Lethargic Or Unusually Hyper
While a change in energy level may seem like a very vague sign of illness, it can be a sign of certain health conditions.
For instance, hyperthyroid cats are often very active, while cats that seem lethargic may be suffering from arthritis or many other illnesses. A change in energy level may seem to happen all of a sudden, or it may become gradually more noticeable over time.
Early Signs Of Illnesses In Cats
Dr Sharma says as a cat parent, there are a few more things that you may observe as early signs.
– You may notice your cat having a sudden lack of interest in things or activities they earlier enjoyed, or a sudden change or slow down. In such cases, notify your veterinarian right away and schedule a check-up or telemedicine visit.
– The cat may sit in a slumped stance, move less smoothly than before, fail to elevate its head properly, or carry its tail in an abnormal manner. Sometimes, it could even be a combination of symptoms rather than a single symptom.
– If your cat isn’t feeling well, you may also notice a sudden weight loss, which is a strong warning sign. You will notice it more easily if your cat has otherwise been healthy.
– A sudden loss of appetite, decreased water consumption, or dehydration in your cat could indicate that medical attention is required.
– If you notice a difference in the way your cat feels when you run your hands over their ribs and spine, or if you notice frailty or they seem to be less affectionate or more easily irritable, consult your veterinarian at the earliest.
“However, ultimately, prevention is always better than a cure, and so, if you make sure to check up on your cat’s health on a regular basis, you can avoid situations like this,” concludes Dr Vinod Sharma.
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You Noticed A Lump While Petting Her
Lumps, bumps, discolored skin, visible tumors, and other masses are common cat cancer signs, according to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation. Other symptoms you shouldnt ignore are difficulty breathing and eating, abdominal swelling, persistent diarrhea, or vomiting and bleeding from the mouth, nose, or other body openings. A biopsy is necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Its a frightening thing to discover your cat has cancer but some cancers like lymphoma are responsive to treatment and there are ways to manage pain and give them comfort. Next, check out these cat adoption photos that will melt your heart.
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How To Tell When A Cat Is Sick
Cats can be excellent hunters and predators, but not everyone realizes cats can also be considered prey by some larger animals. To protect themselves, cats have developed the ability to hide injury or illness exceedingly well. They do it so well that you may never know anything is wrong until they are in a lot of pain.
If you know what sign to look for, however, you might be able to know earlier when something is wrong.
Moderate To Profuse Bleeding
Any kind of bleeding coming from your cat is cause for alarm, but especially if it is a substantial amount. This could be caused by anything from an external wound to some sort of internal health issue.
If your cat is bleeding from a wound you can identify, apply pressure to the area with a clean cloth before you take them to the vet to help minimize blood loss. If your cats urine is tinged with blood, they could have crystals in their urine, a urinary tract infection, cancer, or even interstitial cystitis and they should be seen by the vet right away.
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How To Prevent Illness In Cats
It is a wise saying that prevention is better than cure. While we must provide good care and quality of life to our lovely companions. However, it is essential to take necessary measures that prevent them from these complications. These preventive measures include:
Schedule VET visits regularly
It is necessary to take your cats to the VET for regular checkups. A VET can identify the problems affecting the little one and advise the best possible remedy to eliminate the problem. It is essential to schedule appointments to the VET every three months or twice every six months at the least.
Vaccination against serious infections
Along with regular check-ups, the kitty should receive the desired vaccinations to reduce the risks of deadly diseases. One cannot afford to ignore the importance of cat vaccination against infections.
Focus on Good Diet
You must make sure that your little friend is getting the most nutritious meals with clean drinking water available every time. A good diet alongside a healthy eating pattern will automatically deter various diseases and build strong immunity against such infections. Moreover the diet you should have a clear idea about what to feed a sick cat that wont eat, always go with nutritious grain free cat food which filled with lots of protein in it.
Identify the Symptoms of Illness
Dying Cat: Signs A Cat Is Dying
As cats move into their senior years, age-related diseases become commonplace. While some cats may die very suddenly, many age-related diseases are slow and progressive and can be managed with veterinary care over a long period of time. Eventually, the cat will move into the late stages of the disease and pass into the dying phase.
Helping a cat in his or her final days, weeks or months is a joint effort between you and the cats primary veterinarian and, in some cases, a specialised veterinarian .
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Remember Cats When You Are Sick All You Need To Know
Does your otherwise distant cat suddenly cling to you every second? If youre sick or uncomfortable, your cat may feel it and want to be around you for one reason. Cats have a unique ability to recognize when something is wrong, but how?
