How to Tell If My Cat Is Sick

Posted by Jeanne on December 29, 2008

Part of having a cat involves keeping an eye on their general health and well being. This is why it’s important to have a good veterinarian that you can go to when you have any questions or concerns. You need to be able to ask questions and receive helpful answers; after all, you need to keep in mind that your cat’s health is at stake.

After many question and answer sessions with your veterinarian, you will begin to be able to decipher when something is wrong with your cat. It won’t hurt if you make it a regular habit to check out your cat for any indicators that he may have a health problem. Below are the main characteristics you need to look for:

• Eyes: a healthy cat has bright and clear eyes. If you notice any irritation such as discoloration or discharge, you might want to ask your veterinarian.
• Ears: a healthy cat has clean ears that don’t stink or have anything icky coming out of them. If you notice that there is any discharge or discoloration, your cat might have ear mites. Refer to your veterinarian for questions on how to clean your cat’s ears.
• Mouth: a healthy cat has pink and healthy looking gums. Indicators that there might be a problem are stinky breath, swollen gums, or sores.
• Body and Fur: a healthy cat has a thick and lustrous coat. If your cat’s coat is not shiny and thick, there might be a health problem, such as lumps, ticks, dandruff, and fleas.
• Nose: a healthy cat should have a clean nose.

If there is any cause for concern, you should speak to your veterinarian immediately. Even if you keep your cat clean, well fed, and vaccinated, there is a good chance that your cat is going to be sick at one time or another in his life. This is similar to people. No matter how hard you try, eventually you get sick.

As with people, there are things that you need to look for in your cat to recognize if they are sick or not. Below is a list of symptoms that might trigger some concern:

• Unexplained weight loss
• It’s hard for your cat to breathe
• Your cat is constantly throwing up
• Really bad diarrhea
• The cat doesn’t want to eat or drink
• Abnormal inactivity
• Lumps on the body
• Blood in urine or not urinating at all
• Abnormal behaviors
• Sneezing and hacking
• Abnormal aggressiveness
• He isn’t using the litter box

If any of these behaviors catch your attention, you should take your cat to the veterinarian.

How to Protect Your Cat’s Health

Posted by Jeanne on December 23, 2008

Before you decide to take on any kind of pet, you need to understand that different breeds of cat are susceptible to different health issues. Even if it seems like you have a healthy cat in the beginning, it is possible that he will be diagnosed with some sort of disease or health-related issue as he gets older.

There are precautions that you can take as a cat owner to protect your cat’s health and well being:

• Make sure that all harmful plants are removed from the area where your cat lives. Some plants can be poisonous when a cat chews on them.
• Cats can suffer from diabetes. Some people might find it strange that humans and cats can share the same illnesses, but it is quite common for a cat to be diagnosed with diabetes. If you suspect this from your cat, you should definitely call your veterinarian for further measures.
• You might not be aware that certain medications can be hazardous to your cat if not taken correctly or with the right medication.
• If there is anything that sparks your concern, such as if your cat acts listless, has yucky stuff coming from his eyes or nose, or if he looks like he isn’t eating (even though you know he is), you should trust your instincts and contact your veterinarian with your concerns.
• If you notice that there starts to be a buildup in your cat’s ears, he might have ear mites. If this is the case, your veterinarian will be able to instruct you on the best way to treat this and prescribe medication.
• Do not let your cat play with yarn or string. All can be fun and games until your cat swallows it, and then it becomes a serious matter. If such an instance occurs, you need to contact your veterinarian. It might help to know that white petroleum jelly helps to coat the stomach so that the string or yarn can get out of your cat’s tummy with little harm.