One of the pleasures inherent in owning a cat
is that they are very relaxed animal. Cats are champions of the trigger and
they live a life we all dream: they're fun, they eat and sleep. Unfortunately,
these habits can be a drawback when the cat gets sick. Instinctively, the cat
will try to hide or regular habits (like sleep) may become exaggerated. To know
if your cat is sick, you should know what symptoms monitor.
1. Pay attention to
the amount of sleep for your cat.
Sick cats sleep more. If your cat has no other signs of illness,
for example if he vomits, if he has no diarrhea, loss of appetite or visible
swelling, watch him. If other symptoms appear, bring him to the vet.
If your cat has no other symptoms, watch him
24 hours (of course, you can take him to the vet if you are concerned). If he
spends a second day look extremely tired, it's time to bring him to the vet.
2. Check the
temperature of your cat to see if he has a fever.
Use a rectal thermometer to check if your cat
has a fever. However, if the cat gets mad, it is better that you stop and let
the vet do. The normal temperature of the cat is between 37.5 and 39 degrees C,
you should start to worry if its temperature exceeds 39 degrees C and you can
be sure he has a fever above 39.5 degrees C. If he has a fever, take your cat
to the vet.
A cat reaches fever tends to sleep much more,
he will refuse his food and he will present a dull coat with a weird
reflection. His nose and ears could be dry and warm to the touch. While
touching the ears can be a little specific way to check its temperature, if
they look cool, it's probably because the cat has a fever.
3. Watch for changes
in habits with regard to his litter tray.
Pay attention to several things: how
many times the cat use the litter box, show the difficulties to do that, is
there blood or mucus in her urinalysis or its droppings are hard and compact.
If your cat has diarrhea while continuing to go to the litter or if constipated
(you'll know because of the presence of hard, dry droppings), bring him to the
vet. Passages repeated litter without help or the presence of blood urine
should alert you and bring you to immediately examine your cat.
Male cats tend to present more often urinary
problems that manifest themselves in the form of problems to let out urine. The
cat could get in position to urinate for several minutes or get up and look for
a new place to urinate before Crouch again. If you can, check if the cat has
urinated (litter is dry or wet?) and if he urinated, check if there is no
blood.
4. Watch your cat's
appetite.
If you have noticed that your cat ate a
lot or he ate much more that usual, it could be that there something. If the
cat does not have interest in food for a whole day, this could be caused by
many problems, he eats may be the neighbor, he feels nauseous or it can have
kidney problems. On the other hand, if the cat looks hungry all the time, it
can also be a sign of a health problem.
If your cat refuses to eat for more than 24
hours, go to your veterinarian to treat the underlying problem doesn't appear
complications.
5. Make sure that your
cat is not dehydrated.
Monitor changes in the behavior of your cat with water. The amount of water
your cat is drinking depends on the type of food that you give him, he will
drink a lot less if you give him wet food, but you will see more often drink if
you give him dry food. Many disorders can increase thirst, for example some infections,
kidney disease, an overactive thyroid and diabetes. If your cat looks always
very thirsty, do check by a veterinarian.
You can also conduct a physical test. Gently
grab your cat by the skin between his shoulder blades. Pull the skin upward
(but very slowly) and let it fall. If your cat's skin does not immediately
return in place, there is a good chance it's dehydrated and you should bring it
to the vet.
6. Pay attention to
the weight and the silhouette
of your cat. Any change in your cat's
weight is caused by something and should push you to bring her to the vet. A
gradual or sudden weight change may indicate a disease. If you are not sure,
weigh your cat once a week at home and if your cat continues to lose weight,
seek advice from a veterinarian.
In the early stages of diseases such as
diabetes or hyperthyroidism, the cat might look to be in good health, but he
loses the weight. Ask your veterinarian if you notice that your cat continues
to lose weight.
Some diseases, such as cancer of the stomach
or heart disease, change the silhouette of the cat unless he lost weight so
far. This means that you can feel his ribs and spine more easily, because they
will be covered less of fat, but its belly might look more round and swollen.
If you have any doubt, consult a vet.
7. Examine the coat of
your cat.
A sick cat doesn't have enough energy to
clean. Generally, a cat that previously had a bit bright and well-maintained
becomes duller, more matte and his hair becomes more tangled. Although stress
may be responsible for a bit dull or changes in its cleaning habits, it could
also be that the cat is sick. Consult a vet.
A change in habits of cleaning can also be the
result of arthritis. If the cat feels tense and sore, cleaning its fur can be
painful. Once more, it is a sign that should bring you to a veterinarian.
