8 Ways Your Cat is Telling He’s in Pain
by mylifewithpets | Last updated on October 26, 2021
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Our cats have that wonderful mix of being sweet, loving and cuddly and very independent at times.
They enjoy being close (or on top of) us and, at the same time, they can be by themselves for hours on end.
This is probably the number one reason why it’s so hard to tell when a cat is feeling unwell.
How can we tell if our cats are in pain or sick if they keep it to themselves?
By keeping an eye on them and look for the smallest signs that something is wrong.
Why Would a Cat Hide Pain?
In a nutshell, it’s just the way they’re wired.
In the wild, animals showing weakness to predators can mean their end.
So, even though cats have been around humans for centuries, this is how they work. It also works well for street cats that are still somewhat exposed to threats indoors cats aren’t.
On the other hand, this means that when a cat does show signs of pain or illness, his condition is serious and he’s really suffering from it, in which case you need to take him to the vet immediately!
Knowing as Soon as Possible is Key!
For humans, knowing of a health issue as soon as possible can make the difference between a good outcome or tragedy.
It’s the same for cats but only even more so because everything happens really fast within cat bodies. Their metabolism is fast and whatever is happening will develop at warp speed.
Also cats have this self-protection mechanism you need to keep in mind. If a cat is in terrible suffering, often he’ll just check out and give up and, when that happens, there is no way to get him back. So act before it’s too late!
If you see your cat is in pain, don’t offer excuses. It doesn’t matter if he’s a senior, he’s still not supposed to feel pain. Age-related pain is treatable!
8 Ways to Tell If Your Cat is in Pain
So, now that you know how important it is to be vigilante, we’ll tell you the most common tell-tale signs that something is wrong with your cat.
Some are more subtle than others. but they’re all important to give you the information you need.
And, when in doubt, a call or an appointment with your vet should help dispel any questions or worries you may have.
1 – Your Cat Lost His Appetite
Major tell-tale sign!
Your cat suddenly isn’t eating or he’s eating less than usual and this has been going on for a couple of days now.
Assuming that nothing changed in his life or everyday routine, it can mean something is up.
Here are the most probable causes:
- Your cat is over his food. Change it and see how he reacts, without forgetting the very important slow weaning process to keep him from getting sick from that alone.
- Your cat is experiencing mouth issues, with his teeth or gums for example. Try and look into it if he’ll let you and look for infection, redness, bad smell, something stuck or anything out of the ordinary.
- Your cat is ill or in pain and this means just about anything from an upset stomach to kidney disease.
- Your cat is low on energy, due to hot weather, old age or just feeling a bit down.
For the last option, and assuming you’ve discarded the other possibilities, there is something you can do to boost your cat’s overall energy and appetite.
It’s a simple supplement to his usual diet and it works wonders.
We actually first heard of it from the vet at the shelter we volunteer at.
Cats arrive depressed, sad, sick or just very tired and this is what we offer them to try and get their spirits up.
2 – Your Cat is Acting Differently
There are many things that can alter your cat’s behavior and his health, especially if they’re not neutered or spayed.
Experiencing heat for female cats can compromise their immune systems and lead to illness or having some opportunistic parasite or virus manifest itself.
For male cats, sensing a female in heat nearby will cause them to suffer tremendous anxiety and overall stress (if they can’t get to her) or fights with other male cats (if he can).
The best thing you can do for this is talk with your vet about spaying or neutering your cats.
If you notice any change to your cat’s behavior, like refusing to play, change in sleeping habits, aggression or indifference to you, you need to find out why that is.
3- Your Cat is Limping or Won’t Jump
This is often seen with senior cats.
From one day to the next, they hesitate to jump or stop doing it altogether.
This means your cat is feeling discomfort or pain.
But, as we’ve mentioned earlier, older cats don’t need to be in pain, there are supplements they can take to feel better and protect their overall joint health
All of our cats are over 9 years old and this is the supplement we’ve added to their diets. We mix it to their wet food and they eat it without any drama.
4 – Your Cat is Refusing to Move
Similar to the last one, if your cat is usually active but suddenly won’t get up in the morning or hesitates before doing it, something may be up.
Or maybe he’s picked a comfy spot in your home and won’t leave it, no matter what you tempt him with.
This can be tricky to spot because cats do sleep most of the day (some will sleep 18 hours a day or more) so the tempting part is important. If you’re offering his favorite can of yummi, smelly wet food and he’s still refusing to budge, it’s clearly a sign.
Also, be aware that cats tend to be much more active in the warm weather than when it’s cold, our cats are capable of spending entire days under the blanket, it’s perfectly acceptable.
5 – Your Cat is Hiding or Won’t Interact With You
You’ve probably heard that when animals know they’re about to die, they retreat.
The reasoning for this can vary, they’re either preparing their spirits to cross over, keeping safe from predators or just want to be left alone because they’re feeling sick.
Whatever the reason is, cats do tend to hide and avoid their families when they’re feeling very sick and doing so means they need urgent medical attention.
So, if you wake up one day to find your cat is actively avoiding you and even turning away from you or hiding somewhere unusual, it probably means you need to take her to the vet or even the emergency hospital and see if something is up.
We make this difference because often regular vet offices aren’t equipped with the same things as a vet hospital and, if your cat is that sick, he’ll probably need extra treatment.
This is the one tip we’ve unfortunately learned by experience and, to this day, we wonder if we’d taken our cat directly to the hospital, it would’ve made a difference in the outcome.
Hindsight is a terrible thing.
6 – Your Cat Complains When He’s Touched or Held
This one is quite obvious but the challenge here is understanding how your cat complains.
Hissing, meowing loudly or even biting or scratching when you touch or pick your cat up means discomfort or pain.
If your cat complains when you touch a specific spot, like during grooming or petting, you’ll want to check that spot for injuries or lumps and bumps.
Remember, this only counts if your cat usually allows you to do this without complaining, something some cats won’t.
7 – Your Cat is Having Trouble Breathing
Suddenly, your cat is struggling to breath or making strange noises when breathing.
Maybe he’s experiencing respiratory issues or maybe he’s just in pain.
Cats have a really hard time breathing when they feel pain, feel stressed or too hot.
Also, pain can cause cats to go into shock, in which case the lungs will begin to fail.
If you think you can solve the issue by calming your cat down or lowering his temperature, do it immediately.
If it doesn’t work, you need to take him to the vet immediately.
Also, if your cat suddenly starts snoring, completely out of the blue, make sure to talk it over with your vet.
8 – Your Cat Has Stopped Grooming Himself
Whenever cats are feeling down, they’ll stop taking care of themselves
It can be a number of things, like pain, but it can also be stress, anxiety, depression, etc.
However, if your cat is overweight, make sure to determine if he’s stopped grooming because he’s just to big to reach certain areas or if he is, indeed, in distress.
They can also stop grooming if they’re feeling congested due to furballs on their throats.
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