If you see any of these changes in your cat, it may or may not be due to pain. This is a guide, and one tool of many to help us determine if a pet is experiencing pain. It must be used in conjunction with a thorough veterinary exam and history. If, after filling in this form, you are worried that your cat is experiencing pain- please reach out to our team or your veterinarian. We can help guide you on the appropriate next steps. In many cases, we may be able to significantly improve comfort and quality of life.
The pain scale is divided into sections of increasing levels of pain:
1-2 (mild pain), 3-4 (moderate pain) , 5-6 (moderate to severe), 7-8 (severe), 9-10 (worst pain possible).
Within each one of these sections you will see corresponding behaviours that your cat may show if they are experiencing that level of pain. Each one of these behaviours (ie. breathing) will change and become increasingly more severe as pain intensifies. For example, in the top left corner of each box, you will see the letter ‘B’ which stands for ‘Breathing’. Score your cat for each behaviour in the section of pain you think they fit into. This will give you an overall idea of whether your cat may be in pain and need veterinary attention. Whichever box the majority of your ‘ticks’ fit into, this is the most likely level of pain your cat is experiencing.
This pain scale was developed by Dr. Shea Cox, a certified ‘Veterinary Pain Practitioner’ & certified Hospice and Palliative Care Veterinarian from Pet Hospicecat
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