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- 1. Review its general appearance
- 2. Rule out the presence of fever
- 3. Observe your urine and feces
- 4. Are you nauseated?
- 5. Are you purring loudly?
- 6. Make sure your breath is normal
- 7. Do you drink too much water or do you have a poor appetite?
- 8. Check if your cat scratches a lot
Regardless of the cat's breed, it is likely that at some point it will be ill. Our obligation is to help them to recover their health, if possible. First, your cat must be up to date with your country's mandatory vaccination schedule.
Second, an annual or biannual visit to the veterinarian is necessary for the professional to check the cat and monitor its health. Lastly, you should be on the lookout for any symptoms of illness on the cat's part to help effectively.
For know if your cat is sick, in this PeritoAnimal article we'll give you some tips to understand this.
1. Review its general appearance
When a cat is sick, it is very common to show a general state of weakness and lack of spirit. You will also find that you sleep a lot more than usual. Whenever you notice an increase in sleep in your cat, you should suspect some illness.
A sudden lack of appetite is a sure sign that the cat is not feeling well. In these circumstances it is important that drink enough water.
If the cat refuses to drink it, go to the vet immediately. When a cat is poisoned, it does not eat or drink due to the great pain it feels in its stomach.
2. Rule out the presence of fever
If the cat has a fever, it will usually have a dry, hot muzzle. With a thermometer measure your anal temperature, do this carefully as they may not like it and may bite you.
The temperature should fluctuate between 37.5º and 39º. If you go above 39º, your state will be feverish and you will have to take your cat to the veterinarian. It is possible that you have an infection. When the cat has a fever, its fur loses its shine. Read our full article on how to tell if my cat has a fever.
Discover in PeritoAnimal all the symptoms and treatment for a cat with fever, being able to apply first aid if necessary.
3. Observe your urine and feces
Controlling how often your cat urinates is important as it could have some type of kidney or bladder problem. Another very important factor is whether the cat urinates outside its litter box, which is unusual behavior. When this happens it usually means that they have problems urinating and are showing you this. Can be one sign of kidney problems, so take him to the vet.
When you suspect that your cat is not doing well, you should look at its stools to see if they are normal or not. If you see that you have diarrhea or bloodstains, go to the vet. If you see that he doesn't defecate, be careful. If it is more than two days without defecation, go to the vet as it could be an intestinal obstruction.
4. Are you nauseated?
If you see that your cat is nauseous, don't be scared. Cats tend to purge themselves and so they regurgitate sometimes. But sometimes they may have dry nausea or not vomit at all, if this happens it is worrying, as it may be a stomach obstruction or esophageal. So go to the vet with him.
If your cat vomits several times over a day or two, you should go to the vet immediately, as it could be poisoning or an infection of the intestinal tract. It could even be a kidney problem.
5. Are you purring loudly?
if your cat is purring very loudly and out of the ordinary, this is a symptom that you are not feeling well and that you are transmitting this to us. You can also do it with intense meows, although this is more typical of more vocal races such as the Siamese.
When this happens, gently palpate your entire body for inflammation, bumps, or sores. Take his temperature and go to the vet with him.
6. Make sure your breath is normal
If your cat has a bad breath, this could be a sign of kidney or dental problems. That's why it's convenient to go with him to the vet. if your breath is fruity This is a very bad sign, as your cat may have diabetes. The veterinarian will treat you and recommend a proper diet.
7. Do you drink too much water or do you have a poor appetite?
If you see that your cat drink water excessively, take him to the vet. This could be a sign that you are suffering from diabetes, kidney disease, or even another serious condition.
If your cat suddenly loses its appetite, control its evolution. Do not let it go more than 2 days without eating. Take it to the vet as it can be a sign of various illnesses.
8. Check if your cat scratches a lot
If the cat scratches a lot it is a clear sign that have parasites. Fleas are the most frequent but there are also many other external parasites such as ticks, mites,...
Better safe than sorry. From spring onwards it is recommended to protect your cat with a anti-parasite collar or pipette. If you don't deworm it completely, it can fill the house with fleas. Fleas also like your blood, so act quickly. Check out our home remedies to deworm cats and get rid of the problem naturally. However, if the situation is serious you should go to the vet.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.