What are Signs That Your Cat is Sick?

Posted by Jeanne on March 12, 2009

It’s too much to expect that you will learn enough veterinary medicine to spot accurately all the troubles your cat may encounter. There are far more of them, far more complex, than the few situations described here. Almost anything that hits a cat adversely, however, is reflected in a few basic symptoms that any cat owner can recognize. If you pay reasonably close attention to your cat, you should be able to tell fairly quickly whether she’s up to snuff or below par.

Here are clues to look for:

• A coarse, dull coat, or one that sheds heavily and begins to look patchy.
• Sluggish behavior and loss of appetite for several meals in a row.
• Diarrhea.
• Any swelling or lumps which can be felt in or on the body, particularly if there is any indication of growth.
• Repeated coughing or vomiting.