Is Your Cat Sick?

Vomiting

Behavior

Look For:

Possibilities

Tips

Occasional

or Repeated

1. Undigested chunks

2. Worm segments

3. Weakness,

incoordination,

1. Kitty ate too quickly.

1a. Allergy to food.

1b. Worms

2. Tapeworms

3. Poisoning

1. Observe your cat's

eating habits. Anything

out of the ordinary,

call your vet!

2. Take either your cat

or a fresh sample of

fecal matter to vet for

testing. There may be

more than one type of

worm.

3. Take cat to vet, ASAP!

Repeated or

Dry Heaves

1. Clear liquid, yellowish

or bloody?

2. Cylindrcal lump

resembling fecal matter.

1. Clear liquid often

means that a hairball is

on its way.

1a. Yellowish liquid could

mean dehydration. Bile

in vomitus could mean an

internal disorder.

1b. Bloody could mean

lacerations due to foreign

object lodged in throat.

Internal disorder.

2. Hairball

1. Observe your cat.

Does he/she appear to

be in pain? In all matters

other than an obvious

hairballing, visit your

vet immediately.

2. For frequent hairballs,

a laxative called Laxatone

can be purchased from your

vet. Comb or brush your

cat daily

Eating Behaviors

Behavior

Possibilities

Look For

Tips

Excessive

appetite

with little or no

weight gain

1. Worms

2. Hyperthyroidism

(usually found in

older cats)

3. Diabetes

4. Intestinal Masses

1. Worm Segments

2. Increased activity,

rapid weight loss,

restlessness, increased

thirst, diarrhea

3 & 4. Currently under

research

1. See above:

First row, Tips #2

2, 3 & 4. If you suspect

any of these,

take you cat to

the vet for testing

immediately!!!

Inappetence

1. Anemia

2. Hypokalemia

(low potassium)

3. Abscess, fever

or tumors

4. Dehydration

5. Obstruction in

throat or intestine

1. Weakness, Depression

1a. Observe cat's behavior

for other changes. Often,

anemia is a symptom for

another disorder.

2. Usually occurs in older

cats. Visit vet for testing

3. Check for wounds,

abrasions over body

and inside mouth.

4. Repeated vomiting,

constipation, weakness

5. Repeated vomiting,

blood in vomitus, signs

of abdominal pain,

pawing at mouth

and/or throat

1. Check your cat's gums.

See Tests, below. Take cat

to vet for treatment and

further testing.

3. Check skin surface for an

abscess, including inside

the mouth. Manipulate skin

during petting. Feel for

unnatural lumps under skin.

4. See Tests, below for a tip

to show you if your cat might

be dehydrated. Visit vet!

5. If you suspect an

obstruction, do not try

to deal with it, yourself! Visit

your vet immediately!

Miscellaneous

Behavior

Look For

Possiblilties

Tips

Inappropriate

Elimination

1. Blood in urine

2. Increased or

decreased drinking

3. Straining in

litter box.

4. Depression,

aggression

Have there been

changes in you and

your cat's lives?

1. Cystitus, FUS

Blockage

2. Kidney Disease,

Liver disease,

Hyperthyroidism

3. Bladder infection,

urinary tract infection,

Kidney disease,

Liver Disease,

Hyperthyroidism,

Urinary Blockage

4. Behavioral disorder

More often than not,

if your cat is urinating

outside of the litterbox,

it's a physical problem.

Any of these disorders

are extremely dangerous

to your cat! It would be in

your best interest to get

your cat to the vet, ASAP

If your cat has been cleared

of physical problems, then

you're dealing with a

behavior problem.

If a return to normalcy and

lots extra TLC don't seem to

be helping, you may need to

revisit your vet to discuss

the possibility of medical

behavior inhibitors.

Shaking

of head,

scratching

of ears,

poor balance

1. Dark waxy

buildup in

the ears

2. Discharge from

the ears

3. Crusty scabbling

in the ears

4. Sensitive to touch

in ear area

5. Cannot walk straight

or has trouble

standing upright

1-4. Ear mites

2-4 Ear Infection

2-5. Middle ear

infection

Visit your vet for treatment.

An infection of any kind can

lead to much worse problems.

Ear mites can also cause

major damage if left

untreated

Coughing &

Sneezing

1. Eye and nasal

discharge

2. Wheezing

3. Anemia, lethargy

4. Swollen lymph

nodes

5. Cat pawing at

throat or displaying

hairball behavior

1 &2. Cold, Allergies,

Respiratory infection

or virus. Athsma

3. See: 1 & 2, Viral

Infection (FeLV, FIP...)

4. Respiratory infection,

viral infection

5. Obstruction in throat

or an attempt to dislodge

a hairball.

If your cat has been tested

and cleared for the major

viral infections, you still

need to take your cat in for

evaluiation. A simple cold

can become nasty quickly if

not treated soon.

4. Swollen lymph nodes are

always a sign of infection.

Have your vet find the

cause, ASAP!

5. Again, visit your vet.!

Sometimes a cat can't pass

or expel a hairball. An

obstruction can be lethal!

Both can become serious

if not treated quickly.

These are just the tip of the iceberg but hopefully, some of them can give you a starting point! :-)

Tests

In each of these cases, a visit to your vet is your best bet. It may mean the difference between

life or death in many of these. In others, it may benefit you in monitoring the health of your

cat. Well, that's my goal, at least! :-)

Lymph Nodes

The locations I know of for lymph nodes are as follows: "armpits," inner

thighs at the base of the leg, below and slightly forward of the ears, just

above the swell of the chest at the base of the neck and at the backs of the

legs between the hip and joint. These signal that the body is fighting infection,

if swollen.

Dehydration

Gently pull up a fold of skin at the shoulders and release. In a healthy cat,

it should settle smoothly back into place. If some of the skin remains raised,

your kitty might be dehydrated.

Tumors

There are many different tumors, both benign and malignant. Older cats

sometimes devolop harmless "age tumors." These rise on the surface of the

skin. If you feel one of these, the tumor will move with the skin when

manipulated. Any tumor should be considered a threat until diagnosed by

your doctor as benign. If a tumor is beneath the skin, the skin will move

freely over the tumor and should be considered to be a threat. Tumors can

be a sign of cancer, so be alert!

Jaundice

The only home test that I know of for jaundice is to examine the skin, gums

and the white of the eyes. If jaundiced, the color will be yellowish. This is

a signal of liver disorder and should never be taken lightly.

Gums

Gums should have color, usually a pale pink. Look at them during good

health to be familiar with their natural color. White or excessively pale

gums can be a sign of anemia. See your vet ASAP!

Overweight

To see if you cat is overweight, run your hands along the kitty's sides

and spine. Use light pressure but do not squeeze. Ribs and spine should

be slightly felt without squeezing. If you have to push to feel those ribs,

your kitty has a weight problem. If the spine can be seen at all, it should

barely be visible. Even if your cat has a long, lanky body type, the spine

and ribs should not be easily seen! If your cat passes this but has an FBS

(See: Dif-"fur"-nitions), you should not be concerned unless your

doctor feels there's need to worry! :-)

Behavior

Any radical or sudden change in your cat's behavior can be a sign that he

has a physical ailment. It's in both you and your kitty's best

interest to have him examined! :-)

I will have links available, soon. I had to build this page in a rush and I'm not entirely

finished with it, yet! If you know of or have a great page dealing with illness, hit that

email button!! Not being perfection, I need all of the help I can get! :-)

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