Symptoms of Illness

If you spend time with your kitten every day, you will quickly get to know their personality, behaviour and feeding routine and elimination habits. Changes in these usually indicate that something may be wrong with your kitten.

Any of the following may be symptoms of illness:

Excessive thirst.
Sudden weight loss or gain.
Changes in colour or condition of skin.
Diarrhoea.
Difficulty in breathing.
Difficulty in urination or blood in urine.
Dull or patchy coat.
Fever.
Lack or loss of appetite.
Sluggishness or odd behaviour.
Red or watery eyes, nasal discharge.
Vomiting.

Signs of Chronic Illnesses

What can owners do to look out for the signs of some of the most common chronic illnesses found in cats? A daily or weekly health check provides the opportunity for a head to tail examination - a good time to do this is during a grooming session.

Lumps and bumps should be checked by your Veterinary Surgeon. If detected early enough, many tumours can be successfully removed.
A lack-lustre coat could mean your cat has or is heading for a variety of problems and any change is worth reporting to your Veterinary Surgeon immediately.
Loss of appetite is normal with elderly cats, but a true reluctance to eat is a different matter and should be taken up with your Veterinary Surgeon.
Drinking more than normal could mean the onset of diabetes or one of a variety of chronic disorders - see your Veterinary Surgeon for advice.
Fat cats are not necessarily happy cats. Middle Age Spread could spell problems, a sudden weight loss is equally concerning.
A general down in the mouth expression and lethargic behaviour are worth taking seriously. Tell your Veterinary Surgeon and have your cat checked out.

Accepting the news that your pet cat has a chronic illness can be difficult to come to terms with. But, thanks to an increased understanding of the conditions and on-going medical and surgical developments, the diagnosis need not feel like the end of the world.