Symptoms of a Sick Cat

 

Symptoms of a sick cat may vary depending on the condition or disease the cat is inflicted with. Some symptoms can be indicative of a variety of illnesses some serious and some mild. In order to use this list of symptoms of a sick cat effectively, you must be aware that they cannot singularly diagnose your cat. If your cat displays any two of the below symptoms you should take them to your local veterinary clinic for diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible.

 

 

Symptoms of a sick cat include:

·        Vomiting

·        Diarrhea

·        Blood in Urine or stool

·        Sneezing/Coughing

·        Discharge from eyes, nose or ears

·        Abnormal behavior

·        Weight loss / Loss of appetite

·        Unusual urinary accidents

·        Lethargy or fatigue

·        Limping

·        Swelling or abscess

·        Bleeding

·        Sunburn

·        Collapse / shaking / seizure

·        Constipation

·        Difficulty breathing

·        Loss of colour in the gums

·        Yellowing or cloudy eyes

 

There are many more symptoms out there that are easily detectable once visible and some that are difficult to spot, especially with a cat that is not primarily housebound. All of the above symptoms are potentially serious especially if left unchecked. It will obviously be easier to spot a symptom such as increase in urination and blood in stool if the cat has an accident in home or uses a cat litter box, if your cat is a bit of a wanderer and mostly lives outside it will be more difficult for you to notice these types of symptoms. Symptoms that only require you to look at your pet such as bleeding, collapse, limping and abnormal or aggressive behavior will be easier to spot at a glance and are very serious symptoms.

 

You can quickly check over your pet cat regularly by taking advantage of whenever they decide your lap is better then the bed. Have a quick look at their eyes, nose and ears for signs of discharge, sore areas or discoloring. You can also check your cat’s gums and fur coat for signs of dental disease and fleas or mites. You should also take the opportunity to give your cat a good brush too. For long haired cats especially, matting can occur in the fur coat, particularly on the underbelly. These matt’s although harmless at first can quickly develop into large and painful knots and restrict your cat’s movement. If a matt develops that is too complex to brush, carefully remove it with scissors getting someone to help you hold your cat to avoid accidental cutting. Regular brushing when your cat comes to greet you on the sofa, is usually enough to prevent matting however long haired cats will get them quite regularly. If your cat is not fond of brushing, just have a quick check of their underbelly fur when petting them to check. Then you can remove them when necessary instead, although we do recommend you try to brush your cat as often as you can.