'Hidden' sign your cat is in pain that could be 'easy to miss'

Pet owners have been urged to pay attention to their cats' whiskers, as doing so could help them spot a sign their beloved pet is in pain. The advice was shared by Dr Jones, a natural pet health advocate, author, and former veterinarian, who regularly shares advice on his Facebook and YouTube channel,

Posting a video for his 1.3 million subscribers, the animal health expert advised cat owners to check their pet's whiskers. Dr Jones said: "Do you know that your cat's whiskers can help tell if your cat is in pain?

"There's a veterinary scale called the feline grimace scale, and it looks at our cat's facial expressions to assess their degree of pain." He then explained the signs to look out for, using his cat Cassian as an example.

"One part, it's the appearance of their whiskers. If the whiskers are like Cassian, where they're sort of relaxed and hanging down, this is a sign of a cat is pretty relaxed and happy, not experiencing any pain.

"But if his ears were slightly flattened, his cheeks get tucked in, his whiskers, they almost stick more straight out, that's a sign of a cat who's very uncomfortable and in pain. So, if your cat's face looks different and his whiskers are sticking straight out, he might be in pain."

If you suspect your cat is in pain or if you have any concerns about their health, reach out to your vet right away. Cats Protection warns that cats are 'experts at hiding when something is wrong', so the signs that something is wrong could be 'very subtle' and easy to miss.

While different diseases have different symptoms, there are some general signs that could indicate your cat is unwell. Pet owners should watch out for:

• hiding more
• drinking more or less than usual
• being off their food
• sleeping more than usual
• sudden weight loss
• change in their grooming habits

The experts said: "Sometimes we can't do anything to stop our cats getting poorly, but the good news is there are a lot of illnesses we can prevent. A lot of cat diseases can easily be prevented by getting your cat vaccinated and making sure to get regular booster jabs. Cat flu, feline parvovirus and FeLV can all be kept at bay through regular vaccinations."

The advice continued: "Keeping your cat healthy and feeding them the right diet can go a long way to warding off certain illnesses. Diseases like diabetes and arthritis are more likely if your cat is overweight, so keeping them slim and active can help to prevent these from developing.

"Keeping your cat healthy and feeding them the right diet can go a long way to warding off certain illnesses. Diseases like diabetes and arthritis are more likely if your cat is overweight, so keeping them slim and active can help to prevent these from developing.

"Getting regular flea and worming treatments from your vet will help fend off unwanted parasites. It's important to get a good treatment.