Cats hide pain by instinct, not by choice. A wild cat that limps or favors a paw signals weakness to predators and to rivals competing for territory, so the animals that survived long enough to become house cats descend from ones that concealed injury well. That instinct does not switch off on a sofa. The result is that many cats in real pain, including treatable arthritis, simply look to their owners like they are slowing down with age.
Slowing down is not a diagnosis, it is a symptom
A cat that sleeps more, jumps less, and plays for shorter stretches is often described as mellowing out. In a lot of cases, especially in cats over seven or eight, that description is covering for joint pain that has never been evaluated. Arthritis in cats is common and consistently under-detected, partly because cats compensate so well: they find lower perches, take routes that avoid stairs, and adjust their own movement long before anyone notices an actual limp.
Grooming changes in both directions
Watch for grooming that drops off — a coat that gets duller, flakier, or matted in spots the cat used to keep clean, especially around the hips and lower back, which can mean bending and stretching has become uncomfortable. The opposite pattern is a signal too: focused overgrooming or licking at one specific area, sometimes to the point of bald patches, often points to localized pain or irritation at that site rather than a grooming habit.
Posture, movement, and the furniture they stopped using
Note a hunched or tucked-up posture at rest, hesitation before a jump the cat used to make without pausing, jumping to a lower surface first instead of going straight to the usual spot, or avoiding a favorite windowsill or bed altogether. A change in how a cat gets down, not just up, is often the earlier and clearer signal, since landing loads the joints more than the jump itself does.
Appetite, litter box habits, and hiding
Pain changes behavior around food and the litter box in ways that are easy to misread. Reduced appetite, eating more slowly, or a new reluctance to bend into a low bowl can point to mouth or neck discomfort. Straining, vocalizing, or going just outside the box can mean the box itself, or the posture needed to use it, has become uncomfortable rather than the box being the problem. General hiding, reduced interest in interaction, or irritability when touched in one specific spot are also worth logging rather than dismissing as mood.
The face gives it away, if you know where to look
Veterinary researchers use grimace scales for cats that score tension around the ears, eyes, and muzzle. Flattened or rotated ears, a squinted or tightly closed eye, and a tense, drawn muzzle are all measurable markers of pain, not just a look. You do not need training to use this: a cat whose face looks different, tighter or more withdrawn than usual, in photos or in person, is giving you real information.
Before your next checkup, or sooner if something feels off now, track the specifics:
- Which surfaces or heights your cat now avoids, and since when.
- Any new licking, biting, or bald spots at a specific location on the body.
- Changes in appetite, eating speed, or interest in food.
- Any change in litter box use, including straining or going just outside the box.
- A short phone video of your cat walking, jumping down from a low height, and getting in and out of the litter box.
None of the signs above point to a specific condition on their own, and none of this is a substitute for an exam. If you have noticed two or more of these changes, book an appointment with your veterinarian and bring your notes or video along — this article is not veterinary advice.
