Is Your Cat Ill? Signs to Watch Out For

As a caring cat owner, you will get to know your cat pretty well. As a result, you should be able to spot when things aren't quite right. In order to keep her as healthy as possible, you will need to keep a look out for signs of possible illness. These may not always be immediately apparent, as cats tend to hide signs of illness or injury as they feel vulnerable exposing weakness. This is why so many sick or injured cats find somewhere private and hide away.

As a rule of thumb, book a vets appointment if you are in any doubt. Don't ignore symptoms and hope that they will go away, as many symptoms could indicate a potentially life threatening problem, which if caught early could be easily treated. Also note that the symptoms your cat displays could indicate a number of possible illnesses, so it can be very difficult to try to diagnose this yourself.

Some of the main symptoms to watch out for are;
Loss of appetite; cats' appetites do tend to vary from day to day, but if her appetite remains poor over a few days, this could indicate a problem. If your cat is always thirsty, this could indicate kidney problems or even diabetes.

Diarrhea; especially if this lasts for more than a few days.

Constipation or difficulty urinating. This is easier to spot if she uses an indoor litter box. Is she spending longer in there than usual without passing feces/ urine? She may also cry in pain whilst trying to pass stools or urine. A change in toilet habits or going to the toilet in inappropriate places could also indicate a problem.

Blood in stools or urine; consult your vet straight away if you see this.

Vomiting; some cats, particularly long haired cats, will vomit up hair balls, which can easily be identified by the twisted knots of hair in the vomit. This could be reduced by regular grooming and possibly a cod liver oil supplement. Any prolonged or excessive vomiting should be a cause for concern.

Scratching; excessive ear scratching could indicate ear mites. General scratching could indicate an allergy to flea bites, or a skin condition. Check your cats coat regularly for signs of flea droppings, rashes or bald patches.

Discharge from nose, ears or eyes.

Check your cats teeth and gums regularly; if the gums are very pink and she has bad breath, this may indicate a condition such as Gingivitis.

Excessive sneezing. It is natural for cats, like us, to sneeze every so often if something has irritated the nasal passages, but excessive sneezing can indicate a problem such as cat flu.

Finally, monitor your cats behavior as a change in this can indicate a problem. She may become withdrawn or lethargic and listless; my cat tends to hide under the bed if she is not feeling well. She may no longer show an interest in being petted. Look for signs of pain or discomfort when you pet or handle her.

If symptoms persist for longer than a day or so, book a vets appointment. For more severe symptoms such as pain, discomfort or blood in stools/ urine, make this a priority. If you are not sure whether symptoms indicate a problem or not, you could always call your vet for advice.

For peace of mind, you should consider getting your cat inoculated against potentially fatal diseases, and keep up to date with her yearly shots. If you intend to board her, most kennels insist on seeing an up to date inoculation certificate.