When in discomfort or pain, felines will often hide what they are undergoing. This can make it hard for you to know what’s the problem, as unlike us, they aren’t apt to convey their feelings. However, understanding the early indications of discomfort in your feline is a crucial step in assuring their long-term happiness and health.
While they commonly display outward hints when suffering intense, acute pain, it’s not almost as simple to recognize when a cat experiences long-term discomfort or pain. The good news is that anyone can learn to understand symptoms of discomfort in felines. Below are some of the most widespread signs of pain in felines.
Changes in Attitude
Though often ignored, a difference in your feline’s attitude is often the first symptom of illness or pain. If your feline, which is usually a cuddly friend, suddenly begins using all their time disguising under your bed, it’s a clear indication that something is not right. Felines build strong connections with their owners, and several enjoy being existing and committed in their day-to-day existence. If a feline stops napping with you at night, comes after you to the cooking area or comes out to welcome you when you come back home from your job, they could be in discomfort.
Felines who are in discomfort often display uncharacteristic attacks, too. They may growl or hiss when you or other units of your house come close. Discomfort can make even the cheerfullest felines bite or scratch, particularly when touched in a sensitive spot or walked in a way that harms. An unexplained attack is a serious behavioral shift that implies a necessity for a veterinarian appointment.
Grooming Changes
If your fussy cat halts grooming or you see that your cat is cleaning less of itself than normal, this could also be an indication of pain or discomfort. Felines have thorough grooming habits, and they commonly only change if anything is wrong. If you don’t notice your feline cleaning daily, watch their coat carefully. The absence of cleaning and the look of matted hair may also be a sign your cat is experiencing pain. If it seems unusually greasy or unkempt, a problem could be brewing.
However, increased cleaning could also be an indication of discomfort. Suppose your feline is spending more time cleaning a particular area of its body. In that case, particularly if they are committing so to the point of resulting in wounds or baldness, they may be attempting to relieve a sensitive area.
Decreased Activity and Energy
It is common for your cat’s fuel level to slowly decrease as your cat gets into the aged cat phases. If these differences happen suddenly, though, or are greatly affecting your feline’s existence, it could be more than developed age interrupting your cat companion down. When your feline is unwilling to stand up from a lying position, participate in playtime, traverse stairs, jump, or run, they are likely in discomfort. Just like individuals, felines can experience degenerative diseases like arthritis as they get aged. Cats can also undergo a broad range of other health issues that result in discomfort or pain during any phase of their existence.
Changes in Sleep Patterns
Discomfort may also result in modifications in your feline’s sleep habits. Your cat might attempt to find a relaxed posture in which to sleep, or you may find your cat resting in odd areas. Felines who are in discomfort may nap more or less than usual, too.
Felines in discomfort may also find cozier areas to sleep, such as a heating pad or sunny spot. Felines will barely ever rest on the ground; they choose high resting places. If you see your feline sleeping in lower spots, this can be an indication too that your cat is in pain.
So, here is given the different tail position of a cat while sleeping that denotes some of their meaningful emotions.
Cat’s tail position while sleeping |
What does it indicate? |
| High | When felines position their tail high in the air, they tend to express contentment and confidence. A high positioned tail signifies happiness and an eagerness to be cheerful. |
| Angled like a question mark | This tail position often gives a sign of a joyful mood and a feline that’s willing to share some happiness with you. |
| Low | A cat’s tail set straight down can signify aggression. Cat’s lower tail means an extremely serious attitude. |
| Tucked away | A tail curled beneath the cat’s body gives a sign of submission or fear. Something is making the feline worried. |
| Whipping tail | A tail that forth rapidly and slaps back implies both aggression and fear. It is an indication that it warns to stay away. |
Excreting Outside of the Litter Box
Felines never stop utilizing their litter cartons for no obvious cause. While there are many causes a feline may begin eliminating wastes outside of the litter box, discomfort is one of the most common issues. If your feline is suffering from discomfort in their spine, elbows, hips, or knees, exiting and entering the box can be uncomfortable.
Furthermore, this kind of discomfort can make maintaining a squatting position and getting into that box almost impossible. These felines often become repressed since having a bowel activity is painful for them. Your cat may hold it for many days and then truly have a problem going. Seeing modifications in stool density is necessary too.
Other unbearable medical problems can influence litter box utilization, too. If your feline is suffering from discomfort during urination, for instance, your cat may correlate the pain with the litter carton and stop utilizing it. A feline who begins eliminating outside of the litter carton is attempting to inform you that something is not right.
Decreased Thirst and Appetite
Discomfort can be a powerful thirst and appetite suppressant, both in animals and humans. If your feline appears to have lost involvement in drinking or eating, it could be an indication that they are suffering from pain. Modifications in drinking and eating patterns could be indications of several other serious clinical issues, too, so it is recommended to contact your vet.
Weight loss and changes in the proportion of water your cat is drinking are also symptoms that something is not right with your cat companion. Suppose you observe that your feline is losing appetite. In that case, you can give your kitty Hemp Canna-Pet® Advanced Small capsules, which contain a broad range of flavonoids, terpenes, and concentrated cannabinoids (CBDs), and help to stimulate appetite in them.
