Besides knowing healthy cat weight, other signs of whether or not your cat is unhealthy can help you take necessary steps to keep them as safe and comfortable as possible.

In this blog, we will cover common symptoms associated with a healthy and unhealthy cat so that you can recognize any changes in their behavior accordingly. Come discover what to look out for in terms of both physical health and mental health when caring for cats!

Signs of a Healthy Cat

Look for clear eyes, regular litter habits, proper grooming, a normal appetite and playful behavior as well as good sleep patterns and regular purring.

Clear eyes

Having eye problems in cats is a sign that something is amiss with their health. Cat owners should pay close attention to their pet’s eyes for any changes, as these can indicate the presence of an underlying condition or disease.

When looking at your cat’s eyes, they should appear clear and bright – without clouds or changes in coloration. Redness around the rims, discharge from one or both eyes (particularly if it’s green and thick) may be signs of infection or inflammation which can develop into more serious conditions such as conjunctivitis.

A glassy look could also point to pain; this may be accompanied by squinting, head shaking, pawing at the eye(s), or other behaviors suggesting discomfort or unease.

Regularly checking a cat’s eyes for abnormalities helps catch potential issues early on before complications can arise – seeking veterinary care promptly when abnormalities are noticed allows treatment interventions to begin sooner and prevent further damage caused by neglected illnesses affecting vision loss, corneal ulcers among other possible consequences currently not visible when first noticing changes in your cat’s eyes.

Regular litter habits

One of the most important indicators when it comes to a cat’s physical health is how often and what type of litter box habits they keep. A healthy adult cat should visit their litter box at least once a day, typically 3-4 times a day.

If your cat visits the litter box more or less frequently than this, they may have an underlying medical condition that needs attention right away as longer delays in passing stool can become very dangerous for cats.

The consistency of passed stools is equally important and usually ranges from firm and malleable to softer shapes like paste or even fluid depending on age and diet. Changes from these standard parameters can indicate constipation, diarrhea or other digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome which need immediate evaluation if not returning quickly back to normal after environmental adjustments such as dietary change or management adjustment (e.g., addition of canned pumpkin).

Consistently soft poop might also be associated with nutrient deficiencies or systemic illnesses, so paying close attention to any changes in consistencies are essential for early detection and treatment by vets if noticed prolonged changes in spiteful adjusting environment affected facotrs such mentioned above.).

Moreover, eating his/her own waste could highlight anemia possibly due poor nutrition but also vitamin deficiency requiring long term supplementation therapy ultimately leading good recovery towards routine life again.

To maintain regular litter habits one should create appropriate conditions for her respective pet; ensuring availability of clean hygiene pages concerning adequate area deepness while cleaning timely when necessary with safe detergent suitable kitty sensitive skin folk.

Good grooming

Good grooming is essential for cats’ overall health and well-being. Regular brushing will help prevent matting of the fur, maintain a healthy coat, and even detect any skin issues or abnormalities early on – something which can save you time and money at the vet’s office.

Not to mention, having a clean and shiny coat year round helps your cat look their best! Proper grooming should begin when they are kittens if possible, as it allows them to get used to being groomed earlier in life.

When brushing your cat make sure to do so gently; avoid excessive force or fast movements that could cause discomfort and may put your pet off from future sessions. Additionally, regular nail trimming should be part of their daily routine; this helps with scratching behavior (which protects against boredom) and keeps their nails short which can also decrease household damage due to sharp claws around furniture pieces.

Normal appetite

A healthy cat will usually have an appetite that remains consistent. A good rule of thumb is to feed your furry friend a proportionate amount of food according to their ideal weight and age range.

Usually a two- or three-meal schedule per day works best; adjust the portion size up or down as needed, but if you notice significant changes over a few days, reach out to your vet to ensure there are no underlying health issues causing them.

Overall, cats require adequate amounts of high quality proteins, balanced essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals from their diet in order for them to maintain an acceptable body condition score (BCS).

Playful behavior

Playful behavior is a normal and healthy part of being a cat, essential to keep them stimulated mentally and physically. Cat owners should be on the lookout for signs that their cats are in good health such as playing regularly both with toys or you can provide them with various objects around your household.

Signs of a playful cat include ears forward, tail up, whiskers forward, slightly dilated pupils and they may even stalk their prey around the house – all very typical hunting behaviors! Cats also like to bite or scratch during play which owners need to watch out for since these can become injuries if done too hard.

Playtime is an important way of providing exercise for cats as it keeps them agile and active while enriching their lives through stimulating mental activity as well as physical movement necessary for staying fit and healthy.

