We treat and love our cats like they are our children, they mean the world to us. Certainly, taking care of one is not an easy job, it can become pretty challenging. Sometimes there’s no doubt about that, but we love being their parents anyway.

Among the daily tasks like brushing them, cleaning up the mess they leave behind, feeding and entertain them, every now and then we should pay attention to their moods and behavior. Why is that? Well, it so happens that they can be sick, and we didn’t know or notice it.

Your pet is going to get sick at some point, it’s inevitable, and natural. However, sometimes their symptoms aren’t so ordinary, and it can be pretty hard to tell what’s really going on.

Here’s a list of symptoms you should always keep in mind just to be safe:

1. Their pupils are very dilated 

2. They have diarrhea

3. Vomiting

4.  They have no intention of playing (to be honest every cat does this so it can be easily misinterpreted), being active or they seem lethargic 

5. You notice a change in their appetite or drinking behavior

6. They either gain or lose a significant amount of weight

7. Their breathing changes, it’s either abnormally fast or abnormally slow

8. Improperly using their litter box

9. They have injuries on their body or limping

10. Also they have swollen areas or wounds on their body

11. Their breath is suddenly worse than ever

12. Discharge coming from their nose or eyes

13. Noticeable hair loss

14. They tend to hide very often

What are the most common causes for illnesses?

If your cat is showing one of the symptoms mentioned above there could be nothing to worry about, however if they are persistent this is what they can be suffering from:

• If they have issues using the litter box, they can have a problem with their urinary tract, or kidney or bladder stones, however if you made any changes to the litter box that can be a cause as well and it’s nothing to be concerned about;

• An increased appetite can be a sign of diabetes, hyperthyroidism, inflammatory bowel disease or even intestinal cancer. Also, if you switched their regular cat food with something different, maybe it’s about that;

• If your furry friend drinks more water than usual then it can be a sign that they are suffering from kidney disease, diabetes or thyroid problems;

• If they show less interest in playing or they seem lethargic, they could have some  respiratory infections which causes breathing issues and keeps them from fun activities;

• If they have a bad breath, that can be a sign they have tooth pain or they have  periodontal disease. If their dental problem goes untreated for a longer period of time, it can turn into heart, kidney and liver disease which sometimes proves to be life threatening.

What can you do if your furry friend is sick?

Well, the best thing that you can do is to go to the vet immediately, medical care is the best for your cat, and you shouldn’t postpone it any longer . The faster you go, the faster your cat will feel better and act normal again.

If your cat is not showing any concerning symptoms, you can just call your vet and describe the situation to them. If the situation persists, they will probably ask you to for a checkup anyways.

In case of injuries, swollen areas, or wounds you shouldn’t waste any time , they can get infected if not properly taken care of.

Takeaway

It doesn’t mean your cat is sick whenever they drink too much water or put on a few extra pounds, don’t worry, just about anything that’s out of their behavioral pattern, is nothing most of the time.

However, mind their behavior, mood and appearance and when you suspect something is off, better trust your gut and give the vet a call. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.