Cat Symptom Checker. Is Your Cat Showing Signs of Illness?

Is Your Cat Showing Signs of Illness?

Cats are genetically wired to hide any sign of weakness. This is not a sign of arrogance, quirkiness or being stubborn. It is from thousands of years of being both predator and prey. Cats both big and small know that weakness puts their lives in danger. Even though your house cat is not in danger of being attacked by a predator, their mind is telling them to be vigilant at all times.

For this reason, we as cat parents must keep a careful watch over our little loved ones. When you are petting your cat, take the time to really look at their ears, eyes, nose.  Are their eyes clear and free of any unusual discharge?  How about their ears? Is there any redness, debris or odor?  The teeth and gum might be a bit trickier to check but in time with a gentle hand, your cat will let you look at their gums and teeth for any potential health problems.

When cats become sick, they rely on us to be on the look out and seek help. PetCareRx created this helpful chart that breaks down cat symptoms by area of the body, then tells you what each symptom could mean.  I thought you might find it helpful too.

Cat Symptom Checker

Visit Your Veterinarian When You Think Something isn’t Quite Right.

Mercy lost his meow. His doctors got it back.

Mercy lost his meow.  We weren’t sure at first, as he is the strong silent type but because we weren’t sure we scheduled an appointment with his doctors and as it turned out, Mercy had a sore throat perhaps from the change of weather and the switch to air conditioning.  He was the first cat we lived with that developed a sore throat and is a reminder that our cats gets some of the same ailments that we do, but their symptoms can be quite different.

You know your cats.  At the first sign that you think something is off, it is better to be safe and have your cat evaluated by your veterinarian. You know that hiding is a classic sign that your cat might not be feeling their best.  Even if you try to tell yourself you are overreacting, I encourage you to have your cat evaluated.  Remember, your cat will not show visible signs of discomfort or pain until the condition has progressed.  They just can’t help it, so we need to be able to help them.

This cat symptom checker is a good place to get started identifying what could be wrong with your cat, but always contact your veterinarian for final diagnosis and treatment solutions.