Signs Your Cat Is in Pain and What to Do About It

Signs your cat is in pain can include hiding, eating less, grooming differently, avoiding jumps, a hunched posture or a tense facial expression. These changes can also have other causes, so they are reasons to contact your vet, not a diagnosis you can make at home.

A cat that stops jumping onto the bed or starts hiding under the sofa may be uncomfortable even if it never cries out. Comparing today’s behavior with your cat’s usual habits is often more useful than looking for an obvious limp.

Why cats keep pain to themselves

Cats are small predators that are also hunted by larger animals. In the wild, a cat that looks weak draws attention it doesn’t want, so the instinct is to stay still, stay quiet and carry on as normally as possible. Pet cats haven’t lost the habit.

Purring doesn’t settle the question either. Cats purr when they are content, but many also purr when they are stressed, unwell or hurting. A purring cat can still be a cat in pain.

Everyday behavior that changes when a cat hurts

Pain tends to show up in the things a cat does every day. Some of the most common changes:

• Hiding or withdrawing. Spending more time in cupboards, under beds or in quiet rooms, and less time with the family.
• Grooming changes. A coat that looks greasy, scruffy or matted, often over the lower back and hips where bending hurts. The opposite can happen too: a cat may lick or chew one area over and over, sometimes until the fur thins, when the pain sits underneath it.
• Less jumping and climbing. Hesitating before a jump, choosing lower surfaces, using a chair as a stepping stone or giving up on favorite high perches.
• Litter box trouble. Peeing or pooping just outside the box, often because climbing over the side or squatting is uncomfortable. Other causes are covered in why a cat pees outside the litter box.
• Appetite changes. Eating less, walking away from the bowl, or chewing oddly or on one side, which can point to mouth pain.
• Irritability. Hissing, swatting or biting when picked up or touched in a particular spot, from a cat that used to tolerate it.
• Less activity. Sleeping more, playing less and moving stiffly, especially after a nap.

Posture matters as well. A cat in pain often sits hunched with its back rounded, head low and feet tucked tight underneath, looking tense rather than relaxed.

What a painful face looks like

Researchers at the University of Montreal developed the Feline Grimace Scale, a tool that scores five features of a cat’s face to assess sudden (acute) pain. It has been scientifically validated and is used by veterinary teams, but the ideas behind it are helpful for owners too. Compare your cat’s face now with how it looks on a relaxed day:

• Ears: instead of standing upright and facing forward, they drift apart and rotate outward, or flatten.
• Eyes: the eyes narrow into a squint or look partly closed, even when the cat is awake.
• Muzzle: the area around the mouth and nose looks tense and pulled into a more oval shape rather than soft and rounded.
• Whiskers: rather than curving loosely, they look straight and stiff, and may point forward.
• Head: it hangs below the line of the shoulders or is held tilted down.

Facial expressions need context: sleep, light and other conditions can affect them. The Feline Grimace Scale supports assessment of acute pain; it does not diagnose the cause or rule out chronic pain. Persistent squinting or a closed eye deserves veterinary attention even without other changes. Do not wait for a high score before calling if you are concerned.

Long-term pain: arthritis in older cats

Acute pain may follow an injury, infection, urinary problem or surgery, but its signs can still be subtle. Chronic pain persists over time and may fluctuate; a gradual change in activity can be easy to miss.

Osteoarthritis, a form of degenerative joint disease, is one example. Joint changes are common in older cats, but an X-ray finding alone does not tell you how much pain an individual cat has. A senior cat that sleeps more, stops using the cat tree, grooms less and has the odd accident beside the litter box may not simply be “getting old.” It may be sore.

Arthritis pain can usually be managed. Your vet can recommend pain relief that is safe for cats, and small home changes help too: a litter box with a low entry, steps or ramps up to favorite spots, soft beds in warm places, and food and water where your cat doesn’t have to jump.

Signs that can’t wait

Urgent: take your cat to a vet straight away, including an emergency clinic out of hours, if your cat is straining in the litter box and passing little or no urine (especially a male cat), is breathing with an open mouth or struggling to breathe, suddenly can’t use its back legs or cries out in severe pain, has been hit by a car or fallen from a height, may have swallowed a poison or medication, or has collapsed.

If your cat stops eating, contact your vet promptly rather than waiting for several days. Going without food can seriously affect an adult cat within 24 hours; kittens and cats with existing illness may need help sooner. This is not a waiting period: call as soon as you notice the problem. Do not force food into your cat’s mouth.

Never give your cat human painkillers

Cats process many drugs very differently from people and dogs, so the medicine cabinet is the wrong place to start.

Safety note: acetaminophen (paracetamol, also found in many cold and flu remedies) is poisonous to cats, and even a small dose can be deadly. Ibuprofen can cause stomach ulcers and kidney failure in cats. Aspirin and other over-the-counter pain relievers are also dangerous. Do not give any human or dog medication unless your vet has specifically prescribed it for your cat. If your cat has swallowed any of these, contact your vet or an animal poison control service immediately.

Your vet can select appropriate pain relief after considering the cause, your cat’s health and other medicines. Even prescribed treatments can have side effects, so follow the instructions and ask what changes to report.

Helping your vet find the problem

A cat that limps at home may walk perfectly in the exam room, so a few things make the appointment more useful:

• Write down what has changed and roughly when it started.
• Take short videos on your phone of anything odd: the way your cat walks, jumps or sits.
• Note any changes in eating, drinking and the litter box.
• Keep your cat somewhere quiet and warm with food, water and a litter box close by until the visit.

Getting a sore cat to the clinic calmly makes a real difference, and our advice on choosing a cat carrier and making vet visits less stressful can help. Poisoning can also cause sudden pain and illness, so it’s worth knowing the common plants and foods that are poisonous to cats.

Frequently asked questions

Can a cat be in pain and still purr?

Yes. Cats purr when they are relaxed, but many also purr when they are stressed, ill or hurting. Purring on its own doesn’t mean your cat is comfortable, so look at its behavior, posture and face as well.

What can I give my cat for pain at home?

Nothing from your own medicine cabinet. Human painkillers such as acetaminophen (paracetamol) and ibuprofen are toxic to cats. Keep your cat warm, quiet and comfortable, and ask your vet for pain relief that is safe for cats.

How do I know if my older cat has arthritis?

Common signs include jumping less or choosing lower surfaces, stiffness after resting, a scruffy coat over the back and hips, sleeping more and accidents near the litter box. These are often mistaken for normal aging, so ask your vet to check for arthritis.

Sources and further reading

• Université de Montréal: Feline Grimace Scale guidance and limitations
• FDA: Get the Facts about Pain Relievers for Pets
• Cornell Feline Health Center: Anorexia
• Cornell Feline Health Center: Is Your Cat Slowing Down?
• Cornell Feline Health Center: Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

This guide provides general education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. See our Pet Health Disclaimer and Editorial Policy. Editorial update: September 27, 2026.