditions that are known to be painful. If your cat has these or another condition, be vigilant in looking for signs that your cat may be in pain.
Most cats in pain will generally be less active. This often results in a cat who sleeps more but may also reduce the amount the cat runs or jumps.
Cats tend to roll around, feet flailing and tail twitching. Some may vocalize as well. It may even appear that your pet is in distress. This often amusing action is not just a funny thing your cat does, though.
Purring doesn't always mean that your cat is happy. In fact, purring can also occur if your pet is in pain or stressed. Has a sharp pain ever taken your breath away or changed your breathing pattern? Your cat may react the same way.
If you're not particularly crazy about a "chatty cat," reserve your attention for times when it is quiet. On the other hand, if your cat is normally quiet and suddenly starts meowing insistently, (or if a normally talkative cat suddenly stops meowing) it could be trying to tell you it is in pain or discomfort.
Pain may also cause changes in your cat's sleep patterns. They might struggle to find a comfortable position in which to rest, or you may find them sleeping in strange places. Cats who are in pain may sleep more or less than usual, too.
In addition to soothing and healing the people around them, cats are actually able to heal themselves, too. A curious animal and a curious noise indeed.
Pay particular attention if your cat settles down in a so-called meatloaf position, where her nose is on the floor and her front paws are out of her body. This position often describes a cat in pain. If your cat replaces her bread loaf position with this one, it is a time to visit your vet.
"Sploot" is a slang term for the position pets take when they lay on their stomach with their legs stretched out behind them. Dogs can sploot, too, but there's nothing quite like the sploot of the ever-agile cat. Cats are bendy little buggers, stretching into all shapes and fitting into insane spots.
Although your sick or injured pet is in no danger in your home, his or her instincts trigger the immediate desire to locate a safe hiding place. Pets are often found under beds, at the back of closets or behind a stack of boxes in the garage when they don't feel well or are injured.
Cats alter their behavior when they mourn much like people do: They may become depressed and listless. They may have a decreased appetite and decline to play. They may sleep more than usual and move more slowly, sulking around.
Cats don't cry tears when they're sad or in pain. But Halls says whether your cat is experiencing emotional or physical pain, they'll exhibit behavioral changes that could include vocal crying. The sound of a cat crying is typically longer in duration and lower in frequency than day-to-day cat chatter.
Cats that are in pain will make noise! If their tummy hurts or they have arthritic joints, or they are injured, they vocalize. Cats with systemic medical problems like thyroid disease or kidney malfunction (often associated with high blood pressure) may howl, too. Any number of ailments can precipitate caterwauling.
It is widely accepted that animals also feel pain in the same way that we do, being both a sensory and emotional experience in response to damage, or potential damage to the body. Essentially, if both you and your cat stepped on a sharp object, it's likely you'd have very similar experiences in terms of pain!