Pets

How to Tell If Your Pet Is in Pain

Rive News Research Desk

Published October 16, 2026 · 9 min read

Key takeaways

Compare against your pet's own normal: any clear change in behaviour is the earliest pain signal.
Watch five channels: appetite, activity, grooming, mobility, and sound or face.
Never give human painkillers to pets: ibuprofen and acetaminophen can poison dogs and cats.

Dogs and cats cannot say where it hurts. They show it instead, in small shifts that are easy to miss. A dog that greets you at the door every evening and suddenly stays on its bed is telling you something.

A cat that grooms for an hour a day and stops is telling you something too.

This article explains why pets hide pain, how to use a behaviour-change framework to spot it, what physical signs to watch, how dog and cat signs differ, and what to do when you suspect pain.

A dog sleeping curled up on a soft bed — A dog sleeps curled up on a soft bed. A sudden change in sleep habits can signal painPhotograph: Dina Nasyrova / PexelsImage: Pexels

Why pets hide pain

Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience linked to actual or potential tissue damage. That is the standard definition used by the International Association for the Study of Pain. In animals, the experience itself cannot be measured directly.

Vets and owners must read it through behaviour.

Many animals hide pain by instinct. In the wild, showing weakness draws predators and costs status. Pets keep some of that instinct at home.

Pain also comes in two speeds. Acute pain follows an injury or surgery and is usually obvious: limping, crying, guarding a spot. Chronic pain builds slowly, as with arthritis or dental disease, and hides inside habits.

That is why the baseline matters. You are the expert on your own pet's normal day. No vet sees the greeting at the door, the usual nap spot, or the normal appetite.

Your job is to notice when normal shifts, and to report the shift clearly.

The behaviour-change framework

Use one question: what changed, and when. A single odd evening means little. A pattern over two or three days means a lot.

Note the date, the change, and anything that happened just before, such as a fall, a new food, or a vet visit.

Check five channels, one by one.

Appetite: a sudden drop in interest in food, eating slowly, dropping kibble, or chewing on one side can signal mouth pain, nausea, or belly pain. A pet that begs for food but walks away from the bowl is giving a clear clue.

Activity: a playful pet that stops playing, a walker that stops at the corner, or a cat that stops jumping onto the windowsill may be hurting. The reverse also counts: a quiet pet that paces, circles, or cannot settle may be restless with pain.

Grooming: over-grooming or licking one spot can point to pain underneath, such as joint or skin pain. A cat that stops grooming, leaving a matted or messy coat, may be too sore or too tired to keep up. Both directions matter.

Social behaviour: a friendly pet that hides, a cuddly pet that growls when touched, or a distant pet that suddenly clings can all be pain signals. Pain changes how animals handle contact. A dog that snaps when its hip is touched is guarding a sore spot, not being rude.

Sleep: sleeping far more than usual, or far less, can signal pain. A pet that cannot find a comfortable position, shifts all night, or sleeps in a new spot may be avoiding pressure on a sore area.

Write the changes down before you call the vet. A short log beats a vague worry. "Ate half her dinner for three days, stopped jumping on the bed on Tuesday, growled when I touched her right hip" is a report a vet can act on.

A pet that is suddenly scared of fireworks or thunderstorms can look similar, with hiding and trembling. Fear usually fades when the noise stops. Pain does not.

Physical signs to watch

Mobility signs are the most visible. Limping, stiffness after rest, trouble standing up, trouble sitting or lying down, and reluctance to climb stairs or jump all point to joint, muscle, or bone pain. Older pets often show these first in the morning, then loosen up as the day warms.

Posture tells its own story. A dog with belly pain may stand hunched, with its back arched and its tail tucked. A cat in pain may crouch with its feet tucked under its body and its ears flat.

A pet that guards one area, licks it, or will not let you touch it is localising the problem for you.

Face and breathing change too. Panting with no heat or exercise, squinting, glazed eyes, large pupils, or a tense, grimacing face can all signal pain. Cats may purr when in pain as a self-soothing behaviour, so do not assume purring means a cat is content.

Rapid or shallow breathing is another flag.

Toileting changes count. A pet that urinates or defecates outside the litter box or usual spot may be in too much pain to get there, or may have pain when going. Straining, blood in urine, or tiny frequent pees needs a fast vet call, not a wait-and-see week.

Drooling, weight loss, and a dull coat round out the picture. Any one sign can have many causes. Two or three together, arriving at the same time, deserve a vet visit.

This article is for general information, not medical advice. A vet who can examine the animal is the only safe judge.

