The last thing a vet wants to tell a cat owner is that the cat’s pain treatment killed the cat. Yet it happens, even to people who are the most loving cat owners. Here are some tips for recognizing your cat’s pain. Before reaching for that bottle of over-the-counter pain relievers in your medicine cabinet, consider using natural products that have been shown to relieve cats’ pain.
Cats are known to hide pain. After all, they sleep most of the day and when they wake up they immediately give themselves a good stretching tune-up. As you watch her execute a perfect downward facing dog and half moon position, you wonder if cats really invented yoga.
However, now you realize that he is hesitating a bit before jumping off the couch. When she lands, you notice that there is a bit of a limp in her gait. If this is the first time you have noticed the lameness, it may be a temporary pain in the cat, but in cats older than 5 years, the lameness may be a symptom of feline arthritis.
Unfortunately, some people make the mistake of giving their cat the same medication they take for pain relief. One of these, Tylenol, can kill your cat. Don’t be tempted to help your cat with human medications. It is bad medicine.
There is no clear way to tell if your cat is in pain. However, there are some clues:
1. Abnormal sleeping posture
2. Unusual gait
3. Vocalization
4. Persistent licking
5. Unusual behavior of the litter box
6. Decreased appetite
7. Stop preening
When a cat is comfortable, you will notice that he curls up into a ball or even stretches as if he is flying through the air like Supercat in his dreams. These are signs that your cat is comfortable. However, if you notice that your kitty is lying upright with his feet under his body, but he doesn’t seem to be relaxing to you, then he’s tense about something. It could be an outside influence, like another cat picking on her, or it could mean he’s fighting discomfort or pain. He doesn’t feel comfortable enough to relax and this is evident in his posture.
Of course, if your cat limps or howls when you move, that’s a sure sign of cat pain. However, if you notice that he is persistently licking one area, such as his shoulder or toes, then this is a sign that your cat’s joints are in pain. Your cat doesn’t have fingers, so she uses her tongue to massage her aches and pains.
The opposite of this is when your cat stops grooming. This is a sure sign that something is wrong. If he leaves his dinner plate full of food and doesn’t eat, again another sure sign of a problem.
If your cat’s litter box behavior has worsened, this is another sign that something is wrong. It could mean that you have a feline urinary infection, but it could also mean that there is another physical problem. Don’t immediately assume it’s a behavioral problem, especially in an older cat. You must first suspect a physical problem. Cats are notoriously clean animals; when they stop grooming themselves or using the litter box properly, it’s their way of giving you a clear message: get me help!
The good news is that you don’t have to immediately resort to medication to relieve your cat. However, before starting any protocol, talk to your vet. Veterinarians are accused of prescribing pain relievers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat cats’ pain. Talk to your vet about options that don’t involve prescription drugs, but have been proven to help reduce your cat’s pain.
More veterinarians are open to using homeopathic solutions to help kitties deal with illness and pain naturally. One of the benefits of using natural remedies is that you can use them for long-term treatment of cat pain, such as feline arthritis. Osteoarthritis in cats is a progressive disease, and your kitty will need long-term pain relief. Your vet may sell these products, but you can also find them online at homeopathic resources.
