Signs your cat is in pain

Cats evolved as both predator and prey. Showing weakness made them a target, so they hide pain well. Often until they're seriously unwell. A cat in pain rarely cries out. You see small shifts in behaviour, posture, and routine instead. The job is to notice them.

Changes in behaviour

The first signs are behavioural and easy to miss.

Hiding. A cat that suddenly spends the day under the bed, or picks a closet over its usual spots, is often hurting. Sociable cats withdraw. Already-shy cats become invisible.
Reduced grooming. A coat that looks dull or unkempt, especially along the back or hind end, often means the cat is sore and can't twist comfortably.
Over-grooming one area. The opposite signal. Cats lick at painful joints, bellies, or wounds. A bald patch on one leg or the belly warrants a look.
Irritability. A previously affectionate cat that swats, hisses, or bites when you touch a specific spot is telling you it hurts there.
Reluctance to be picked up. Especially if the cat tenses or yowls when lifted.

Changes in posture and movement

How a cat holds itself and moves is one of the more reliable tells.

Hunched, tucked-in sitting posture. Sides drawn in, head low, feet under the body, eyes half-closed. This is the classic "sick cat" pose. Take it seriously.
Reluctance to jump. Cats with sore joints, back pain, or abdominal pain stop jumping to favourite spots, or they pause longer before doing it. Older arthritic cats show this first.
Stiffness on standing or walking. Watch the first few steps after the cat's been lying down. A slight wobble or limp that warms out is still worth noting.
A change in gait or limping at any age, even if intermittent.
Sitting in unusual places. Cats with abdominal pain sometimes press their belly against cool surfaces.

I missed this one with my old boy for a few months. He stopped jumping onto the bed at night. I assumed he was just getting lazy. He had arthritis in his hips and a course of gabapentin gave him back two good years. Don't assume "getting old" when you mean "in pain."

Facial expressions

Subtle but real. Vets use a scoring system called the Feline Grimace Scale, and you can read the same cues at home:

Ears flattened or rotated outward when there's no noise or threat to explain it.
Squinting or half-closed eyes outside of a relaxed dozing context.
Whiskers pushed forward or held tight to the face instead of fanned out.
Tension in the muzzle. A tight, slightly bunched mouth.

A relaxed cat's face is loose. A painful cat's face is tight.

Eating, drinking, and the litter box

Routine changes are some of the clearest signals because you can measure them.

Reduced appetite. A cat that walks up to the bowl, sniffs, and walks away is often nauseous or in pain. Skipping more than one meal in a row warrants attention.
Eating on one side of the mouth, dropping food, or pawing at the face. Dental pain.
Increased or decreased water intake. Both can flag pain or systemic illness.
Straining in the litter box, or going outside the box. See litter box problems for working through this.

Vocalisation

Most cats in pain go quieter, not louder. There are exceptions:

A new, persistent meow, especially at night or when entering or leaving the litter box.
Yowling when picked up or touched.
Purring in unusual contexts. Cats purr to self-soothe as well as out of contentment. A cat purring while hunched in a corner is not a happy cat.

When to act

You don't need certainty to call the vet. If two or more of the signs above show up together, or if any single sign is severe (collapse, non-stop vocalising, refusing food for more than 24 hours), book a same-day appointment. For emergencies — sudden inability to use a leg, suspected trauma, signs of a urinary blockage — head straight to the emergency vet.

Trust the small signals. By the time a cat is obviously in pain, it's usually been hurting for a while.