Good sleep patterns

Good sleep patterns are an important part of keeping your cat healthy. Kittens need up to 20 hours of sleep per day, while adult cats usually require around 15 hours or less. Regular and restful sleep helps ensure that all bodily functions remain healthy and balanced, as well as keeps cats emotionally stable.

During this deep phase of rest known as REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep, the body rebuilds itself and prevents stress hormones from being overproduced in the brain. When cats don’t get the adequate amount of necessary quality rest they become more easily agitated and experience changes with physical health such as reduced appetite or digestive issues like constipation or diarrhea.

Try to keep a consistent sleeping environment for your cat including place for them to feel secure like their own bed or blanket, comfortable temperature settings within their space, low levels of noise if any at all during night-time (e.g., avoid turning on bright lights), and absence of startling interruptions from other animals in the house when they are sleeping (such as barking dogs.) Monitoring these factors will help make sure your cat is able to relax throughout its naps so it can wake feeling refreshed!

Regular purring

Purring is one of the most common vocalizations cats use to communicate their needs and emotions. Purring is seen as a learned behavior by cats, which they can turn on and off at will.

Cats often purr out of contentment or joy, usually when they are being petted or snuggling with their people. It is also used as an appeasement when encountering an unfamiliar scenario, signal to kittens that mother cat approves of them, express stress in tough spots such as vet visits; or even help heal bones and tissues after injury due to the vibration it creates from 20-140 Hertz range frequency soundwave.

All this suggests that purring could be more than just a sign of happiness for cats! While happy purrs could certainly signify contentment between people and cats; many other emotional structures are involved when your kitty purrs.

Signs of Poor Health in Cats

 

Bad breath

Bad breath, or halitosis, is a common symptom of poor health in cats. The most likely cause of bad breath is bacterial diseases in the mouth such as tartar and plaque. However, it’s important to remember that there are multiple factors that can lead to bad breath in cats including internal illnesses (such as kidney disease), diet deficiencies, oral health conditions and lack of grooming.

Unfortunately untreated dental disease can lead to severe pain for your cat and possible organ damage if bacteria enters the bloodstream.

When assessing whether or not your cat might have bad breath make sure you pay attention to any changes compared to its normal smell (as all cats will have some variance based on their diet).

If you notice an unusually strong odor coming from your cat’s mouth then this could be a sign of stomatitis – an inflammation caused by bacterial infection in the mouth – which typically has an ammonia-like smell.

Bad breath accompanied by redness, sores, bleeding or plaques on his tongue/mucous membranes could signal gum disease which Left untreated can progress into more serious infections resulting painful procedures during treatment for your furry friend!

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is a common symptom in cats, and can be caused by numerous factors such as infections, parasites, dietary indiscretion or certain types of medications. Often there are no clinical signs associated with mild diarrhea but when more severe signs occur they usually include frequent trips to the litter box accompanied by liquid stools which may contain blood or mucous.

Dehydration is always a concern when dealing with feline diarrhea as it can develop quickly due to their small body size; other clinical signs are decreased appetite, abdominal pain and vomiting.

Seeking veterinary care if the diarrhea persists is very important for determining the underlying cause in order to fix it effectively. Your vet may recommend diagnostic tests like fecal examination or x-rays of your cat’s abdomen or work up their diet history.

It’s also important that you closely monitor your cat’s hydration levels (skin elasticity test) and provide adequate fluids during this time either through oral/subcutaneous rehydration solutions provided by the vet or additional feeding sessions throughout the day with wet food containing high moisture content.

Vomiting

Vomiting in cats can be caused by many different things, such as hairballs or a stomach upset. It is usually not a cause for concern and subsides shortly after. However, if vomiting is frequent or chronic it could indicate an underlying medical condition that needs to be looked into.

Cats suffering from any illness will vomit more often than normal and this should not be taken lightly. Vomiting multiple days within a row may lead to dehydration and malnourishment which could have serious consequences if left untreated.

If your cat has vomited once or twice it could just be related to the food they ate, but if it happens more frequently you may want to take them for check up with their vet.

It is also important to look out for other signs of health issues along with vomiting because these can give clues about what might causing the problem internally-diarrhea, weight changes, discharge from eyes or nose, drastic changes in energy levels, lethargy can all indicate deeper problems that need addressing promptly.

Hair loss

Hair loss in cats, or alopecia, can make a cat look thin and tired due to their lack of fur. Poor diet, allergies, fleas and ticks, stress, or hypothyroidism may be the cause of hair loss in cats which can begin suddenly due to acquired condition or progress gradually over time from an underlying condition.

