Signs Your Pet Is in Pain — How to Read What They Can't Tell You

In the wild, showing vulnerability invites predators. Thousands of years of domestication haven't erased this survival instinct. Both dogs and cats are hard-wired to mask discomfort — which means by the time you notice something obvious, the pain may have been building for weeks or months.

Cats are especially skilled at hiding pain. A landmark study found that cats with confirmed fractures showed no visible signs of distress in over 60% of cases during standard veterinary exams. Dogs are somewhat more expressive, but still far more stoic than most owners expect.

"The absence of crying or whimpering does not mean the absence of pain. I wish every pet owner understood this one principle — it would prevent so much unnecessary suffering." — Dr. Sarah Chen, DVM

Dogs express pain through a combination of behavioural changes and physical signals:

Behavioural Changes

• Reduced activity — reluctance to walk, play, or climb stairs
• Appetite loss — skipping meals or eating more slowly
• Withdrawal — hiding, avoiding contact, not greeting you at the door
• Aggression when touched — snapping, growling, or flinching when a painful area is approached
• Restlessness — pacing, inability to settle, frequent position changes
• Excessive licking — repeatedly licking a specific area (even when there's no visible wound)
• House-training regression — accidents indoors can signal pain during posturing

Physical Signs

• Limping or favouring a limb — even intermittent limping warrants investigation
• Stiffness after rest — slow to rise, especially in the morning (see our senior activity tips)
• Panting when resting — pain-related panting without exercise or heat
• Trembling or shaking
• Hunched posture — arched back, tucked abdomen
• Changes in facial expression — tightened muscles around the eyes and muzzle (the "grimace scale")

Cat pain signals are subtler and easier to miss. The Feline Grimace Scale — a validated tool developed by veterinary researchers — identifies five facial markers, but behavioural clues are equally important:

Behavioural Changes

• Hiding more — retreating under beds, into wardrobes, or behind furniture
• Reduced jumping — no longer reaching favourite high spots, or jumping in stages (arthritis is the most common cause)
• Reduced grooming — matted, unkempt fur, especially along the back
• Over-grooming one spot — bald patches or irritated skin over a painful area
• Litter tray avoidance — pain stepping over high sides, or pain while posturing
• Purring — counterintuitively, cats sometimes purr when in pain (a self-soothing mechanism)
• Loss of appetite — even skipping one meal is noteworthy for cats

The Feline Grimace Scale

• Ears — flattened or rotated outward
• Eyes — squinted, partially closed
• Muzzle — tense, less rounded
• Whiskers — pushed forward and away from the face
• Head position — lowered, below the shoulder line

If you see three or more of these facial changes, pain is very likely present.

Puppies and Kittens

• Teething pain (3–6 months)
• Gastrointestinal upset from dietary indiscretion
• Injuries from rough play or falls
• Growing pains (panosteitis) in large-breed puppies

Adult Pets

• Dental disease — affects 80% of pets by age 3 (dental care guide)
• Ear infections — one of the top reasons for vet visits (ear infection guide)
• Musculoskeletal injuries — sprains, strains, ligament tears
• Urinary issues — especially in male cats

Senior Pets

• Arthritis — the most common source of chronic pain (cat arthritis, winter protection)
• Cancer-related pain
• Spinal issues — intervertebral disc disease
• Organ-related discomfort — kidney disease, pancreatitis (senior care guide)

See a Vet Within 24 Hours If:

• Persistent limping lasting more than a few hours
• Refusal to eat for more than one meal (cats) or one day (dogs)
• Visible swelling, heat, or tenderness in any area
• Behavioural changes lasting more than a day
• Vocalising when touched or moving

Seek Emergency Care Immediately If:

• Sudden inability to walk or stand
• Acute abdominal pain — pacing, retching, bloated belly (potential GDV in dogs — life-threatening)
• Severe trauma — hit by car, fall from height, dog attack
• Continuous crying or screaming
• Sudden paralysis of hind legs (especially in cats — potential aortic thromboembolism)

Well-meaning owners sometimes make pain worse. Avoid these common mistakes:

• Never give human painkillers — ibuprofen, paracetamol (acetaminophen), and aspirin are toxic to pets. Paracetamol is fatal to cats even in small doses
• Don't assume they'll "walk it off" — limping that persists beyond 24 hours needs a vet
• Don't ignore subtle changes — "He's just getting old" is the most dangerous assumption in pet care. Age is not a disease — pain is treatable at any age
• Don't share another pet's medication — doses are weight-specific and species-specific
• Don't wait and see for more than 48 hours — chronic pain becomes harder to manage the longer it goes untreated

When in doubt, a quick conversation with a vet — or a check with Rio — is always better than guessing.