Cat's have a special way of working their way into our hearts. They often become part of the family that we tend to overlook the little nuances that they create. Such as leaving behind hairballs and the dreaded chore of cleaning out the litter boxes. There seems to just be something so magical and mysterious about these little guys that we treat them just like we would any other part of the family. So when your cat is not feeling well, it is often hard to deal with it as since they cannot verbally tell us what us wrong with them, we need to try and figure it out on our own.
Cat's will often find ways to mask their symptoms of their illness until it has progressed to a point that it may need immediate care. This is not say that they don't leave little clues behind, as they often do. You just need to know what to look for. So how do you begin to tell when your furry little friend is not feeling their best?
One of the first things that you will always want to keep an eye on is the amount of food and water that your cat consumes on a daily basis. Just a general observation is needed and when you start to a notice a decline, this could be an indication that something could be wrong. It is not always the case and sometimes cats have off days just like we do. When cats get older they may also tend to eat and drink less then they did in their younger years.
If you do notice that you are filling the water bowl up less often, have you noticed any other changes in your cat behavior? We all know that cats love to spend their day sleeping, but has your cat been sleeping more than usual? That may be hard to tell as cats typically sleep 12- 18 hours a day. Most cats will have a favorite sleeping spot or two and often times when they are sick, they will not spend their snooze time in their favorite location. If you notice that you cat is hiding more and spending some time sleeping under the bed or in other hidden locations, this is also a red flag that something may be wrong.
Cats have unique personalities and of course not all cats will act the same. This is why it is up to the pet owner to understand the behavior of your cat and when that behavior drastically changes, your kitty is trying to tell you something. When a cat is sick, they often hate to be touched. If you have one of those cats that just cant get enough attention and all off sudden wants nothing to do with you, you will want to take take this as a sign of a possible illness.
Some signs of your cat feeling under the weather are much more obvious. If your cat is throwing up there is a good chance they may be ill. Hairballs however are common and all cats will get them. So if you are seeing hairballs this is nothing to really worry about unless it is excessive. Hairballs are something that us pet owners just learn to live with. If on the other hand your cat is throwing up after eating or drinking then they very well could be sick.
Depending on your cat's living situation can also help to determine the reason that they may be throwing up. If your cat lives both inside and out chances are you have no idea what your cat may have gotten into and will want to take any signs of throwing up as a potential life threat. Although this sounds scary there are many things that are poisonous to cats and if they have gotten into something you will want to act fast. Time is of the essence especially when we don't know what we are dealing with in terms of ingestion. Cats are curious by nature and sometimes that curiosity will lead them to danger.
If your cat spends it's day residing in your home then you may have a better idea if the cat has gotten into something it should not have. The bottom line when it comes to a cat throwing up is that it can often be the sign of something much more serious going on.
When you don't feel well you often feel tired and weak and just have no energy, right? Cat's are the same way and if you notice your once active cat not being as active then you will want to take this a sign that something is going on with your kitty.
One of the last things that will help to determine if your cat is sick or not is keeping an eye on the litter box. Does your cat seem to wetting more than usual? Has their been changes in the stool color? Has your cat had bouts of diarrhea? All of these are signs that something is going on with your pet and they should be looked at by your veterinarian.
Cats are a part of your family, you love them and they look to you take care of them. They are unable to verbally tell you that they feel rotten but they will leave you clues along the way. It is your job as their care giver to get them the medical attention they need. Look for the changes and once you feel that your cat may not be feeling well then make an appointment with your veterinarian. Follow your gut when it comes to how you think they are feeling, after all you do know them best.
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