One of the most important things to understand about cats is that they are exceptionally good at not showing pain.
This is not stubbornness or stoicism. It is a survival strategy rooted in evolution. A cat that visibly displays weakness in the wild becomes a target. So cats have developed a hardwired tendency to mask pain, suppress distress signals, and continue functioning as normally as possible even when something is significantly wrong.
The result is that pain in cats is genuinely easy to miss. And nowhere is this more problematic than in senior cats, where the signs of pain are frequently attributed to normal ageing and dismissed without investigation.
The distinction matters enormously, because pain is treatable. Ageing is not.
Why Senior Cats Are Undertreated for Pain
Estimates from published feline research suggest that between 40 and 92 percent of all cats may show clinical signs associated with degenerative joint disease, with prevalence significantly higher in older cats. The shoulders, hips, elbows, knees, and ankles are the most frequently affected joints.
Despite this, feline arthritis remains one of the most underdiagnosed conditions in companion animals. Part of this is because cats do not limp the way dogs do. Part of it is because the behaviour changes associated with feline pain are subtle, gradual, and very easy to attribute to the cat simply getting older.
The 2021 AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage Guidelines are clear on this point: behaviour changes in senior cats that owners describe as just old age are frequently symptoms of pain or disease rather than natural ageing. Dismissing them as inevitable delays both diagnosis and treatment.
Here are five signs that deserve attention rather than acceptance.
1. Reduced Jumping or Climbing
A cat that used to leap onto the bed or sofa and now no longer does is one of the most reliable early indicators of musculoskeletal pain. Owners frequently describe this as the cat just getting lazier.
What is actually happening is that the take-off or landing required for jumping has become painful. The cat has learned to avoid it. You may also notice your cat taking a longer, indirect route to get somewhere they used to jump to directly, or using furniture as intermediate steps.
Changes in jumping and climbing behaviour are listed specifically in the Life Stage Guidelines as key indicators of degenerative joint disease and warrant a vet conversation rather than acceptance.
2. Changes in Grooming
A cat that has stopped grooming certain areas, particularly the lower back, base of the tail, and hindquarters, may be finding those areas painful or difficult to reach due to joint stiffness.
The result is often a coat that looks dull or matted in specific regions toward the tail end. This pattern of selective under-grooming is meaningfully different from general coat decline.
Some cats in pain will over-groom a specific area as a response to localised discomfort, producing patches of thinned or absent fur. Either change in grooming pattern in a senior cat is worth noting and raising with a vet.
3. Personality and Behaviour Changes
A cat that has become more withdrawn, less interactive, quicker to react with irritation or aggression, or less interested in activities they previously enjoyed may be experiencing chronic pain.
Pain has a well-documented effect on temperament in cats. A cat that hisses when picked up and previously did not, that no longer seeks company, or that reacts sharply to being touched in areas they previously accepted is often communicating physical discomfort rather than a personality change.
Feline behaviour research notes that illness and pain can significantly worsen anxiety and negative emotional bias in cats. What reads as a grumpy older cat is frequently a cat that is hurting and has limited ways to say so.
4. Changes in Litter Box Habits
A cat that starts eliminating outside the litter tray, particularly one that has been reliably clean for years, is sending a signal worth investigating.
There are several pain-related reasons this happens. A tray with high sides becomes difficult to step into when joints are painful. A tray placed in a location that requires stairs or jumping becomes a deterrent. The posture required for elimination may itself be uncomfortable.
Before assuming this is behavioural, the Life Stage Guidelines recommend ruling out medical causes including urinary tract disease, constipation, chronic kidney disease, and degenerative joint disease. A simple physical adjustment alongside appropriate veterinary treatment often resolves the issue entirely.
5. Changes in Activity, Sleep, and Appetite
A senior cat that sleeps significantly more than usual, has reduced interest in food, moves more slowly, or seems generally flat and low-energy may be experiencing pain-related fatigue or the malaise that comes with an untreated health condition.
These changes are easy to attribute to normal ageing because they match what we expect from an older animal. But the Life Stage Guidelines emphasise that changes in appetite, activity level, and daily habits are key diagnostic indicators in mature adult and senior cats, not things to accept as inevitable.
A cat that has become quieter, slower, and less engaged with daily life deserves investigation, not normalisation.
The One-Third Rule
A useful principle: if your senior cat has changed meaningfully in the past third of their life, something is worth investigating. Gradual changes are easy to normalise because you adapt to them incrementally. Looking at your cat now compared to six months ago, rather than compared to yesterday, often makes the change visible in a way that prompts appropriate action.
Pain management in cats has improved significantly. Effective options now include long-term anti-inflammatories, environmental modifications, and newer targeted treatments for osteoarthritis. A cat identified and treated early can have a significantly better quality of life than one whose pain is attributed to age and left unaddressed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do I know if my cat is in pain?
Cats rarely vocalise pain obviously. Look for behavioural changes: reduced jumping, changes in grooming, increased withdrawal or irritability, litter box avoidance, and decreased activity or appetite. Any of these in a senior cat warrants a vet conversation.
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Is it normal for older cats to slow down?
Some reduction in activity is expected with age, but significant changes in mobility, grooming, social behaviour, or appetite are not simply normal ageing. They are often signs of treatable pain or disease.
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Can cats have arthritis?
Yes, and it is very common. Research suggests that between 40 and 92 percent of cats may show clinical signs associated with degenerative joint disease, with prevalence much higher in older cats. It is frequently underdiagnosed because cats do not limp as obviously as dogs.
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My cat has started going outside the litter box. Is this a behaviour problem?
Not necessarily. In senior cats, litter box avoidance with no prior behavioural history is often pain-related. Painful joints make it difficult to step into a high-sided tray or access a tray in a difficult location. Consult your vet before assuming it is behavioural.
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At what age should I start watching more closely for pain?
The 2021 AAHA/AAFP Life Stage Guidelines recommend vet visits at least every six months for cats over ten years. Increased vigilance from around seven years onwards, when cats enter the mature adult stage, is advisable.
Your cat's behaviour is always telling you something
Understanding what is normal for your individual cat and noticing when that changes is one of the most important skills you can develop as a cat owner. It applies to pain, to stress, and to all the daily signals your cat sends about how they are feeling.
Neko Neko's 3 Pillars of a Happy Cat workshop covers how to read your cat's behaviour and body language so you can tell the difference between a cat that is fine and one that is trying to tell you something. Run by Shelby Doshi, The Cat Whisperer Singapore®, it is a two-hour class for cat parents who want to understand what they are actually seeing at home.
Sources
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Ramos, D. (2019). Common Feline Problem Behaviors: Aggression in Multi-Cat Households. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 21, 221–233.
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Quimby, J. et al. (2021). 2021 AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage Guidelines. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 23, 211–233.
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Taylor, S. et al. (2022). 2022 ISFM/AAFP Cat Friendly Veterinary Environment Guidelines. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 24, 1133–1163.
