Animals do not cry out the way people do. In the wild, showing weakness invites attack, so a dog or cat in pain will often go quiet, hide, and carry on. By the time an animal is visibly suffering, the problem is usually well advanced.
Learning to read subtle changes is one of the most valuable skills an owner or rescuer can develop. It is also one of the most useful things you can teach someone who has just adopted a rescue animal.
The behaviour changes that matter most
Pain rarely announces itself. It shows up as a difference from the animal's normal behaviour. Watch for a cluster of changes rather than any single sign.
Dogs:
- Becoming withdrawn or unusually clingy
- Reluctance to climb stairs, jump into a car, or get up from lying down
- Slower on walks, lagging behind, or refusing the usual route
- Pacing, restlessness, or an inability to settle
- Panting at rest, with no heat or exercise involved
- Licking one spot repeatedly — a paw, a joint, the base of the tail
- Growling or snapping when touched in a specific area
- Loss of appetite, or eating more slowly
- Trembling, especially in the hind legs
- Accidents in the house in a previously house-trained dog
Cats:
- Hiding under furniture, in cupboards, or behind the sofa
- Sitting in a hunched position with the head lowered
- Reduced grooming, or over-grooming one patch until the fur thins
- Avoiding jumps they used to make
- Changes in litter box use — going outside the box, straining, or crying
- Irritability when picked up, particularly around the belly or back
- Eating less, or dropping food while eating
- Sleeping more, and in different places
- A tail that twitches or thumps when the area is approached
Posture and movement
A painful animal changes how it carries its body.
- Hunched back often points to abdominal pain
- Head pressing against a wall or furniture can indicate neurological pain or illness and needs urgent veterinary attention
- Stiff, shortened stride suggests joint or spinal pain
- Carrying a limb or refusing to bear weight indicates injury
- A tucked abdomen can signal back or belly pain
- Reluctance to turn the head may indicate neck pain or an ear infection
Video is your best tool here. Take thirty seconds of footage of the animal walking towards and away from you. Vets can spot a limp from a video that is invisible in a consulting room, where the animal is tense and on a slippery floor.
The facial signs
Research on pain in animals has identified a set of facial changes, sometimes called the grimace scale:
- Ears flattened or rotated outwards
- Eyes narrowed or squinting, with tension around the brow
- Whiskers pulled back or downwards (in cats)
- Muzzle tense, lips drawn back slightly
- Head held lower than usual
These signs are subtle and easy to miss on a dark-coated animal. Compare against a photo of the same animal when it was comfortable.
Appetite, thirst, and toilet habits
Changes here are often the first sign of pain from dental disease, gastrointestinal problems, or urinary issues.
- Dropping food, chewing on one side, or refusing hard food — dental pain
- Drinking more, or urinating more frequently — several possible causes, all needing a vet
- Straining in the litter box with little output — a urinary blockage in a male cat is a life-threatening emergency
- Diarrhoea or constipation that persists more than 48 hours
The "just not right" feeling
Owners are usually correct when they sense something is off. If your animal is not behaving like itself for more than a day or two — quieter, hungrier, thirstier, sleeping in unusual places, or simply different — book a vet appointment. You do not need to identify the problem; you only need to notice that there is one.
What to do while you wait for the appointment
- Do not give human painkillers. Ibuprofen and paracetamol are toxic to dogs and cats and can cause fatal organ damage at doses that seem tiny.
- Restrict movement if you suspect a limb or spinal injury.
- Keep a note of when the changes started, what you have observed, and anything the animal ate or did differently. This history is genuinely useful to the vet.
- Do not force handling. A painful animal may bite even if it has never bitten before. Use a towel or a muzzle for examination and let the vet do the hands-on work.
Pain in rescued and street animals
A rescued animal often arrives with chronic pain that has been present for weeks or months — an old fracture, dental disease, ear mites, or a wound that healed badly. These animals may not show dramatic signs because they have adapted to living with discomfort.
This is why a full veterinary examination matters after every rescue, even when the animal "seems fine". A dental check, a thorough ear inspection, and a hands-on assessment of joints and spine frequently uncover problems that were invisible from a distance.
Frequently asked questions
Do dogs cry when in pain? Sometimes, but many go silent. Whining, whimpering, and restlessness are more common than crying, and some dogs become completely quiet.
Why does my cat hide when it is hurt? Hiding is a defensive instinct. An injured cat feels vulnerable, and a small, enclosed space feels safer than an open room.
Can I use my own leftover medication? No. Never give prescription or over-the-counter human medication to an animal without veterinary direction.
How long should I wait before seeing a vet? If the change has lasted more than 24 to 48 hours, or if the animal is not eating, is vomiting, is straining to urinate, or is reluctant to move, see a vet immediately.
Safety note. This guide is general information for animal owners and rescuers, not veterinary advice. If an animal is collapsed, struggling to breathe, bleeding heavily, or fitting, contact a veterinarian immediately.