How to Tell If Your Cat Is Sick: 10 Warning Signs

Cats are experts at hiding illness. It is an instinct inherited from wild ancestors who could not afford to look weak, and it means that by the time you notice something is wrong, your cat may have been unwell for weeks. These are the signs worth knowing. 1. Changes in eating or drinking A sudden drop in appetite, or a sudden increase in thirst, is one of the earliest signals of illness. Increased drinking in particular is a classic early sign of kidney disease, diabetes and hyperthyroidism — three of the most common conditions in cats over seven. Put the water bowl somewhere you pass often, and notice how fast it empties. 2. Lethargy Cats sleep a great deal, so this is easy to miss. What matters is the change: a cat that used to greet you at the door and now does not, or one that has stopped jumping onto surfaces it used to reach easily. 3. Litter box changes Straining, going more often, producing very little, or blood in the urine all need attention. In male cats, urinary blockage is a genuine emergency — a blocked cat can die within 24 to 48 hours. If your male cat is repeatedly squatting and producing nothing, go to a clinic immediately, not tomorrow. 4. Vomiting Occasional hairballs are normal. Vomiting more than once a week is not, whatever you may have been told. 5. Weight change Weight loss in a cat that is eating normally is always significant. A kitchen scale and a carrier is enough to track it at home — weigh monthly and write it down. 6. Discharge from eyes or nose Clear discharge often means allergy or irritation. Coloured or thick discharge usually means infection. 7. Coat condition A cat that stops grooming is telling you something. A dull, greasy or matted coat in a cat that used to be immaculate is a sign of pain, arthritis or systemic illness — grooming requires flexibility and energy. 8. Hiding Cats hide when they feel vulnerable. A cat that has taken to the back of a wardrobe and stays there is not being moody. 9. Changes in voice Both unusual silence and unusual yowling matter, particularly yowling at night in older cats. 10. Breathing difficulty Any open-mouth breathing, laboured breathing or abdominal effort in a cat is an emergency. Cats do not pant like dogs. If you see it, go now. If you have noticed any of these, an online consultation is a reasonable first step: it will tell you quickly whether you are dealing with something that can wait until morning or something that cannot.

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