Why is my overweight senior cat hissing when I touch his back?

Cats can get arthritic just like dogs. If this is a new behavior I would have your veterinarian do an exam and she may need medication for pain control. I would not give her any pain medication at home as it can be very toxic to cats.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It probably does not hurt but it is more uncomfortable which is a possible reason why Clover does not like that. However, the other possibility to consider is that he may be uncomfortable from another reason such as abdominal pain. If other signs such as crying out in pain, decreased appetite, nausea and/vomiting are seen, have him evaluated by your veterinarian to ensure that there is nothing else going on such as a pancreatitis, gastroenteritis, among others. Good luck!

I'm sorry Piglet is having this problem. There are a few things that come to mind with Piglet. Since he is overweight, we commonly see skin problems along the lower back of overweight cats that can't groom themselves normally. Your vet can do some simple tests to evaluate for yeast or bacterial infection that could be causing Piglet to be itchy. We also see something called Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome where cats are overly sensitive along their lower back. This condition may require medication to resolve. Here is more information on that. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3000 I would recommend taking Piglet to your vet and get their opinion. Hopefully this is something that can be treated and return Piglet to his normal self. Good luck! I hope that was helpful! Thank you for using PetCoach.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Most cats do not like to be touched past the head normally. But of this is a sudden behavioral change I would recommend a Vet exam since she is getting older. They can see of she is more painful than normal in her back and be sure she hasn't lost weight. There are glucosamines/chondriotins for cats like Dasuquin and Cosequin. In the mean time don't pet her where she doesn't like. Cats do get ramped up if we keep doing things they don't like. https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3571 https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=26149

If only Sadie could talk! It's hard to know if this is a behavioral quirk, indicates she does not like being picked up or if there is some sort of discomfort involved. If she has not yet been checked for a spinal abnormality, I recommend to have this done. If no issues are found, this may be her unique way of talking to you. Here are a couple ideas of things you can do to try to maintain her happiness: https://www.petcoach.co/article/4-ways-to-play-with-your-cat/ Here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Using a Feliway diffuser and setting aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play for your cat will also help to keep her stimulated. Lastly, keeping her litter area extremely clean will also help to keep her happy. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

This is commonly due either to akin problem or to ostheoarthritis (OA) affecting the hips and back legs joints. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antiinflammatory medications may be needed for OA. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

If this is new behavior it is possible that this is a sign of pain. Being overweight can lead to problems like arthritis, but while I can tell from your pictures that Ali is beautiful I'm not sure if he seems overweight. I'd recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian to bring up your concerns. From an exam your veterinarian should be able to let you know whether or not Ali would benefit from weight loss and may be able to determine if he seems painful as well.