Prioritizing the Health of Your Pet: 5 Signs Your Cat is Sick
As a pet owner, it is your responsibility to ensure that your canine or feline friend is at the peak of its health. However, there are times when no matter how meticulously you care for your pet, it suddenly exhibits signs of sickness. Here, we will take a look at the top 5 signs that you should watch out for if you have a sick cat.
Watching Out for the Top 5 Signs that Your Cat is Sick
Basically, the responsibility of watching over the health of your pet cat lies in you, the owner and your veterinarian. There are instances when you can diagnose what is wrong with your cat on your own – without seeking the help of a vet.
In most cases, however, it pays to get the advice of a professional. You wouldn’t want to have whatever is ailing your cat worsen and get diagnosed only when the condition is already at a critical condition, would you? To help you out, here is a list of the top 5 signs that you should watch out for if you have a sick cat
1.Changes in your cat’s behavior. Remember that your sick feline pet will not be able to tell you what it is feeling. As a pet owner, it is up to you to notice any changes in your cat’s behavior. Some of the signs to watch out for include making more noise than usual; caterwauling at night; and hiding under the bed or furniture a lot, especially if your cat is usually playful.
These indications can lead to a particular diagnosis. For example, if you cat is caterwauling at night, it could mean that the cat is suffering from hyperthyroidism or high blood pressure.
2.Significant weight loss. Whether it’s gradual or sudden, significant weight loss is one sure sign that your cat is suffering from an illness, particularly liver disease. To monitor your cat’s weight, what you can do is pick the cat up and step on a bathroom scale. Note the reading on the scale while you are holding your cat, and subtract it from your own weight. The difference of about eight to ten pounds should be your cat’s weight.
When monitoring your cat’s weight, it is perfectly fine for its weight to fluctuate about a pound more or a pound less. A more rapid weight loss than that should be cause for concern.
3.Changes in the texture of your cat’s coat or any lumps on its skin. Another sign that your cat is not at its peak health condition is when the coat looks ungroomed and has abnormally raised fur. You should also regularly check the body of your pet cat to feel for abnormal growth or lumps on its skin.
4.Changes in your cat’s litter box habits. One illness that cats may have is FLUTD or feline lower urinary tract disease. A sign that your pet may have this is when it frequently licks its genitals. FLUTD is a painful inflammation of the cat’s lower urinary tract and can prove to be fatal, so if you notice your pet exhibiting such behavior, immediately take it to the vet.
The other litter box habits of your cat which could indicate sickness includes frequent urination or just urinating anywhere when your cat is already house trained, as well as blood in the urine.
5.Other physical signs of sickness to watch ut for. Colds or sinus infection is as common to cats as it is to humans – your cat looking like it is crying is an indication of this illness, caused by excessive discharge at the eyes and nose. Your cat having a visible third eyelid and the occurrence of dark brown wax in its ears are other physical signs of sickness to watch out for.
Kidney failure, diabetes, diarrhea, constipation – all these are the possible ailments that your cat may have. They are especially prone to these health problems as they grow old. The minute that you notice any of these symptoms, make sure to bring your pet cat to a veterinarian to ensure that the health of your feline friend will not be placed at any undue risk.
| 
