It can be hard to tell if your cat is sick, but some indicators are clear signs for you.
In general, if there is any marked change in your cat’s behavior or appearance, there may be something severely wrong. It can be especially difficult to tell if something is wrong with your cat’s health, as felines instinctively try to hide their illness. To catch the subtle signs, see the common signs below to tell if your cat is sick.
1. Increased Hiding
In the wild, cats of all kinds tend to want to hide themselves away if they become weak for whatever reason. It is to protect themselves from becoming vulnerable to prey animals. A housecat may do the same, even if it is the only animal in the house. Keep in mind that some cats normally hide more than others. It is when hiding habits increase that there may be concern.
2. Change in Appetite
Another common symptom of illness in cats is a change of appetite. They may lose their appetite and start to become anorexic. Conversely, a sudden increase in appetite, no matter what age, can signal that something’s amiss. Besides seeing how much or little your cat is eating, weight loss or gain can also indicate appetite. Be aware also of how much your cat is drinking. A sudden increase in thirst could be a problem.
3. Vomiting
Cats may come out with a few hairballs in their lifetime, but vomiting regularly is a sign you need to take your cat to the vet at once. Some cats are more likely to vomit than others, but no healthy cat will vomit every few days.
4. Limping
If your feline is limping, something is evidently the matter. Even if everything else is normal about your cat, an animal will not limp unless something is wrong. Limping could be a sign of arthritis.
5. Increased Vocalization
Although cats tend to hide away their weaknesses, they may indicate to you that they are sick by yowling. No matter if your cat never makes a peep or if he meows all the time, an increase in vocalization may be him telling you something is wrong.
6. Defecating
Certainly not the most pleasant, but perhaps one of the most telling signs your cat is sick is defecating outside the litterbox. Do not take this behavior as a spitefulness in your cat, but rather a signal. If your pet begins to do anything out of the ordinary, contact your vet as soon as you can.
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