Why Does My Cat … Mask That He's in Pain?- Provided by
VetStreet.com If you’ve ever watched your kitty pounce on a
catnip mouse, you’ve seen the vestiges of his wild, predatory
nature. Since the rule among predatory creatures is “eat or be
eaten,” cats instinctively hide their pain as a survival
mechanism to prevent other predators from viewing them as weak
or vulnerable. Granted, your cat probably doesn’t have to hunt
down any of his meals, and you likely don’t resemble anything
close to a hungry wolf or a hawk, but the instinct remains. For
years, people mistakenly assumed that because cats didn’t show
pain, they didn’t feel pain. Now we know that simply isn’t true.
The nervous system of a cat is relatively similar to that of a
human, so it stands to reason that what is painful for people is
probably painful for felines. But a behavior that's protective
in the wild can be problematic in the home, making it difficult
for owners to know when a pet is in pain. Signs Your Cat May Be
in Pain The rule of thumb: A