Your dog pauses before climbing the stairs. Your cat no longer jumps onto a favorite windowsill. Maybe your pet sleeps more, avoids being touched, or simply seems less interested in the routines they once enjoyed. These changes can be easy to dismiss as aging, a warm day, or a temporary mood—but they may also be subtle signs of pain.

September is Animal Pain Awareness Month, a reminder that discomfort is not always obvious. Acute pain may appear suddenly, while chronic pain can develop gradually and look like “slowing down.” Recognizing changes early gives your veterinarian a better opportunity to identify the cause and create a plan tailored to your pet.

Late-summer heat often lingers in Richmond, Harvest Green, Aliana, Mission Bend, Sugar Land, and Four Corners, so pets may naturally be less enthusiastic about outdoor activity. The key is to notice whether the change also affects everyday movement, behavior, appetite, grooming, or comfort indoors. Changes that persist can be worth discussing during your pet’s next veterinary visit.

Why Pain Can Be Easy to Miss

Dogs and cats cannot tell us where something hurts, and many pets continue eating, greeting their families, or following familiar routines despite discomfort. Instead of crying or limping dramatically, they may adjust how they move, rest more often, avoid certain activities, or become quieter than usual.

You know your pet’s normal habits better than anyone. A small but consistent change—especially one that lasts, worsens, or appears in several parts of the daily routine—can be meaningful. Cornell University’s guidance on recognizing pain in dogs notes that pain-related behavior may develop gradually, making observations from home especially valuable.

Movement Changes That Deserve Attention

Changes in mobility are among the most recognizable signs of discomfort, but they do not always appear as a clear limp. Watch how your pet gets up, lies down, uses stairs, jumps, walks across different surfaces, and settles into a comfortable position.

• Stiffness after sleeping or resting
• Taking longer to stand up or lie down
• Hesitating before using stairs
• Avoiding the couch, bed, or favorite perch
• Shorter walks or less interest in play
• Shifting weight away from one leg
• Sitting, standing, or sleeping in an unusual position
• Slipping more often on smooth floors
• Licking or chewing one area repeatedly

A change may be more noticeable first thing in the morning, after exercise, or later in the day. Photos or short videos can help your veterinarian see movement that may not appear during the appointment and can provide useful context if diagnostic testing or imaging is recommended after the examination.

Behavior and Daily Routines Can Tell a Story

Pain can affect far more than movement. Some pets become withdrawn, while others seek more attention. A normally affectionate pet may resist being picked up, brushed, or touched in a certain area. Others may seem restless because they cannot find a comfortable position.

• Hiding or spending more time alone
• Irritability, growling, swatting, or unusual sensitivity
• Panting or restlessness while at rest
• Sleeping more—or repeatedly changing positions
• Reduced appetite or enthusiasm for treats
• Accidents in the house or changes in litter box habits
• Less interest in toys, walks, or family activities
• Changes in facial expression, posture, or ear position

One isolated change does not identify the cause. However, several changes together—or a pattern that continues—should not be ignored.

Cats Often Show Pain Differently

Cats are especially skilled at hiding vulnerability. Rather than limping, a cat with joint discomfort may stop jumping as high, use furniture as a “step,” hesitate at the litter box, or groom less thoroughly. Some cats become quiet and reclusive; others become less tolerant of handling.

Cornell’s Feline Health Center explains in its resource “Is Your Cat Slowing Down?” that joint pain in cats can appear as subtle lethargy, more time spent resting, difficulty entering the litter box, avoiding stairs, or reduced grooming. These signs should not automatically be blamed on age.

Because cats may move differently at home than they do in the clinic, a video of your cat jumping, walking, using stairs, or entering the litter box can provide helpful context.

What to Track Before the Appointment

A simple record can help your veterinarian understand when the change began and how it affects your pet. Note whether the problem appeared suddenly or gradually, whether it is better or worse at certain times, and whether anything specific seems to trigger it.

• When you first noticed the change
• Activities your pet now avoids
• Changes in appetite, sleep, grooming, or bathroom habits
• Whether the problem comes and goes
• Recent injuries, falls, procedures, or illnesses
• Photos or videos of the behavior at home
• Current medications and supplements

Do not give your dog or cat a human pain reliever or change an existing medication without veterinary direction. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises pet owners to talk with a veterinarian about pain relievers for pets, because medications intended for people may be unsafe for dogs or cats.

How a Veterinary Evaluation Helps Find the Cause

“Slowing down” is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Discomfort may be related to osteoarthritis, an injury, dental disease, skin or ear inflammation, a surgical condition, or another medical problem. A veterinary evaluation may include a discussion of changes at home, a physical examination, observation of posture and movement, and diagnostic testing when indicated.

Pain management should be individualized. The AAHA Pain Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats recommend assessing behavioral, physical, and contextual signs and using a tailored, multimodal approach when appropriate. That means a plan may combine different strategies based on the source and severity of pain, the pet’s overall health, and their response over time.

Contact a veterinarian promptly when a change is sudden, severe, worsening, follows an injury, or interferes with eating, walking, resting, or normal bathroom habits. Waiting for a pet to cry or stop using a limb can delay the evaluation of a problem that was already affecting their comfort.

Where Pet Laser Therapy May Fit

For some dogs and cats, pet laser therapy may be included as one part of a broader treatment plan. Embrace Veterinary Care uses photobiomodulation—also known as laser therapy—to support appropriate patients experiencing pain and inflammation associated with conditions such as osteoarthritis, certain skin or ear problems, and postoperative recovery.

Laser therapy is non-invasive, but it is not automatically appropriate for every pet or every source of pain. A veterinarian must first evaluate the patient, identify the concern, and determine whether laser therapy fits the individual plan. Pet parents can learn more about laser therapy at Embrace Veterinary Care and how it may be incorporated into veterinary care when appropriate.

Slowing down does not always mean your pet is “just getting older.” Changes in movement, behavior, grooming, appetite, or daily routines may be their way of showing that something feels different. Paying attention to those small clues can help you advocate for their comfort.

If your dog or cat has become less active, more withdrawn, stiff, sensitive, or reluctant to do familiar things, request an appointment with Embrace Veterinary Care. Our team provides personalized veterinary care for pets in Richmond, Harvest Green, Aliana, Mission Bend, Sugar Land, Four Corners, and surrounding communities.