Pain in pets often goes unnoticed. Unlike us, many pets don’t vocalize discomfort clearly—they adapt, hide, or subtly change their behavior. According to the latest guidelines published by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and recent veterinary studies, identifying pain in dogs and cats requires observing posture, activity, facial expression, and behavior over time—especially at home.1 

We’re walking you through the major pain indicators for dogs and cats, how to read subtle changes, and steps you can take (and share with your vet) to improve your pet’s comfort and quality of life.

Why recognizing pain matters

• Untreated pain doesn’t just hurt; it can degrade mobility, behavior and long-term health (e.g., chronic joint disease, neuropathic pain, visceral pain).

• Because pets don’t always show obvious signs, you—as the person who sees them daily—are in the best position to spot gradual changes.

• Early detection and intervention (via your vet) can reduce the need for more aggressive treatments later, improve recovery, and boost your pet’s comfort.

Common pain signs in dogs

1. Mobility and posture changes

Look for:

• Limping, favoring one limb, tricky time getting up/down, reluctance to climb stairs.2

• Altered posture: tail lowered/tucked, back arched/hunched, head held down.3

• Stiffness after rest, slower walk, hesitation.

2. Behavioral and social changes

• Less play-drive, more time resting or hiding; appetite loss.

• Increased irritability, growling or snapping when touched where once they were fine.4

• Excessive licking/chewing of a spot (could be a “hot spot” or underlying pain).

• Altered facial expression: glazed eyes, pinned ears.2

3. Other signs

• Vocalizing: whimpering, groaning, whining for no obvious reason.

• Sleep changes: restless, difficulty settling, waking up more often.

• House-accidents when previously house-trained (due to discomfort).

What to do

• Document what you observe (videos, notes of times when movement changed).

• Bring those observations to your vet—behavior at home is often more telling than what happens in an exam room.4

• Request a pain assessment: physical exam, gait assessment, possibly imaging if mobility is involved.

• Ask about a “multimodal” pain plan (medication, physical therapy, weight management).

Common pain signs in cats

Cats are more subtle than dogs in showing pain, so changes can be easy to miss or attribute to “old age.”

1. Behavior and grooming

• Hiding more often, avoiding being handled or petted in places they once tolerated.5

• Less grooming (coat becomes unkempt) or over-grooming/chewing one spot.

• Lowered appetite, preference for soft food, dropping food more often.

• Less jumping/climbing (especially if they used to love perches).

2. Posture and facial indicators

• Hunched back, abdomen tucked, head/neck stretched forward.3

• Facial grimace scale (ears back/outward, muzzle tension, whisker change) is now validated for cats.

• Withdrawal from interaction, changes in eye expression, tail tucked or low.

3. Other signs to watch for

• Change in litter-box habits (due to pain when getting in/out or posture to urinate).

• Sleep pattern changes (more time sleeping, less time active).

• Vocalization changes (more meows when touching/leaving room, or less vocal than normal).

What to do

• Because cats hide pain, if you notice subtle changes, don’t wait. Bring your observations to the vet.

• Ask for a careful exam—check joints, dental pain, abdominal/organ pain.

• Monitor at home: note how many times your cat jumps/drops, eats, grooms.

• Ask about a “pain threshold” plan even if imaging looks “normal.” Radiographs may show normal in cats with pain.1

Important updates and nuances

• Chronic / “maladaptive” pain is a growing focus: data shows many dogs with behavior complaints actually have underlying pain that isn’t obvious in the clinic but is expressed behaviorally at home.4

• Visceral pain (from organs) is more common than many think. One paper suggests around 20% of dogs and 14% of cats presented to a referral hospital had pain, and a significant portion was visceral.6

• Validated pain-assessment tools: There are now validated scales for cats and better tools for dogs. These help vets and owners document pain more objectively.3

• Your observations matter more than a single clinic snapshot: As mentioned, many signs are subtle and only visible in day-to-day life.

What you can do as a pet parent

• Baseline behavior inventory:

  • For dogs: Note how they walk, how many stairs they climb, how they lie down/up, their play level.

  • For cats: Record how many jumps, how they groom, how they use vertical space, how they move about the house.

• Weekly check-in: Choose one time each week to observe your pet for signs of change (mobility, grooming, appetite, behavior).

• Log observations: Keep a simple notebook or app to note changes: “Day 1: played for 10 min; Day 7: avoided stairs; Day 14: less grooming.”

• Share with your vet: Bring your log/notes and videos to vet visits—they provide context beyond the snapshot exam.

• Ask for pain evaluation: If you notice any persistent changes (limping, hiding more, jump avoidance), ask “Could this be pain?” rather than attributing it immediately to age or behavior.

• Discuss pain-management options: Weight control, joint supplements, pain medications, physical therapy, enrichment and gentle movements all help.

• Environment adaptation: Make life easier for pets in pain. For dogs: ramps, harnesses, soft beds; for cats: lower steps, easy access to litter box and perches.

• Follow-up & reevaluate: If a pain plan is started, indicate to your vet you’ll monitor how your pet behaves differently.
  
  

Pain in pets is often silent, gradual and falsely attributed to “just ageing” or “behavioral changes.” By paying close attention to posture, movement, grooming, interaction, and choices your pet makes at home, you can detect pain earlier. Early intervention improves outcomes, quality of life, and strengthens the bond you have with your pet.

When in doubt: trust your instincts, document what you see, and bring it to your veterinarian. Your pet may not tell you they’re hurting. However, they are telling you in ways you can learn to read.

1 AAHA
2 Cornell Vet College
3 CVMA
4 PMC
5 MedVet
6 London Vet 2025