Discover the Causes of Pain in Cats

Conditions and Diseases that Can Cause Pain in Cats

• Cancer 
• Arthritis
• Eye conditions
• Urinary tract blockage
• Bladder inflammation (cystitis)
• Kidney stones or bladder stones
• Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
• Inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis)
• Inflammation of the small intestine (enteritis)
• Oral, gum and tooth diseases or tooth fracture
• Tissue complications: tissue death or loss of blood supply

Other Causes of Pain in Cats

Surgery

It’s becoming increasingly common for vets to treat anticipated pain before cat surgery. Read ‘What You Need to Know About Cat Surgery’ here.

Injury

• Hit by a car
• Exposure to extreme heat or cold
• Scratched or bitten by another cat
• Eye trauma – from an accident or an attack
• Animal attack – bitten or injured by a dog or wild animal
• Feline Aortic Thromboembolism (FATE) – a complication from heart disease
• Poisoning – from human medications and food, plants, insecticides and other chemicals
• Gastrointestinal obstruction – blockage in the stomach or intestines, including from linear foreign bodies such as string, carpet or plastic

Infection

• Ear infections
• Bacterial infections
• Urinary tract infections
• Cat fight wound infections

Injuries and infections tend to be more common in outdoor cats.

Pain Medication

Talk to your vet about the best ways to manage your cat’s pain. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can play a vital role in pain relief for cats.