How to Tell If Your Cat Is in Pain: What to Notice and When to Call Your Vet

Maybe your cat is quieter than usual.

Maybe they flinched when you touched a place they normally love having scratched.

Maybe they stopped jumping onto their favorite chair.

Or maybe there isn't one obvious symptom at all. They're just… different.

That uncertainty can be hard, especially with cats, because they are extraordinarily good at hiding discomfort.

So rather than trying to answer the frightening question—

“Is something seriously wrong?”

—start with a smaller, more useful one:

“What has changed?”

That gives you something concrete to observe, document, and share with your veterinarian.

Cats evolved as animals that benefited from concealing vulnerability. As a result, they may mask discomfort even when they aren't feeling well.

A cat experiencing pain may still:

• Purr
• Eat meals
• Walk around
• Come to you for affection
• Behave normally for periods of time

So, you aren't necessarily looking for a dramatic display of pain.

You are often looking for a pattern of subtle changes.

That is not a reason to panic. It is a reason to pay attention.

There isn't one checklist that tells you what every comfortable cat looks like.

Your cat has a baseline.

Maybe they have always slept sixteen hours a day. Maybe they have never been especially playful. Maybe they routinely disappear under your bed every afternoon.

That may be completely normal for them.

What matters is when something begins to change.

One change does not tell you what is wrong.

But a clear change from your cat's normal, particularly when several changes occur together, is useful information to bring to your veterinarian.

Pain doesn't always announce itself with crying or vocalizing.

Sometimes you can see it in the way a cat holds their body or face.

Veterinary researchers have developed the Feline Grimace Scale, which evaluates facial changes associated with pain.

Changes you may notice in the face

Watch for:

• Squinting or partially closed eyes rather than soft, relaxed eyes
• Ears rotated outward, backward or flattened
• Whiskers pulled tightly back or held tensely forward
• A tense-looking muzzle
• The head held lower than usual

Changes you may notice in the body

You might see:

• A hunched or crouched posture
• Limbs tucked tightly underneath the body
• Stiffness or unusually slow movement
• Reluctance to put weight on one leg
• Limping
• Hesitation before jumping
• Refusing to jump altogether
• The tail held low or close to the body

Again, think change, not perfection.

A position your cat has used for their entire life is different from a posture that suddenly appears along with other behavioral changes.

This can be confusing because we associate purring with a happy cat.

But a purring cat is not necessarily a pain-free cat.

Cats can also purr when stressed or uncomfortable.

At the other end of the spectrum, an increase in yowling, crying, hissing or growling can be important—particularly when it occurs during movement or when a specific area is touched.

The useful question is the same:

Is this normal for my cat, or is this new?

Most subtle changes warrant observation and a conversation with your veterinarian.

Some signs are different.

Seek veterinary or emergency veterinary attention promptly if your cat is:

• Straining to urinate or unable to produce urine, particularly a male cat
• Open-mouth breathing or panting
• Collapsing or unable to stand
• Dragging the hind legs
• Showing pale, white, blue or yellow gums
• Suddenly crying out in severe pain
• Developing a visibly distended or rigid abdomen
• Losing consciousness or becoming unresponsive

These are not “let's see how things look tomorrow” situations.

Call your veterinarian or an emergency veterinary hospital.

This is where many pet parents get stuck.

Nothing looks catastrophic.

But you know something isn't quite right.

Instead of trying to solve the entire medical mystery yourself, collect useful information.

1. Write down what changed

Ask yourself:

• When did I first notice this?
• Has it gotten better, worse or stayed the same?
• What exactly is different?
• Did anything happen just before it started?

2. Track the basics

Make a note of:

• Eating
• Drinking
• Urination
• Bowel movements
• Activity
• Grooming
• Sleep
• Hiding
• Interaction with you

You don't need perfect records. You're looking for a pattern.

3. Take a video

This can be enormously helpful.

Cats have a frustrating habit of suddenly looking completely fine once they arrive at the veterinary clinic.

If your cat is walking strangely, hesitating before jumping, holding their body differently or behaving unusually, take a short video at home if you safely can.

4. Call your veterinarian

You do not have to know whether something “deserves” an appointment before you call.

Tell the practice exactly what has changed and how long it has been happening. They can help guide you on the appropriate next step.

And remember:

You aren't expected to diagnose your cat.

Your job is to notice.

Your veterinarian's job is to evaluate what those observations may mean.

Before you call your vet, try completing these sentences:

• My cat normally: ____
• What changed: ____
• I first noticed it: ____
• It seems to be getting: better / worse / staying the same
• Changes I've noticed in eating, drinking or litter-box habits: ____
• Other behavior that feels unusual: ____

That little bit of structure can be surprisingly helpful, especially when you're worried and your brain suddenly forgets every useful detail the moment someone answers the phone.