Cats can use their sense of smell to detect when youre sick. They have already saved many peoples lives by acting differently in their surroundings or by making them provide help. Cats may experience high blood pressure, cancer, heart attacks, and diabetes symptoms.
If a cat is more attentive, it could mean that it senses something is wrong. Lets continue to learn more about this unique ability.
Causes Of Illness In Cats
Various factors deteriorate your lovely friends health and well being. The most common causes responsible for making your pets sick include:
Cat Colds or Respiratory Infections
Kitties, just like humans, are prone to infections caused by different viruses and bacteria affecting your cats respiratory tract leading to contagious cat colds. This infection is highly transmissible due to which other cats can contract the disease by sharing food water or by coughing and sneezing.
Feline Leukaemia
It is a disease caused by a virus that is responsible for cancer in cats. This disease spreads through the exchange of bodily fluids such as blood, saliva, urine or even lactation during pregnancy. The virus contracts and makes the immune system of our cats ineffective. Due to reduced immunity levels, the risks of other complications increases.
Diabetes
The risk of diabetes is becoming more prevalent than ever, even in cats. There is an imbalance in insulin production concerning glucose and blood sugar levels. If a kitty is diabetic, it is at a greater risk of various nerve disorders that can eventually shorten its lifespan.
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Accidents Outside Litter Box
There are so many reasons for a cat going outside their box. Cats dont like a dirty box so it may be that you havent cleaned it in awhile. However, this can also happen if your cat is sick. Cats can get UTIs as well as kidney stones which could have them going outside the box. With these health issues cats struggle emptying their bladder and without treatment, it could be fatal. Make sure to get your cat checked if they are having accidents that cant be attributed to other reasons.
Distinctive Characteristics Of Cats:
If you think about their evolutionary biology, dogs are pack animals and therefore, when they do not feel well, they act unusually. As a result, their pack mates take care of them. Unlike dogs who try to give behavioural cues of feeling sick and tired, Cats are more inclined to be reserved on this subject.
Cats are categorically different from dogs because, evolutionarily, they are not used to relying on anyone when they are vulnerable. They wont let you gauge that they are feeling unwell. Moreover, Cats wont expect any help from other cats as well. So, as a pet owner, you may have a hard time gauging the fact that somethings off with your little one.
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Hiding Away At Inaccessible Places
Hiding is a less obvious but common sign of sick cat body language. Cats hide when they fall ill. The indoor cats will try to hang out under the couch or somewhere they usually avoid going. It can be hard to gauge if somethings odd unless you have a strong track over your cats movements. You wont notice that the kittie is hiding more than an outdoor cat. Hiding away is the natural response to illness.
Shes Turning His Nose Up On Her Favorite Food
Your kitty goes crazy when you bring home a new bag of kitty kibble, but if she hasnt shown much interest lately, take note. A decreased appetite could indicate many things like an underlying infection, cancer, or maybe their choppers are bothering them. Cats have a wide array of dental issues including gingivitis, periodontitis, and stomatitis which lead to resorption of many tooth roots. Cats also suffer from a build-up of dental tartar and fractured teeth, says Dr. Rossman. Dont ever feed your pets these 11 foods.
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How To Get Rid Of Fleas On Cats
Fleas can transmit deadly diseases to your cat and infest your home within a short period of time. Therefore, getting rid of a flea infestation is your best shot to help your cat evade flea-related problems.
- Treat your pet using flea pills, shampoos and topical treatments, and flea collars for cats
- Regularly treat your home by washing and cleaning your home bedding as well as your pets bedding, and use powder or spray on the carpets and upholstery
- Vacuum your entire home
Meowing Or Vocalizing More
Some cats meow more than others, and this also varies by breed. However, if you notice increased meowing or a change in how your cat meows, they may be trying to communicate physical or emotional distress.
Cats may meow more when they are hungry or in pain. As cats age, some develop cognitive dysfunction, or senility, which can also change the frequency of meowing.
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Get To The Vet Immediately If:
While many of these sick cat symptoms tell you if your cat might be sick, some types of cat illness can be treated at home or may go away on their own. Most of them dont require immediate vet attention and can be addressed at the most convenient time for you.
However, there are some signs of cat sickness that require you to take your cat to the vet immediately. Not to scare you, but some of these signs and symptoms could be the difference between life and death for your kitty. Because of this, it is important to know exactly what to do in these situations so you can properly look after your four legged friend.
Clinical Signs Of Covid
The true prevalence of COVID-19 in cats is unknown, partly due to a high number of infected animals may show no signs at all.
The clinical signs of COVID-19 in most affected cats seem to be very mild, with either gastrointestinal signs or respiratory signs along with lethargy and anorexia. To date, all known cases have made full recoveries.
