The cat is a very habitual animal and as such, any variation in its routine – sometimes even minimal – could be a sign that something is wrong .

Obviously it is up to us to realize and evaluate the situation to understand from the beginning the occurrence of any problems and thus be able to intervene promptly. To do this it is very important to know our cat and its behaviors very well .

When the cat is ill , in fact, it does not behave like us, but rather tends to hide itself. This behavior could lead us to think that the cat is simply taking a hidden nap somewhere, when it may not be.

This is why it is so important to pay attention to all changes : they are the signals that the animal sends us.

Let’s see them together:

1 – CHANGES IN THE BEHAVIOR OF THE CAT

As we have just mentioned, the first suspicious behavior in the animal is to tend to isolate itself .

In fact, if it is true that cats are independent animals and sometimes not too sociable, they interact a lot with the people they live with, looking for them for cuddles, greeting them on their return home, purring. If you notice that all of this is missing, probably the cat has not only hid to sleep in peace, but there is something wrong: find it and give it all your attention to understand what the problem may be.

Same thing if we notice a lowering in his reflexes : if the cat seems a bit dazed and takes longer than necessary to respond to our calls or our caresses, it is good to have an alarm bell triggered in the head.

2 – CHANGES IN APPETITE AND THIRST IN THE CAT

Another very important sign of discomfort and not to be underestimated is the change in appetite. The cat, in general, tends to eat with pleasure and always finish the food that we provide, especially if properly rationalized during the day. If we notice instead that the animal has a a sharp drop in appetite , as well as for us humans, is a clear sign that the cat is feeling unwell.

As for thirst, however, the parameter to be considered as an alarm signal is the opposite: if we notice that the cat drinks a lot , and we are not in summer, it could mean that it suffers from some metabolism disorder.

3 – CHANGES IN THE FUR OF THE CAT

The cat is a very neat and tidy animal, which spends a lot of time licking itself and taking care of its coat. If we were to notice instead that its fur is less shiny than usual, or in disorder , all messed up , or even dirty , these are all signs that the animal has not been taking care of itself for a few days and therefore most likely not well.

We try to pay close attention to these types of changes, so as to immediately understand if there is something wrong and if this abnormal situation is accompanied by other symptoms or not.

4 – CHANGES IN CAT’S BREATHING

The breath of a healthy cat tends to be so quiet as to be imperceptible.

If, on the other hand, we should notice a certain difficulty in the animal’s breathing , without there being reasons directly connected to this state (such as a particularly hot climate or the animal that is visibly irritated or excited), this could be an alarm signal.

(If, on the other hand, the problem is the heat, find out more about how to protect the cat from the heat ).

Cats can suffer from various respiratory ailments, including asthma, which are certainly not to be underestimated. Therefore, if we notice a disturbing change in the regular breathing of the animal, for no apparent reason, we immediately resort to the support of the veterinarian.

5 – CHANGES IN THE CAT’S SLEEP

It is known that the cat tends to sleep a lot and this is usually not a symptom of discomfort.

However, we must be careful if, in addition to sleeping for a long time, the animal does not appear to be active and alert when it wakes up as usual, but very fatigued, lazy or even groggy. Here, in these cases we should start to get some doubts and ask for the advice of an expert doctor.

Sometimes the cause of this behavior is due to the strong weight gain of the animal (especially in those who live exclusively in the apartment) and in these cases it will be enough to put the cat on a diet a little with the help of a specialist, to regain to the animal all its vitality.

OTHER SIGNS OF DISEASE IN THE CAT

In addition to the routine changes that we have explained above, it is obviously advisable to know how to recognize other factors, to understand if the cat is sick. For example:

  • Gums: to be healthy they must be pink. If, on the other hand, we notice that they tend to yellow, red or dark, it is advisable to promptly consult a veterinarian.
  • Dry nose : This could be a symptom of fever.
  • Constipation or diarrhea : clear signs of ongoing disturbance.
  • Vomiting : Although quite common in cats who use it as a tool to clean up, if they do it too often it could instead be a sign of ongoing malaise.
  • Movement disorders : limp, stagger, etc. are elements to keep an eye on.
  • Eyes and ears : they must be clean and free of secretions, mucus, etc.

If we notice any of these signs or even other elements that we believe to be abnormal, it is always good to avoid doing it yourself and consult your veterinarian immediately .

If it had been a false alarm all the better, but at least we can sleep peacefully.