Signs Your Cat May Be Sick

If you are a cat owner you are most likely concerned about your cat's health. As goes with any cat lover you will want to make sure your cat is healthy and happy. However, sometimes your cat's way of saying they are ill goes unnoticed. Here are some signs and tips for ensuring your cat stays healthy.

Signs that your cat may be sick
There are a number of signs to look out for that could signal that your cat is not well. It is always better to be safe, so if you are concerned about your cat's health give the vet a call. Your vet will be able to tell you if it is something the needs to be investigated further.

Your cat is hardly or refusing to eat
If you notice that your cat has not eaten for 24 hours then you need to call your vet as this could be a sign of an illness. This symptom often means that you will need to bring your cat into the vet as soon as possible.

Stress is another common cause of a cat not eating. Cat owners may not realize that their cat is stressed, as unfortunately they cannot come out and tell us. Refusing or picking at their food could be your cat's way of saying they are stressed. Stress can be caused by changes in the cat's environment such as, new pets, food, people or lots of arguing.

Watch your cat's eyes
Your cat's eyes are a good indicator of your cat's health. Your cat should have wide open, bright, clear eyes. Keep an eye on the discharge that comes from your cat's eyes. All cats will have a little, but there are characteristics of eye discharge that can be signs of health problems. If the discharge suddenly increases or there is a lot of it than it is more likely that your cat may have a health issue, such as feline respiratory disease.

Sometimes the discharge from your cat's eyes may be due to an allergy. If this is the case it may be accompanied by scratching and red eyes.

If you notice that the discharge from your cat's eyes is not clear than this could mean your cat has an infection in it's eye. It is not uncommon for cats to get poked or scratched in the eye and this can lead to an infection.

Is your cat vomiting a lot
It is common for cats to vomit occasionally, but if this increases and is accompanied by other symptoms then you should contact your vet. If you think your cat is vomiting more than normal and their behavior does not seem normal then look out for signs, such as crankiness, listlessness, breathing problems and being less social.

Another cause of vomiting in cats is eating a plant that is poisonous to them. If you suspect your cat has eaten something poisonous than it is important to make an emergency trip to the vet.

A sudden change of food can also cause your cat to vomit. You should never completely switch your cat to a new food in one go as cat's digestive systems are sensitive. If you want to change your cat to a new food then do this gradually by slowing adding a little of the new food and reducing the old over a couple of weeks until they are completely on the new food.

Changes in behavior
Make sure you are aware of your cat's normal behavior so that when something changes you can take the appropriate action. If your cat is suddenly lethargic, not eating or being less social, it may be a sign of illness.

Another sign of problems is when a cat that normally used their litter box suddenly goes to the toilet elsewhere. There are a number of reasons this could happen, such as a new cat, other cats bullying the cat, the litter box is not clean enough or your cat is sick.

If you have any doubts about changes in your cat's behavior or signs showing other possible illness symptoms then it is always best to call your vet for proper advice. It is also important to make sure that you treat your cat for worms and fleas on a regular basis.

Sources:

Cat Health Information
Signs Your Cat May Be Sick
Symptons of Illness in Cats