How To Find Out If Your Cat Is In Pain

 

Pain occurs as a result of stimulation of specific nerve endings, and most of the time is one of the earliest signs of progressing sickness. It may be poisoning, injury, infection or inflammation. When we experience pain, we can complain about it to a doctor, but cats can not speak, and it is our duty to learn to determine when our cat is experiencing pain.

♦ If the cat is limping, or keeps one of the legs up when seated - its leg is hurt.

♦ If you accidentally stepped on the healthy leg of your cat, he will respond to that with a loud "meow". But if your cat hisses at you or even attempt to bite and scratch when you touch its leg - it is, most likely, injured. Calm the cat down and examine its legs.

♦ If your cat meows plaintively when it lays down or gets up, it may be experiencing pain in the joints. (For example - arthritis.)

♦ Irritation or pain in the anal glands often forces cat to drag its buttocks on the ground. It will also constantly examine the sore spot by licking it.

♦ Pain in the eye forces the cat to constantly rub its eye with a paw, or rub it against random object.

♦ If a cat experiences pain in the ear, he will tilt its head, attempting to press down the sore ear to the ground, also will shake his head repeatedly.

♦ If the pain is lurking in the cats mouth, its jaw will shiver a little, and it will have noticeable salivation.

It is much more difficult to determine if the cat is suffering from back pain or headache. Sometimes the only symptom of malaise may be subtle changes in its behavior.

The cat is experiencing back pain if:

♦ It is limping, but the limbs are not damaged.

♦ Snarls, when you pet him along the back.

♦ Trembles, when gets up and/or arches his back.

♦ When he can barely keep himself on his feet during bowel movements.

♦ Periodically settles on the back of the body.

The cat is experiencing a headache if:

♦ Squints his eyes without obvious reasons.

♦ Presses its forehead against random objects.

♦ Periodically repeatedly shakes his head.

♦ Looks at you blankly.

The cat is experiencing a pain in internal organs if:

♦ Spends most of the time lying down.

♦ Behaves restless, constantly lurking around the house as if they lost something.

♦ Strains abdominal muscles or stands in crooked position.

♦ Can not empty the bowel, despite multiple efforts.

♦ Becomes aggressive and irritable, won't let anyone near himself.