How To Tell When Your Cat Is Sick

The internet wouldn’t be the internet without cats. Cat memes have been a ‘thing’ online for as long as it’s been possible to share images in the digital environment, and that’s a reflection of how much the world loves cats. They’re quirky, arrogant, picky creatures who would probably just as soon eat you as settle down on your lap for a cuddle, but we just can’t help but find them adorable no matter how indifferent they might appear to us.

Because we find cats so adorable, we’re inclined to take them in as pets, and we like to tell ourselves that they’re cheaper to care for and less high-maintenance than dogs. That isn’t necessarily the case. Cats can be very expensive, and doubly so when they get ill. One or two of you might be familiar with the online slots games ‘Exotic Cats’ and ‘OMG Kittens,’ and if so, you’ll already know the accuracy of the comparison we’re about to make. When you place a wager on a slots, you have no idea what’s going to happen next. You might win big, or you might win nothing at all. Putting food into a cat or a kitten is often a similar experience, even if it’s the same type of food you’ve fed them multiple times before. You might get a meow of appreciation, or you might get a spectacular projectile vomit display. If the latter happens, you might be inclined to make a costly phone call to the vet. At least you’re in control of how much you spend with the online slots; a vet’s bill can hit three figures within seconds and keep rising higher!

How do you know when your cat is ‘bluffing,’ though? How, as an owner, can you tell the difference between an innocuous one-off bout of sickness and a potentially more serious problem? There are a few things you can look out for, and we’ve outlined them for you below.

Your Cat Has Stopped Using The Litter Tray

Not all cats like litter trays. Some will use them instinctively when they’re put in front of one even if they’ve never seen one before, while others will require extensive training before they’ll even go near one. No two cats are the same! If your cat has always been fine with its litter tray and suddenly stops using it, though, something is probably wrong. Ask yourself whether you’ve changed anything about their diet or their cat litter recently. If you have, immediately change it back to whatever you were using before. It wouldn’t hurt to give their litter tray a deep clean either. If there’s still a problem, your pet might have a gastrointestinal issue that may require the attention of a qualified professional. If your cat is male, this might also be an insecurity issue. Insecure cats will spray all over the house to mark their territory even if they’ve lived there for years, so something may recently have made your furry friend feel insecure in their own home. They’re complicated creatures!

Your Cat Has Started Hiding From You

Cats are defensive creatures. If they’re feeling vulnerable, their first instinct is to find somewhere hidden so they can convalesce without fear of being attacked by predators. That might not be rational if their hiding place is somewhere within your home, where they’re perfectly safe anyway, but whoever said cats were rational? If your cat feels that it can no longer control the symptoms of its illness, whether that he vomiting, diarrhea, a bad limp, or something else, it will find somewhere that it doesn’t usually go and stay there until it feels better – assuming it ever feels better at all. Unfortunately, a normally-loving cat that suddenly starts hiding from you is probably in very poor health, and it’s essential that you contact a vet as quickly as possible.

Their Nose Is Overly Wet

We’ve all been told the same lie about cats noses, and the lie applies to dogs’ noses too. We’re told that when their noses are a little bit wet, they’re healthy, and if they’re dry, they’re probably ill. This is well-intentioned advice, but it isn’t necessarily true. There’s a difference between ‘wet’ and ‘dripping,’ and if a cat’s nose is too wet, it might have a respiratory infection. At the risk of putting things too simply, a cat’s nose can run for the same reason a human’s nose can run when they’re feeling under the weather. If you’re not sure whether your cat’s nose is just wet enough or a pinch too wet, look for other tell-tale signs. Runny eyes often accompany a runny nose when a cat is sick, and they’ll probably be doing more meowing than usual, too.

Their Coat Isn’t Soft Anymore

Your cat’s coat is their pride and joy. If you counted up all the hours they spent licking and preening it, it would probably be a quarter of their entire lifespan! Your cat puts a lot of work into keeping its coat shiny and glossy, and so if it’s lost some of its sheen, there’s probably a reason for that. Look out for bald spots, rough patches, or excessive shedding. This could be something as trivial as a flea infestation, which is dealt with quite easily, or a fungal infection, which will require a vet’s assistance. In some cases, loss of fur or changes in the quality of a cat’s coat can be a nutritional issue and might suggest that there’s something untoward going on within your pet’s body. If you’re in doubt, you should always contact a vet. We’re sure you’d agree that it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Aside from the above, use your common sense. If your cat is throwing up or going to the toilet far more than normal and the symptoms persist for longer than a day, they need your help. If they suddenly have a limp, and there are no obvious signs of an injury, they might have joint issues. If they’re meowing far more than they normally do, they might be asking you for assistance! Your cat might not be able to speak, but it can certainly communicate using its voice and body language, so keep a close eye on it. Cats can get sick just like we can, but they can also get better if we make sure they get the help they need early enough!