Las Vegas Veterinarians' responses to the question: "How can I tell if my cat is sick?"

March 11, 9:55 AMLas Vegas Cat Supplies ExaminerSharon Damon

Previous Next

2 comments Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Las Vegas Cat Supplies Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

healthy kitten

unknown

If you like this ...

Interactive toys satisfy indoor cats - widely available in the Las Vegas area

Las Vegas Humane Society's tips: what should you do if you lose your cat to the great outdoors?

The Nevada SPCA sponsors events to benefit animals in their care

Pet supply stores and special events for cats in the Las Vegas area

Homemade toys that cats love to play with (and a few househouse hazards to avoid)

View all »

In answer to the email "HOW CAN I TELL IF MY CAT IS SICK?"

Cats have different personalities, as any of us with pets know all to well. Some are more active, some naturally more laid-back. Some eat once or twice a day, and some cats seem to want to constantly nibble! Litter box usage also differs with temperament, disposition and age.

So how CAN you tell if your cat is genuinely ill, or if it's just changing with age?

In discussion with the veterinarians at A Cat Hospital in Henderson (who helped us with a sick cat), and the Lied Animal Shelter in Las Vegas (admittedly. when we were having a pet humanely euthanized), there seems to be a common thread throughout the descriptions of exactly how a pet may appear to genuinely be ill.

Cats are pretty active critters, as a rule. They like to explore, enjoy their food, tolerate the litter box and love attention. Therefore this will be divided into 2 parts - obvious signs and more subtle signals,

OBVIOUS SIGNS OF ILLNESS OR DISCOMFORT IN CATS:

1. Discharge from eyes, nose,  or crustiness around either orifice could mean a feline cold
2. Changes in your cat's coat - coats are usually sleek or fluffy, glossy or shiny - depending on the breed and age and general well-being of your pet. Any severe changes in the coat or patches missing could signify illness
3. Breathing - check your cats lungs by stroking their sides and taking note when they breathe in or out. Is the breathing wheezy, or ragged? Is your cat irritable when or after running around the house? Does it appear to be panting?
4. Clawing at the mouth or excessive scratching at the jaw could mean severe dental problems - or worse. Watching your cat's eating habits could show whether they seem to eat more on one side of the mouth than the other, or if they appear to "jump" suddenly when eating, indicating a sore spot or discomfort.
5. Changes in the litter box - either going more often, straining to go, crying out when attempting to urinate or less soil in the box could indicate a urinary tract problem. Includes excessive licking of the genitals
6. Not eating, loss of appetite or obvious weight loss. Dr. Jon  stresses this as a real sign that something just isn't right with cats suffering from any of these signs. Well worth a vet visit to be sure all is ok.
7. Throwing up. Some cats seem to "hack" more than others - either because of hairballs, bolting food or simply because that's how they react to changes in diet. Some just seem to "hack" for no reason. You know your pet best. Obviously if they don't normally throw up, then this is a real sign of something happening inside - some kind of stress.
8. Jaundice. This has to be checked out - very serious in any critter, any time.

MORE SUBTLE SIGNALS OF DISCOMFORT:

1. Urinating outside the litter box. If your cat is a regular litter box user, and NEVER pees outside the box, this is a sign that there is definitely something wrong. Could be age, could be a urinary infection. Or your cat could be protesting a change in their life or litter box. This does need checking out, for obvious reasons.
2. Lethargy. If your cat  is normally playful, active and affectionate, changes in these behaviors can mean that your cat is not feeling well. Watch behavior and assess whether or not you think it warrants a visit to the vet, or at least a phone call.  Obviously if this is accompanied by one of the real indicators in the previous list - CONTACT A VET AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
3. Hiding. Sometimes when cats aren't well, they hide. Sometimes just the opposite - they won't leave you alone! Guage your pet's signs and see what they need. Play detective.
4. Posture. When cats aren't well, they sometimes "hunch up" rather than stretching out as they usually do when feeling well. If your cat goes from taking up half the couch while you are watching television, or from stretching across the entrance to the kitchen and tripping you when you walk by, to hunching up in a corner or on the arm of the couch, take note of any other possible symptoms and use that as an indicator.

I am sure there are other symptoms as well, but these seem to be the vet's choices for clearest signs of discomfort or illness.  PLEASE don't let any of these pet signals go on for too long before having them checked out. Yes, your cat's behavior can change with age, or temperament, or even the time of year/weather. But it's well worth your time to be SURE. Having lost a dear cat from cancer of the mouth after what we first thought was simply a "bad tooth," we are walking testimony to that fact!