Dog signs versus cat signs

Dogs tend to show pain more openly than cats. A dog in pain may whine, whimper, groan, or yelp when touched or when moving. Dogs may pant heavily, pace, tremble, or lick a sore area until the fur thins.

Some dogs go quiet and withdrawn. Others get clingy and follow their owner from room to room.

Dogs also show pain in appetite and play. A dog that refuses a walk, lags behind, or lies down mid-route is worth a vet check. A dog that guards its food bowl more fiercely than usual may have mouth pain that makes eating hurt.

Cats hide pain more deeply. The classic cat signs are hiding, sleeping more, skipping the litter box, and stopping grooming. A cat that stops jumping to favourite high spots may have joint pain.

A cat that suddenly bites when picked up may have belly or back pain.

Watch a cat's face. Squinting, flattened ears, and a tense mouth can signal pain even when the cat sits still. The Feline Grimace Scale, a tool vets use, scores exactly these facial cues.

Owners do not need to score it formally. Noticing that the face looks different from usual is enough to prompt a call.

New pets add a twist. A puppy that chews everything in the house is usually teething or bored, not in pain. A kitten that hides after meeting a new dog is usually stressed, not hurt.

Context decides which explanation fits.

A cat and a dog sleeping together on a bed — A cat and a dog sleep together on a bed. Cats often hide pain, so quiet changes matterPhotograph: Helena Jankovičová Kováčová / PexelsImage: Pexels

What to do when you suspect pain

Stay calm and keep the pet comfortable. Move food, water, and a bed within easy reach. Avoid stairs, jumping, and rough play until the vet has seen the animal.

Do not press on a guarded spot to test it.

Call the vet and give your log: what changed, when it started, and what the pet looks like now. Mention appetite, water, toileting, and any vomiting or diarrhoea. Ask whether the pet should come in today.

Treat these as emergencies: trouble breathing, collapse, uncontrolled bleeding, a swollen or hard belly, straining to urinate with nothing coming out, seizures, or a pet that cannot stand. Do not wait for a morning appointment with any of these. Go to the vet or an emergency clinic at once.

At the clinic, expect questions, an exam, and possibly tests. The vet may check joints, teeth, belly, and skin, and may order blood work or X-rays. Treatment depends on the cause.

Follow the plan and keep logging changes at home.

What never to give

Never give a pet human painkillers unless a vet tells you to. The US FDA warns that pain relievers meant for people may not be safe in dogs, because the drug may last longer, be processed differently, be absorbed faster, and reach higher blood levels. Cats are at even greater risk, since they break down some drugs poorly.

Ibuprofen, sold as Advil or Motrin, can cause stomach bleeding and kidney damage in pets at small doses. Acetaminophen, sold as Tylenol, is deadly in cats. Naproxen, sold as Aleve, is toxic to dogs and cats.

Aspirin is risky too, and cats should never get it without a prescription. Do not reach for the medicine cabinet. Call the vet.

If your pet swallows a human painkiller by accident, call the vet or a pet poison helpline at once. Bring the packet so the vet can see the dose. Fast action matters more than guilt.

Do not wait for symptoms.

Left-over pet medicine from another animal is also off limits. Doses differ by species, weight, and condition. What helped one dog can harm another.

The same goes for supplements and herbal remedies: ask the vet first.

A dog sleeping curled up in a soft pet bed — A dog sleeps curled up in a soft pet bed. Resting more than usual can be a pain signalPhotograph: PexelsImage: Pexels

Frequently asked questions

My dog still wags its tail. Can it still be in pain?

Yes. Tail wagging is not a pain test. Dogs in pain often still greet their owners, eat, and wag.

Look at the full picture: appetite, activity, mobility, and grooming, not one gesture.

My cat purrs a lot. Does that mean it is fine?

Not always. Cats purr when content, and also when stressed or in pain, as a self-soothing behaviour. If purring comes with hiding, appetite loss, or a tense face, treat it as a possible pain sign.

How do I tell pain from old age?

Old age itself does not cause limping, hiding, or appetite loss. Those signs point to a cause, such as arthritis or dental disease, that a vet can often treat. Do not write off a change as just age without a check.

Should I wait a few days to see if it passes?

For mild, single signs with a clear cause, such as a soft limp after a long hike, a day of rest is reasonable. For repeated signs, combined signs, or any emergency sign, call the vet now. When in doubt, call.

The bottom line

Your pet's normal day is the baseline, and any clear change in appetite, activity, grooming, mobility, or mood is the earliest pain signal you will get. Log what changed and when, keep the pet comfortable, and call the vet with a clear report. Never give human painkillers.

Pain in pets is common, often treatable, and far easier to help when it is caught early.

Tags: pets, dogs, cats, pet health

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