New research reveals 20 signs your cat could be in pain. Pet parents, especially cat owners are very familiar with the way that their cat looks and feels. We know their habits, their whereabouts, what they like, and what they don’t like. The one thing we don’t understand is when our cat might be not feeling so hot, or even in pain. Our sneaky feline friends do an excellent job at hiding when they might not be feeling their best. Understanding what these changes mean can be trivial.
We’ve compiled some signs displayed by cats which could indicate that they aren’t feeling their best.
- Change in dietary preference (e.g., preferring soft or other particular food)
- Change in eating behavior (e.g. gulping food, eating on one side)
- Change in rate of eating—more quickly or more slowly
- Hunched up posture (when standing or moving)
- Avoiding bright areas
- Sensitive to Light
- Salivating
- Increase respiratory rate
- Licking or biting a particular body region or damaged area
- Lips drew down or back
- Shifting of weight
- Straining to urinate
- Tail Flicking
- Trembling or shivering
- Vocalizing when yawning
- Vocalizing while eating
- Vomiting
- Low-grade tail twitching
- Lowered head posture
- Reluctance to move
As these are behavioral signs that you cat may be uncomfortable, ‘necessary’ signs will include multiple of these signs. Recognizing these signs can help make major progress in diagnosing your pet, therefore helping them either eliminate or maintain their pain. And as stated previously, our cats are exceptional about hiding when they aren’t feeling well, so please bring your kitty into see us if they start to exhibit any of these behaviors regularly.
Have questions? Contact the El Gato Veterinary Hospital staff immediately!