Cats of any breed can sometimes feel sick. Our obligation is to help restore your he alth, if possible. For this to be the case, our cats must be completely up to date with the mandatory vaccination schedule that each country indicates.
To help you how to know if a cat is sick, on our site we present the most important symptoms to find out. Keep reading!
Symptoms of a sick cat
To know if our cat is feeling bad, we must know the main symptoms. In this way, we present the most important signs to know if our feline friend is sick:
Fever
If a cat has a fever, he will usually have a hot and dry muzzle. With a thermometer you should take the anal temperature. We must be very careful, since they don't usually like it and can stir and even bite.
The temperature should oscillate between 37.5º and 39ºIf our cat exceeds 39º his state will be feverish and his coat will lose shine. In this case, we should go to the vet immediately because it is very possible that he has some infection
Consult our article on fever in cats to find out more causes, symptoms and how to reduce it, being able to apply first aid if necessary.
Appearance of urine and feces
If our cat feels bad, we must control his urine, since he could have some type of kidney or bladder problem. Another very important factor is if the cat urinates outside its litter box, this behavior being somewhat unusual. When this happens, it usually means that he has problems urinating and shows it clearly. In this way, we must go to the vet immediately, since our feline friend may present kidney problems
To know if our cat is sick, we must also observe his feces to determine if they are normal or if there is something unusual. If we realize that our feline has diarrhoea, stains blood or is more than two days without defecating, we have to go to the vet.
Nausea
If you notice that your cat is nauseated, don't panic. Cats usually purge themselves and for this they regurgitate sometimes. However, sometimes they have dry nausea without vomiting. This is really worrying, since it could be a stomach or esophageal obstruction.
In the event that our feline friend vomits several times during a day or two, it could be a intoxication or aintestinal tract infection and it may even be a kidney problem In this case we have to take him to the vet without doubt it.
Purr
If our cat purrs very loudly it is a sign that he is not feeling well and he wants to let you know so that we can help him. You can also do this using grief meows, but this is more typical of very vocal breeds like the Siamese.
Bad breath
If our cat has foul breath, it may have kidney or dental problemsIf his breath is fruity, it is a very bad sign, since it could be that our feline friend suffers from diabetes In this way, the veterinarian must treat him and recommend a suitable diet.
Increased water intake
If we observe that our feline drinks water excessively, it may be a symptom that our cat is sick. It may be a sign of having diabetes, some kidney disease or even another serious pathology.
Changes in appetite
A sudden loss of appetite is a clear sign that the cat is not feeling well. In these circumstances it is convenient for him to drink enough water. If our cat also refuses to drink, we should go to the vet because they are two bad signs. In this case, it is possible that our feline friend is poisoned, since he does not dare to eat or drink because of the tremendous pain he feels in his stomach.
Excessive scratching
If a cat scratches a lot, it is a clear sign that has parasites. Fleas are the most common, but there are also many other external parasites such as ticks or mites.
From spring it is convenient to protect our feline by means of a anti-parasite collar or pipette If we don't deworm it completely, it can fill our flea house. Check our home remedies to deworm cats and forget about the problem naturally. However, if the situation is serious we should go to the vet.
Posesures of a sick cat
When a cat is sick, it often shows a general state down It can be observed that it sleeps more than usual or otherwise not sleep. This way, you may sleep at infrequent times. In this way, we must control his sleep and if our feline friend eats or has no appetite.
In addition, they often adopt abnormal positions or unusual movements which may be due to neurological problems that may also affect movement or postures of a sick cat. For example, we can detect vestibular syndrome in cats when we observe that the individual keeps the head tilted, is wobbles when walkingor has a significant lack of motor coordination.
In the event that our cat moves less than usual or has less desire to play than usual, it may be due to joint pain that prevents him from moving.
What to do if my cat is sick?
If you want to know what to do when a cat is sick, you should be aware of any of the symptoms mentioned above. Once you have confirmed that any of these symptoms exist, you should go to the vet In addition, an annual or semi-annual visit to the vet is necessary for the professional to check the cat and monitor your he alth.
We should also gently feel the cat's entire body in search of inflammation, lumps or wounds and it is advisable to take its temperature.