It can sometimes be difficult to tell if a cat is in pain. It is in their nature to hide pain, ailments or other weaknesses as they can then be easy prey. To protect themselves, they will consciously try to hide their pain away. However, unconsciously they do radiate signals. Changes in behaviour, facial expression or eating behaviour are important signals that you as a cat owner will notice pretty quickly. We list some of them for you so that you know better what to look out for.

Recognising pain from your cat's behaviour

• Retreat: When a cat is in pain, he will tend to hide because he actually prefers to be left alone. So he may suddenly retreat to places where he never normally sits and react to stimuli with fright or even flee if you come closer to him.
• Washing less: Does your cat suddenly look a bit unkempt? If so, it could be that your cat is in pain and therefore starts washing less. The reverse is also possible. If there is a specific place that it starts licking extremely, then it could be that it is in pain just there.
• Reduced interest: Are moving things or birds suddenly no longer interesting? Your cat may lie with his eyes closed more often and will look around less to see what is happening around him. He will also not be motivated to play.
• Listlessness: A cat in pain will be less active. For example, he will jump less well or high, be more sleep, walking around less. If you notice that your cat is abnormally quiet and only lies down, something may be going on. When in pain, your cat may also stretch and stretch less to avoid additional pain. Thus, you can see that he might have trouble getting up or walking.
• Not wanting to be touched: Does your cat suddenly start barking or biting when you want to stroke him, brush him, pick him up? He may not tolerate these touches or actions very well. So he will indicate this with a meow or scowl. It could also be that he suddenly comes less close to you.
• Less appetite: When a cat is not feeling well, it may start eating less or even stop eating and drinking altogether. This can quickly become a major problem. So your fluff ball's eating behaviour is definitely an important observation.
• Aggression: Your sweet home tiger may suddenly turn into an angry, grumpy cat that will react aggressively to your attempts at interaction.
• Use of the litter box: When a cat suddenly starts looking for another place to do its business, it may not be able or willing to go in the litter box anymore. This could either be due to stress or pain, including when he still pees in the litter box but no longer buries it.

Recognising pain by his posture and facial expression

When a cat experiences pain, he will try to adopt a comfortable position that causes as little pain as possible, and you may notice that he suddenly stops lying in a ball or sleeping in his normal position. For instance, he may suddenly find himself sitting in a sort of crouched position, with tense muscles. Also, when his head hangs a little lower or his back is more arched, this can be a sign of pain. You can also tell how a cat is feeling from his face. With closed or half-open eyes, flat ears, taut whiskers and mouth, you will see that your cat has a different facial expression.

So it is important to know your cat well and thus know when he starts behaving differently and abnormally. If you keep a close eye on your pet tiger, you can get to it quickly and schedule a visit to the vet. This way, something can be done quickly about the pain and its cause. So proper observation is definitely an important part of the care of your pet cat.