Mary Allen
It’s not always easy to tell when a cat is sick and needs to see a vet. Very few cats like a visit to the doctor, so cat owners sometimes hesitate whether they should really have their fur noses examined. However, if you see the following signs, you should not waste any time and take your cat to the vet as soon as possible.
Cats instinctively try to hide when they’re feeling down so as not to show weakness and make themselves vulnerable. However, what is essential for survival in nature can unsettle cat owners. Do you really need to take the cat to the vet or will it recover on its own? Basically, it is better to go to the vet once too often than once too little. This is especially true if you notice any of the following five symptoms in your cat.
Weight Loss & Loss of Appetite
Striking weight loss without dieting is always a dead giveaway that something is wrong with a cat. Cancer and tumors, for example, use up cats’ energy reserves at breakneck speed, causing them to lose weight quickly. Visiting the vet early can save your cat’s life. If the tumor is not very large, it can often be surgically removed and, with luck, your pet will recover.
Weight loss can also occur if your cat has swallowed a foreign object and/or is constipated. Since there is a risk of intestinal obstruction, you should take your velvet paw to the vet immediately.
In addition, weight loss can be a sign of other cat diseases. These include, for example, FIP, leukemia, Aujeszky’s disease, or diabetes. Tip: Weight loss occurs in some of the diseases mentioned in connection with loss of appetite, but it does not have to.
Loss of appetite is not always a sign of illness. If the fur nose otherwise appears healthy and alert and doesn’t lose weight either, then it may eat at the neighbor‘s and is simply already full when it comes back home. However, stay alert for other symptoms of the disease.
Cat is Unusually Quiet or Lethargic
Has your cat withdrawn unusually often lately, crawling under the cupboard or sofa and hiding? If cats are so remarkably quiet and your otherwise trusting cat shies away from contact with you, something is wrong with her. Other changes in behavior are also usually signs of an illness.
If, for example, your otherwise calm, shy fur nose suddenly becomes aggressive or your otherwise playful house cat only moves slowly and sluggishly, seems lethargic and listless, then these are also important warning signs that need to be clarified by a veterinarian. If they can’t find anything, it may be a good idea to get a second opinion.
Lumps & Non-Healing Wounds
If you notice wounds on your pet that won’t seem to heal on their own and may even get worse, you should take your cat to the vet immediately. This also applies to knots, lumps, and swellings that you first discover on your velvet paw. It can be a sign of a tumor or something that has become infected. It is possible that the immune system is so weakened by an underlying disease that other diseases and sources of inflammation have an easy time.
Also, pay attention to changes in the skin or in the cat‘s fur. If your fur nose scratches itself frequently, skin fungus or parasites can be behind it. A dull, lackluster, and possibly matted, the matted coat can have a variety of causes. Either your cat is in pain and unable to groom itself, or there is a nutrient deficiency. Pain and nutrient deficiencies are in turn triggered by various diseases.
Vomiting, Diarrhea & Constipation are Signs of Illness
Any type of digestive problem in cats should also be checked with the veterinarian. These include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. A wide variety of diseases can be behind it, from the intestinal obstruction mentioned above to poisoning to leukemia or FIP.
Difficulty Breathing or Bad Breath
Difficulty breathing is a common alarming symptom in cats. They can be triggered by a relatively harmless cold, but allergies or feline asthma are also possible causes. A tumor may also be pressing on the cat’s lungs, making it difficult to breathe. In any case, if your cat is sneezing frequently, coughing, having trouble breathing, or even has a blue tongue, you should take your cat to the vet immediately.
If your cat has bad breath, you should pay attention to the accompanying circumstances. If your cat only sniffs for food out of its mouth and otherwise seems lively and fit, this is no cause for concern. But if she doesn’t like to eat and her mouth stinks, the odor may be a sign of toothache. In addition to dental problems, bad breath can also be caused by problems with the stomach or kidneys and diabetes.