Reprinted Articles

Your cat has a hard time telling you when she’s ill. Here are some of the major cat illness symptom categories and how to spot problems.

Since a radical change in your cat’s behavior can be a sign of trouble, you’ll want to note your cat’s typical routine. Cats are very good at hiding discomfort and signs of illness, but if you notice a change in behavior, look more closely to see if there’s a physical cause.

Defecation and urination — A number of cat health issues present as urination and defecation issues.

FLUTD (feline lower urinary tract disease) is a group of problems and can involve stones, crystals, infection, or inflammation. Some of these urinary tract problems can be life threatening.

Cats self-groom regularly, but excessive licking in the anal or groin area can be a sign of illness. If your cat is urinating more often than normal, this can be a sign of an illness such as diabetes.

Constipation is fairly common in cats. Treatments are available for this, and include store bought and veterinarian prescribed treatments such as lactulose.

Impacted anal glands my also be a factor which will require treatment. It should be noted that long term constipation may lead to a serious bowel condition known as megacolon.

If your cat is howling or crying out while using the litter box, or makes frequent but unsuccessful trips to the box, she may have some physical problem that needs to be looked at. Also, a common sign of trouble is scooting across the floor while dragging the rear end.

If your cat is not urinating or defecating or is missing the litter box, contact your veterinarian immediately. Inappropriate elimination is common and is the number one cause that adult cats are brought to shelters. It has a number of physical and behavioral causes. You should address any medical problems first.

Other things to look for are evidence of blood in urine or feces, including black tarry stools. Diarrhea may indicate intestinal disease and can lead to dehydration, which can be fatal.

Eye and mouth problems — Check your cat’s eyes for pupils of uneven size, cloudiness, or discharge. The nictating membrane, or haw, is a “third eyelid” that you will sometimes see when a cat’s eyes are open. This is often an indication of disease.

Ulcers in the mouth, bad breath, and loose teeth are signs of disease. Pallor of the gums and lips is a sign that your cat may be anemic.

Hair and skin issues — The coat and skin of your cat can be used as a measure of her overall condition of health. Problems with the coat or skin can be a sign of illness.

In addition, if your cat stops grooming or looks disheveled, it’s probably a sign of trouble. An oily looking coat is also a sign of illness.

Also look for excessive dryness or flaking, skin growths, hair loss, and any kind of swelling or skin eruption. Parasites on the skin are usually easily spotted. Check your cat at least once a week.

There are certainly other health problems that your cat may encounter, but these are a few of the major categories. Keeping alert to your cat’s routine, and being sensitive to any of the possible above problems is an integral part of cat care.

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Tags: Cats