Our furry companions can’t tell us when they’re hurting using words. Instead, they rely on subtle, and sometimes not-so-subtle, changes in their behavior and appearance to signal discomfort or pain. As responsible pet owners, learning to recognize these signs is crucial for ensuring their well-being and getting them the help they need promptly. Animals, particularly cats, have a strong instinct to hide pain, a holdover from their wild ancestors where showing weakness could make them vulnerable. This means we need to be extra observant.
Understanding Pain Signals: More Than Just Crying Out
While whimpering, yelping, or crying can certainly indicate pain, especially if it’s sudden and sharp, many animals suffer in silence. Chronic pain, like that from arthritis, might develop gradually, and the signs can be easily missed or mistaken for normal aging. It’s essential to look beyond the obvious vocalizations and pay attention to shifts in routine, posture, and overall demeanor.
Think about your pet’s normal baseline. What’s their usual energy level? How do they typically greet you? What are their eating and sleeping habits? Any deviation from this established norm could potentially signal an underlying issue, including pain.
Common Signs of Pain in Dogs
Dogs often express pain more openly than cats, but the signs can still vary widely depending on the individual dog, the type of pain, and its location.
Behavioral Changes in Dogs
- Reduced Activity: Less interest in playing, walking, or interacting. Sleeping more, seeming lethargic. Hesitation to jump on furniture or climb stairs.
- Changes in Temperament: Becoming unusually aggressive, nippy, or fearful when approached or handled, especially near a potentially sore area. Conversely, some dogs become more clingy.
- Restlessness: Pacing, difficulty getting comfortable, frequently changing positions.
- Changes in Appetite or Drinking: Eating or drinking less than usual. Pain can cause nausea or make accessing food/water bowls difficult.
- Excessive Licking or Chewing: Constantly focusing attention on a specific body part, sometimes leading to hair loss or raw skin in that area.
- Changes in Grooming Habits: A previously well-groomed dog may start to look unkempt if pain makes grooming difficult.
- Hiding or Seeking Solitude: Wanting to be left alone, hiding under furniture or in quiet corners.
- Inappropriate Urination or Defecation: Pain might make it difficult to get outside quickly or to posture correctly for elimination.
Physical and Postural Signs in Dogs
- Limping or Lameness: Obvious difficulty putting weight on a limb. This might be consistent or intermittent.
- Stiffness: Difficulty rising after lying down, reluctance to move, a stiff gait.
- Altered Posture: Hunched back, lowered head, tail tucked tightly. Protecting a certain area of the body.
- Muscle Trembling or Shaking: Can occur even when not cold or scared.
- Panting: Increased or heavy panting even when at rest and not hot.
- Swelling: Visible swelling around joints, limbs, or other body parts.
- Changes in Eyes: Squinting, dilated pupils, a worried or glazed expression.
Vocal Cues in Dogs
- Whimpering, Yelping, Crying: Especially when moving or being touched.
- Growling or Snapping: Warning signals when approached or handled.
- Groaning: Audible groans when lying down or getting up.
Recognizing Pain in Cats: Masters of Disguise
Cats are notorious for hiding pain. Their signs are often much more subtle than those seen in dogs, requiring keen observation. Any change in a cat’s established routine or behavior warrants attention.
Behavioral Changes in Cats
- Hiding: This is one of the most common signs. A cat in pain will often withdraw and seek secluded, quiet places.
- Reduced Activity/Lethargy: Sleeping more, less interaction, reluctance to jump up or down from surfaces. Decreased interest in playing.
- Changes in Grooming: Either decreased grooming (leading to an unkempt, matted coat) or excessive grooming (over-licking a specific painful area, sometimes causing bald patches).
- Changes in Litter Box Habits: Urinating or defecating outside the litter box. This can happen if it’s painful to get into or out of the box, or to posture correctly. Straining or crying in the box can also indicate pain or a medical emergency.
- Changes in Appetite or Drinking: Eating or drinking less. Sometimes, a change in food preference occurs.
- Personality Changes: Becoming uncharacteristically aggressive, irritable, or fearful. Avoiding contact or petting. Conversely, some cats may become unusually needy.
- Reluctance to Move: Hesitation before jumping, using shorter jumps, or avoiding jumping altogether. Stiffness upon waking.
Pay Attention to Subtle Shifts! Changes like hiding more often, being less interested in favourite treats, or hesitating slightly before jumping might seem minor.
However, in cats especially, these subtle deviations from normal behaviour are often the earliest indicators of discomfort or pain.
Never dismiss these changes as just ‘getting old’ without consulting a professional.
Prompt veterinary attention can make a significant difference in managing pain and addressing the underlying cause.
Physical and Postural Signs in Cats
- Altered Gait or Limping: Often very subtle. May look like slight stiffness or an uneven rhythm when walking.
- Changes in Posture: Hunching over, keeping feet tucked underneath them, head lowered. Guarding a part of their body.
- Squinting or Changes in Eyes: Eyes held partially closed, pupils dilated, a ‘glazed over’ look.
- Tail Flicking: Rapid or agitated tail flicking when resting can sometimes indicate irritation or pain.
- Muscle Tremors: Less common than in dogs but can occur.
- Panting or Open-Mouth Breathing: This is often a sign of severe distress or pain in cats and warrants immediate veterinary attention.
Vocal Cues in Cats
- Changes in Vocalization: Unusual meowing (more frequent, louder, lower-pitched), growling, hissing, or even purring. Yes, sometimes cats purr when they are in pain or stressed, not just when content.
- Crying Out: Less common than in dogs, but may occur with acute, severe pain.
What To Do If You Suspect Pain
If you notice any of these signs, especially if they represent a change from your pet’s normal behavior, it’s crucial not to ignore them. Don’t attempt to diagnose the problem yourself or administer human pain medications, as many are highly toxic to pets.
The best course of action is always to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. Describe the specific changes you’ve observed in detail – when they started, how frequent they are, and what seems to trigger them. Videos of the behavior can also be very helpful for your vet. Your veterinarian can perform a thorough examination, potentially run diagnostic tests, determine the cause of the pain, and recommend an appropriate and safe pain management plan tailored to your pet’s specific needs.
Being attuned to the subtle language of pain in our dogs and cats allows us to be better advocates for their health and comfort, ensuring they receive the care they deserve when they need it most.
