Science Digest: Does feline personality affect pain assessment with two validated pain scales?
16 October 2025
Although validated pain scales are widely used to assess pain in cats, their reliability may be affected by other factors, including temperament, personality traits and emotional states, which are subtle and context-dependent. This makes it particularly challenging for veterinary professionals to evaluate and accurately interpret feline acute pain.1
A new study, by researchers at the Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, and published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, has investigated whether feline personality affects the scores obtained with two validated pain scales – the Glasgow Feline Composite Measure Pain Scale (CMPS–Feline) and the Feline Grimace Scale (FGS) – in cats undergoing surgical neutering.1
The CMPS–Feline integrates facial expressions and spontaneous and evoked behaviours both during and without interaction. The FGS is based on cats’ facial expressions and the evaluation of specific facial features, such as ear position, orbital tightening, muzzle tension, and whisker and head positions.
A total of 29 healthy, client-owned or fostered cats were recruited for the study. All were scheduled for elective neutering through the primary care service at the Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital (QVSH) of the University of Cambridge.
After admission to the hospital and at least 12 hours of acclimatisation, the cats’ personalities were assessed with the Feline-ality Assessment2 by the same investigator, and assigned as either ‘independent’ or ‘social’, based on their score and personality type. A second independent investigator then assigned FGS and CMPS–Feline scores and measured the mechanical thresholds with a mechanical algometer before and after neutering. Following the assessments, a standard elective neutering surgery (either ovariectomy via flank laparotomy or orchiectomy) was performed. Surgeries and general anaesthesia were unremarkable, with no perioperative complications, and all cats were discharged on the evening of surgery.
Based on the personality assessment, 14 of the 29 cats were assigned to the ‘independent’ group and 15 to the ‘social’ group. Preoperatively, the independent cats had higher CMPS–Feline (2.8 ± 1.6) and FGS (0, range 2–1) scores than the social cats (1.3 ± 1.2 and 0, range 0–0, respectively). Postoperatively, CMPS–Feline (P = 0.011) and FGS (P = 0.009) scores were higher in the independent cats (3, range 3–5 and 2, range 1–3, respectively) than in the social ones (2, range 1–3 and 1, range 0–1, respectively). Mechanical thresholds didn’t differ between personality groups either preoperatively or postoperatively.
These results show that feline personality affects the reliability of both the CMPS–Feline and FGS. In particular, cats classified as independent scored higher than social cats even preoperatively, when they were presumably without pain, suggesting that both pain scales may have lower accuracy and reliability in cats with an independent personality.
Limitations of the study are the cats not being acclimatised for 18 hours, as recommended in the Feline-ality manual and training guide; the relatively young age of some of the cats in the study; the absence of multiple observers for each type of assessment; and difficulties in standardising the study population regarding surgical stimulation, as well as intra- and postoperative nociception and pain (although efforts were made to standardise preoperative pain evaluations).
Take home message
Feline personality influences the outcome and reliability of behaviour-based pain assessment scales (both the CMPS–Feline and FGS). This should be considered when using these scales to assess perioperative pain and to titrate analgesic drugs to effect. In particular, pain may be overestimated in independent cats, potentially resulting in unnecessary administration of analgesics.
References
1Cadariu A & Adami C (2025) Effects of feline personality on pain assessment with two validated behaviour-based scales. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 27(7). doi:10.1177/1098612X251349718
2American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (2013) Feline-alityâ„¢: Meet Your Matchâ„¢ adoption program. Available at:Â https://www.aspcapro.org/sites/default/files/Feline-ality%20Guide_PRO.pdf