Dr. Liz Bales sheds light on why cats tend to mask pain or illness and the importance of routine veterinary visits.
According to Liz Bales, VMD, cats are “lonely survivors” because not only are they self-sufficient, but they also tend to hide pain or illness from everyone – including their owners. To raise public awareness of cat pain, Basepaws and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) have partnered with Bales to educate owners about the importance of getting their cats to the vet regularly.
“In [a cat’s] Mind, showing pain or weakness only makes them more likely to be someone else’s dinner. Your cat doesn’t know if it just showed you [pain], you would help, “explained Bales.
She found that pet owners who don’t see any outward signs of pain or illness usually assume their pet is fine when in reality their cat may be suffering silently. Educating customers about the specialized techniques veterinarians use to examine cats can help increase the number of veterinary visits and ultimately protect the health of cat patients.
Check out the full video below to learn more about Bales’ insights into cats hiding pain or illness, as well as the benefits of frequent vet visits.