The recent small group of cats and dogs diagnosed with myocarditis linked to COVID-19 in the UK, showed signs of lethargy, inappetence, syncopal events , tachypnoea/dyspnea .
The true prevalence of COVID-19 in cats is unknown, partly because a high number of infected animals may show no signs at all, and because there is not thought to be a significant risk to humans, even if the cats were positive, so this has not generated high levels of research interest.
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Cat Is Acting Differently
If you want to know how to tell if your cat is sick, simply observe his actions. You can immediately tell that your cat is ill if his acts are different and that he is mostly hiding in a quiet spot. You may also notice that they purr a lot, which is something that you should take note if your cat does not purr often. If your cat is experiencing a neurological problem, you would find him pressing their heads onto the walls. If he is having difficulty breathing, he may fight to keep his head raised.
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Cats At Times Hide Signs Of Sickness And One Has To Pay Close Attention To Them To Notice If They Are Not Doing Well
Cats are known to be mysterious and it takes a bit of time before you begin to decode the intricacies of their behaviour and what brings them comfort. However, once you get past the initial barrier, your feline companion could be a joy to be with and a source of great comfort. Cats are independent and they may not rely too much on you. Sometimes, they also tend to hide signs of sickness and one has to pay close attention to their cats to notice if they are not doing well.
“Cat owners know that their beloved feline friend is a complex, but also deeply loving individual, who brings them a world of comfort and company, while also retaining their independence. As such, symptoms of sickness in cats can be very subtle, and hence difficult to notice. So, if at any point you suspect that your cat doesn’t seem like their usual self, do not wait too long. You should seek medical advice for your cat’s health at the earliest, and schedule an appointment for a veterinary examination,” says Dr Vinod Sharma, Head of Veterinary Services at DCC Animal Hospital.
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Shes Throwing Up A Lot
Its not uncommon for a cat to vomit immediately after eating or when too much hair from self-grooming is digested. Its the acute vomitingpresent for more than two to three daysthat can lead to dehydration and warrants a call to the vet. If your cat vomits, monitor how often and what the vomit looks like, so you can tell your veterinarian about it, advises Dr. Cooley. Vomiting is one of the biggest signs your cat is sick, as it can be a sign of many things such as an infection, intestinal obstruction, liver disease, or cancer. Left untreated, these illnesses can lead to serious complications, including death.
Hes Drinking Like A Fish
Cats, in general, dont lap up copious amounts of water so it should be fairly easy to spot when the water bowl empties quicker, or hes trying to get water from other sources like the sink or toilet. If your cat is drinking more water than normal this could be a sign that your cat has an endocrine disorder such as hyperthyroid disease or diabetes, says Dr. Rossman. Definitely give your vet a call if you notice your cat is lapping up more water than usual its one of the signs your cat is sick. Make sure you know which common foods are toxic to cats before you feed them.
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What Changes Should I Look For In The Litterbox
Both diarrhea and constipation are indicators of disease in cats. Diarrhea is usually easy to recognize in the litterbox, but constipation can be more problematic to notice. Small, hard, dry stools are never normal and are often an early indication of kidney disease.
Increased amounts of urine in the box indicate an of inability to properly conserve water and may mean that your cat is developing kidney or liver problems, or diabetes mellitus.
Feline Parvovirus/feline Infectious Enteritis
Feline parvovirus can cause serious illness in cats, particularly kittens, and is sadly often fatal. Signs include vomiting, being hungry and thirsty but not able to eat or drink, and watery diarrhoea. If you think your cat has feline parvovirus its important to get treatment from your vet urgently.
You can prevent your cat getting this disease by making sure they are vaccinated. Read more about the signs of feline parvovirus and how its treated in our guide.
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Change In Mood/suddenly Cranky
A sudden change in your cats mood, like suddenly becoming cranky, may be caused by a few underlying conditions:
Persistently larger or dilated pupils may be caused by hypertension, retinal disease, or a tumor affecting a cranial nerve or the brain.
Persistently small pupils may be caused by disease in the brain or Horners syndrome.
Your Cat Just Seems Out Of Sorts
Do you ever just get a feeling that something isnt right with your pet? You know and understand your cat better than anyone and so you should never discount this gut instinct. If you think that something is off, even if there are no discernible symptoms, it never hurts to arrange for your older pet to attend a check-up with a professional.
You undoubtedly want your older cat to live out the remainder of her life as healthily and happily as possible. If you suspect that your kitty may be unwell, do not be afraid to schedule a check-up with a veterinarian. We would be delighted to see her here at our offices in Nashville, TN. Please telephone our team to make her appointment.
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