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Is your cat suffering

I don't always show my pain
Karla Kirby

Felines tend to mask their pain when they are be it injury or illness.
There is a limited quantity of medical options available for feline pain relief.
Most of the medications used to treat pain in dogs are not safe for cats.
Pain can cause loss of appetite, which for cats can be a matter of life and death in a remarkably short amount of time.

Chronic pain can cause inactivity and loss of general quality of life for your cat. It can also threaten the special bond you share with your kitty if her/his personality or behavior changes or she/he as a result becomes aggressive.

Also, when pain isn’t managed efficiently, it can progress from what is referred to as adaptive pain which is caused by a specific condition or injury to pain that is maladaptive. Maladaptive pain is its own disease and must be handled in addition to routine pain management.

Maladaptive pain can be of much longer length of time than normal pain and significantly more challenging to treat, so it cant be stressed enough how important it is that your cat is seen by a veterinarian as soon as you even slightly suspect the presence of a painful condition.

Hiding pain is an inborn response for felines in the wild. A cat in pain is viewed as weak and vulnerable by other cats and predators.

Since your mollycoddled indoor house cat isn’t all that far removed from her wild cousins, she/he responds to pain the same way they do, simply by not showing it.
Happily, a tuned-in pet parent who knows what to look for can make a fairly accurate guess when a cat is hurting.

Signs can include hiding, being unusually quiet and withdrawn, loss of appetite, irritability, refusal to lie down and sleep, aggressive behavior, personality change, swift breathing, hissing, biting, running when certain parts of the body are touched, running away, increased heart rate, and an awkward gait.

Most cats in pain do not vocalize their suffering; nevertheless, if your cat almost never cries but abruptly starts, it very well could be a sign there's something painful going on.

The most common causes of pain in cats include: Injury or trauma, GI tract disturbances, dental infections and diseases, infections of the eyes, ears, skin, Urinary tract disease, surgery, diseases of the back or spine, cancer or other major diseases.

It is crucial to keep a close vigil on your cat, watch for the signs and call your veterinarian as soon as possible. It could save a very important life.