If you’re a cat lover, you’ll want the best for your feline companion, and this starts with ensuring that they’re healthy or not. Playing the veterinarian and conducting a thorough checkup on your cat should be done every month by some best pet insurance sources essential.
This guide will help you to spot any unusual signs early on, allowing your cat to get the treatment you need as soon as possible. It will enable you to spend more quality time with your cat and help you keep it in top shape.
Body
Checking the body condition score of your cat is an essential part of cat care. Depending on your cat’s breed and coat length, you should be able to feel and, in some cases, even see their ribs with only a light layer of fat covering them.
Ears
Because of their fragility and sensitivity, you must handle cat ears with great care. The ear canals should never be red, swollen, or inflamed, and there should be no waxy or oily discharge. On hot, sunny days, if your cat has thin hair or white-tipped ears, apply a thin layer of sunscreen to help prevent sunburn and, potentially, skin cancer.
Take your cat to the vet if they begin to hold their head to one side, rub their face on surfaces more frequently, or shake their head constantly. You don’t want to injure your cat further by doing this yourself, so don’t think about it.
Eyes
Your cat’s eyes should shine brightly and clearly with no signs of runniness, redness, or irritation. If you notice your pet squinting or avoiding the light, or if they suddenly start bumping into things, take them to the vet for an examination.
Nose
Ideally, the skin on your cat’s nose should be velvety and slightly wet. Symptoms such as crusting, bleeding, discharge, and excessive sneezing indicate something is wrong, so have them seen by a veterinarian for a checkup.
In addition to being unpleasant company, cats with bad breath may be a sign of a more serious ailment, such as digestive or kidney disease. Typically, however, it is a sign of bacterial overgrowth or plaque on their teeth and gums, which, if left untreated, can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, and possible organ damage.
If tartar is present, teeth should be white or cream. When it comes to your cat’s gums, they should be a healthy shade of pink (or black, depending on the color of your cat’s skin). Poor breath, increased salivation, an unwillingness to eat, clawing at the mouth, and dropping food are all signs that something’s wrong, so keep an eye out for them.
The Coat and Skin
Because of your cat’s color, it should have pink or black skin with no signs of crusting, itching, and scaling. Their hair should be thick and shiny, with no broken hairs, bald spots, dandruff, or fleas (although some breeds will have thicker hair than others).
Black and white spots should also be absent from their skin. It may tempt you or your cat to pick at your cat’s acne, but you should resist and instead consult with your veterinarian if you notice any signs of cat acne.
It would help if you taught your cat early on to enjoy being brushed and to use a good vacuum cleaner because they shed hair all year round, but more so in the summer and fall.
Nails
Nails can be black or white, but they should be smooth; if they are rough or flaky, you should take your cat to the veterinarian. Check your cat’s nails by gently pressing on their feet to see how far the nails have come.
Look at their dew claws, which can be located right above their paws, for symptoms of infection. Some cats only have them on their front legs, while others have them on both front and back legs!
You should check the condition of your cat’s paws while inspecting its nails. Antifreeze can be toxic to cats if they walk on it and then eat it when they groom themselves, so if you have an outdoor cat, you should clean its paws frequently, especially in the winter.
Digestion
The effort takes to get sick for a cat; they will do their best to avoid it at all costs! Cats are known to vomit or refuse to eat occasionally, but this is the exception rather than the rule.
When caring for cats, keep an eye on their appetite and be careful about what you and everyone else in the household give them. Adjust your cat’s diet over seven to ten days, paying attention to any changes in his feces.
It should have a uniform brown color, a firm texture, and no blood or mucus. Changes in appetite or digestion can be entirely natural, but never think your cat is merely being fussy – go to your vet to be sure.
Respiration
Any signs of panting, wheezing, or coughing in a cat should be evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible because cats do not open their mouths to breathe as dogs do.
Thirst
There are many ways that cats can satisfy their thirst, from a leaking faucet to a puddle, and they’ll find them. So, don’t be alarmed if your healthy cat doesn’t seem to drink much.
Keep a bowl of fresh water for your indoor or outdoor cat. You should consult your vet if your cat suddenly becomes extremely thirsty or begins to drink more than usual without any increase in activity.
Attitude
Your cat’s demeanor could tell you much about your relationship with them! Sickness will be evident in your cat’s body language, as it’s a reliable predictor of a cat’s behavior. For example, if your cat is sleeping more than usual or acting more docile than usual, this could indicate that they’re sick.
Untrained cats may also be wary of human interaction, pee in unexpected places, and display an aggressive demeanor seemingly out of nowhere. It’s essential to be aware of changes in your cat’s behavior and consult your veterinarian if you have any concerns.
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