Spitting and Hissing
Is your feline attempting to warn you to keep your distance from your cat? If they are suffering from any discomfort, it is likely the feeling of being touched or picked up may result in discomfort. Other widespread indications include guarding behaviors and tail flicking.
Meowing more than regular is also an indication something may not be right. While purring is commonly an indication of contentment and happiness, it can also be a manner feline can convey that they are in discomfort, particularly if they are showing any other pain-related indications.
So, here are some common health issues that cause pain and discomfort in a cat, along with their corresponding solutions.
Health Problem |
Solution |
| Fleas | Fleas can be killed quite effortlessly with the proper drug, and you can discover a volume of items for sale at online stores or your local pet shop. |
| Feline Immunodeficiency Virus | Feline Immunodeficiency Virus can be controlled but can’t be cured. Felines with FIV will need therapy for the rest of their existence to enable them to fight off disease. |
| Cancer | Dealing with cancer can take the pattern of radiation, chemotherapy, or surgeries treatment. But, like all cancers, reaching it first is the most crucial thing, so search for any unusual spots or lumps on your feline’s eyes, ears, and skin. |
| Obesity | Contact your veterinarian if you feel your feline may be overweight. Treating your feline to their most-loved foods may get them purring, but your feline’s health is the most crucial thing. |
| Tapeworms | Therapy choices include oral medication or injection, but because felines always get tapeworms as an outcome of gulping a flea, make sure to treat any flea issue your feline has before dealing with tapeworms. |
Facial expressions
Occasionally felines who are in discomfort create a facial expression that is adequately clarified as a distortion. For example, they may appear to have a wide-eyed look or vacant stare. They may also appear half asleep or blink their eyes.
Your feline may also have widened pupils and a commonly weird expression on their complexion. Or your cat may appear to ‘zone out’ and just look blankly. Of course, there are lots of causes why a feline will display one or more of these aspects, so never be too fast to diagnose your feline as uncomfortable if you don’t see any other indications. But if you notice an odd look in your cat’s eyes, it’s maybe best to have them examined by a veterinarian.
Lameness
If your feline is walking lamely, it is not doing so without reason. And that explanation is usually a discomfort. Even if your feline doesn’t have a limp, inspect for other indications like problems in jumping down or up or discovering that it is not worth their action to go to the stairs anymore.
Arthritis is largely underdiagnosed in felines because numerous owners either don’t think or observe or don’t notice or speak of these changes. If you see something different with your feline’s behavior, contact your vet.
Changes in actions of everyday living
You may see restlessness or pacing because your feline cannot find a peaceful spot to lie down. Furthermore, they may repeatedly lie down and get up in an attempt to discover a relaxed position. You may see your cat has decreased endurance or less energy to participate in previously wonderful actions such as play-hunting or chasing toys.
Their back legs may shiver when at rest or standing still. The feline may become unwilling to go down or upstairs. You may see your cat no longer jump up onto window sills, cat trees, or furniture. Finally, your cat may develop sickness from stepping on wet ground.
Changes in Ears or Eyes
A healthy feline should have clear, bright eyes with pupils that fit in size. A varying sized and cloudy film pupils can be indications your feline is in pain. Discharge from your cat’s eyes can also signify common feline illnesses or problems, like parasites or infections.
Your feline’s ears should be unrestricted of any discharge. Also, they shouldn’t display any indications of inflammation, discoloration, or redness. Have your vet check to figure out the reason if you see any issues with your feline’s ears or eyes.
Bad Breath
While your feline’s breath won’t scent minty fresh, it should not make you choke. Terrible breath in felines can be an indication of common feline illnesses, including kidney conditions. Your feline’s gums and mouth should also look healthy with no inflammation or discoloration.
Mouth issues and foul breath can imply tooth decay or gingivitis, which can result in an illness that can direct to heart problems. This is why it’s so crucial to keep your feline’s teeth and mouth in top shape by cleaning every day and planning a yearly dental cleaning.
Discharge of Blood in Stool and Urine
An apparent indicator that a feline is in pain is the presence of blood in their stool or urine. If you see a problem in the feline’s urination habits, i.e., change in regularity, they can be a sign that they are in pain.
Blood in your cat’s stool is a digestive system disorder and is symptomatic of parasitic infections. If your feline vomits blood, you must seek clinical health instantly. Sometimes their vomit comprises a dark brown fluid which is certainly partly digested blood which can signify a serious sickness of the digestive system.
Conclusion
Felines are consummate experts when it comes to disguising their discomfort and pain, but, as a loving cat owner, you can become an expert at discovering even the most indirect indications. Part of being a good cat parent is giving close attention to your cat’s physical condition, habits, and behavior and identifying when something is wrong.
Your cat cannot tell you that it is feeling unwell or in pain. It is up to the pet owner to distinguish the indications listed above and seek a quick examination from their vet.
