Cats are masters at hiding signs of illness. This is a throwback to their wild origins: in the wild, a sick animal easily becomes prey. Because of this, it’s up to cat parents to know what to look for. Any changes in your cat’s normal routine, behavior and attitude could be the first indicator that something is wrong.
Cat parents often don’t realize that problems can develop slowly and cats don’t show symptoms until a disease is already advanced. Early detection is important: there’s a much better chance that the problem can be treated successfully, and you’ll also save yourself money by avoiding costly veterinary fees for treating an advanced illness.
The following ten signs may be cause for concern:
1. Decreased energy or activity level
If your cat suddenly refuses to engage in normal play behavior or seems lethargic, this could be a sign that she’s not feeling well.
2. Changes in appetite
If your cat suddenly starts eating voraciously, or refuses to eat, it can be an indicator of a serious problem. Complete anorexia (not eating) is especially dangerous in cats and can lead to hepatic lipidosis, a potentially life threatening form of liver disease, within 24-48 hours.
3. Increased thirst and/or urination
Increased water intake can be a sign of kidney disease or diabetes. An increase in the amount of urine output, or an increase in the frequency of urination, can be a sign of urinary tract disease.
4. Changes in behavior
If your cat starts to hide, refuses to play, or becomes aggressive for no apparent reason, these changes may be caused by a physical problem.
5. Vomiting and/or diarrhea
While a single bout of vomiting or diarrhea may not be cause for concern, ongoing vomiting and diarrhea can be sign of a serious gastro-intestinal problem.
6. Inappropriate elimination
If your cat all of a sudden refuses to use the litter box, ruling out a medical issue should always be your first step.
7. Weight loss or weight gain
Sudden weight loss or weight gain is always a cause for concern and requires veterinary attention.
8. Poor hair coat, hair loss or excessive scratching or grooming
Poor hair coat can be caused by any number of conditions. Excessive scratching and grooming may be caused by allergies or parasites.
9. Foul odor
A foul odor coming from your cat’s mouth, ears or skin may be the indicator of dental disease, infection, or other problem.
10. Abnormal vocalizations
If your cat starts to vocalize in ways that are not normal for her, this can be a cause for concern.
Don’t dismiss any subtle change to your cat’s normal pattern. Schedule an exam with your cat’s veterinarian at your earliest convenience if you notice any of these signs.
FTC Disclosure: This post was sponsored by PDSA, also known as the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals, a well-liked animal charity based across the United Kingdom. Regardless of payment received, you will only see topics on this site that I believe are of interest to my readers. This post was first published in 2014 and has been updated.
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It’s always good to have these reminders. Thanks you!
Our cat is 13 years old and is a Tortoise. She has in the last become more irritable and aggressive to myself and my wife. She even bit my wife out of no ware. We keep up all the shots and make sure she is brought in at night and feed each day. We give her love when ever she wants. We are confused. Any advise.
If you haven’t taken your cat to the vet yet, please do so immediately. What you’re describing could be an indicator of any number of medical issues.
Hi, i dunno yet if there is a problem but I got this sublime Spanish cat shoes called poupoune. She’s so bright she understands lol talking to her by voice intonations and force and she too communicates with different tones In her voice it’s incredible. But for 2 days now she seems low energy, not as much spark but here it started to get cold a few days ago so i thought it be mild cold or something it not sure if red vet or what I should look for…any ints? Maybe I’m too protective but she my friend my pal my faithful companion. Is there something I should look for b4 the vet ? Any help would be super appreciated . Thanks..simon
My mostly Maincoon(Honey) was not eating as much as usual and sometimes throwing it back up. Then he got in a scuffle with a another cat, no blood nor puncture wounds found, but he is low energy, his coat usually fluffy now looks rough and Matt. For 2 days he had no interest in food, on the morning of the 3rd day he eliminated a fairly large hair ball, and was waiting for his breakfast like usual, I thought we were in the clear, but this morning he was again a no show for breakfast, he is still lathargic, do you think he may have more blockage than what he expelled?
My Cats fur is thinning around bothside of her back, she also brings her food up most times as she eats quite quickly and she cannot bear the cold.
i have now noticed a slighty blood around her faeces. apart from that she is a lively and mischievious cat.
would this be a matter of her having a blood test.
Please take your cat to your vet as soon as possible. It sounds like there are multiple issues. At a minimum, she’ll need a thorough physical exam, most likely also bloodwork and a fecal exam.
My cat is not acting like himself. He looks depressed and won’t play with me anymore. He is 2months away from being 2years old. When I pet him he won’t respond like he normally does. I don’t know what’s going on.
What could it mean when your three-year-old cat drinks water and afterwards starts coughing and sounds really congested does this all the time
What about feeling cats nose? Is warm nose a sign as well?
This is a great list, and one that any cat owner should refer to. You are correct, cats are very good at hiding their sickness, so we as owners must be extra vigilant!
Take your index finger and slowly point it towards your cats nose. If your cat leans in towards your finger tip to smell your finger….that is a good sign of your cat feeling good and is just plain curious. On the flip side, if your cat doesn’t respond to your finger, something is wrong with your cat. I have performed this simple test a thousand times over with all my cats.
This is so important! My friend’s cat nearly died recently of a severe UTI, she didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary until the normally “feisty” tortie suddenly became affectionate and wanting to be on her and she noticed her heartbeat was erratic. Very scary how well they can hide!
Oh no, that’s so sad, Michelle.
I didnt know our male cat was very sick with a UTI until he was lying in the hallway crying out in a way I had never heard a cat cry from pain. He almost died. He had many more but we now knew the 1st signs and sadly it was a UTI and kidney failure that took him from us at age 8. We had him pts , he was still purring while looking into my eyes. <3 The unconditional love of a pet.
Changes in normal routine could be something like wanting to be with another person in the house.
My cat Spicy would always stay with me and sleep against my back. Then she started getting very determined to lay on my husbands lap and would sit there waiting for him to come back if he gets up.
Now I got worried because while she loves him, she always preferred me.
It took me longer than normal to see she was sick because at the same time I broke my foot and was on crutches, so I thought that was the reason for the change!
Such good information! It’s so easy to overlook the subtle signs that a cat isn’t doing well. Early intervention is always best for any illness, so best to catch things as early as possible by being alert to potential signs.
Thank you Ingrid. I knew these too except some of the what they could be a sign of I have not heard of. Good to know.
I knew these, but it’s ALWAYS good to re-read them — keep them fresh in my mind. . . thanks for the reminders!! <3