It is important for pet owners to inspect their cat’s skin regularly for any signs of acquired hair loss that include inflammation, color change, scaling thickening — all accelerators as well as redness from itching caused by food sensitivities and allergies.

Stress can also considerably worsen these effects. Cats exposed to high levels of anxiety are at risk of developing dermatitis around delicate areas such as eyes and lips outpaced by itchy spots elsewhere on its body leading to complete coat-loss where treated promptly with environmental modifications like adding scratching posts or creating ‘safe subjects’ help diminishes discomfort while providing fun followed by routine brushing specifically during moulting periods helps ease persisting appearance along with recommendable home remedies tailored according to individual cases whether age health issues etc even though Vet assistance is strongly suggested before administering any form amid urgency especially when encountered persistent severe cases settling down with healing-process on right track will reassure desired relief preventing further complications!

Weight changes

When monitoring the health of cats, it’s important to keep an eye out for any sudden changes in weight. Cats can experience both unintentional weight loss and gain which may be indicative of underlying medical problems that require further investigation.

Unexpected weight loss is often a sign that something isn’t quite right with your feline friend and should not be overlooked. Unintentional weight loss in cats can range from simple lifestyle changes to more serious illnesses such as gastrointestinal issues or internal parasites infestation.

Other possible causes include dental problems, endocrinopathies, pancreatitis, cancer or hyperthyroidism – all of which may be accompanied by increased appetite, thirst and urination as well as vomiting, diarrhea and difficulty defecating.

Weight gain – on the other hand – is primarily caused by overconsumption of food/calories aided by lack exercise; Almost 60% of domestic cats in North America are overweight indicating obesity as a prevalent issue in cats.

Discharge from eyes or nose

Eye and nasal discharge can be indications of various underlying conditions in cats. Eye discharge may present itself as a cloudy or swollen eye, or it might not open at all. It could also involve an overflow of tears from one or both eyes (epiphora).

Some types of eye problems can result in other signs of illness such as sneezing, excessive blinking and rubbing the face with paws. They may also experience fatigue or decreased activity due to the irritation caused by the condition.

Nasal discharge usually appears less watery than liquid that originates from the eyes, appearing more like mucous or pus. Discharge from noses could range from clear to yellowish-green to brown colors depending on its cause, which is typically infection related but could sometimes indicate another type of health problem such as allergies or inflammation if these symptoms persist for longer periods without responding effectively to treatment options available otherwise e.g vaccinations & medication regimes etc indicating chronicity due to presence/ non -presenceof certain antibodies in response accordingly.

Changes in litter box behavior

Changes in litter box behavior can be an indicator of poor health in cats, so it is important to look out for any noticeable difference. Generally speaking, when a cat avoids the litter box or exhibits changes in how they use their litter box (such as standing poised above it without using it, digging around without eliminating, etc.), there is usually a medical issue at play.

Some medical issues that may cause kitty to change their bathroom habits include urinary tract infections and bladder infections which will cause them pain and discomfort while trying to urinate.

Changes in a diet or environment also could potentially lead to anxiety-induced changes in their Socio-Cognitive skills like understanding packing soils into patterns versus spreading where toilet behaviors occurvs peeing outside the designated area).

Other causes such as aversion to types of litters used may be present if suddenly there are changes noticed.

It is wise for pet owners who notice these kinds of changes not only observe closely but take prompt action by seeking veterinary guidance—even examining fecal samples from the home for clues into what might be causing the problems—so appropriate steps towards resolving the problem may proceed more quickly than otherwise possible through trial and error methods with hoping assumptions yield yields good results rather than educated attempts via flatten diagnostics including suggested treatments.

Limping or difficulty moving

Limping or difficulty moving can be signs of poor health in cats, and should not be ignored. Common conditions that can cause these symptoms include arthritis—especially in older cats—broken bones, as well as dislocated joints, which result from the cat falling or being injured.

Limping calici is another condition commonly seen in young kittens that causes fever, weakness, trembling, and limping.

It’s important for pet owners to recognize the warning signs of an unhealthy cat and seek veterinary care as soon as possible if they observe any changes in their pet’s usual movement patterns or behavior such as limping or general slowing down.

Abnormal urination

Abnormal urination can be a symptom of poor health in cats and should not be overlooked. Urinary problems may occur due to different reasons, from infections and urinary stones to kidney diseases and diabetes mellitus.

When it comes to cat urinary issues, signs such as increased thirst or urination, difficulty passing urine (straining), inappropriate elimination outside the litter box, presence of blood in the urine or pain when trying to pass urine are some common symptoms that could indicate an underlying issue.

If your cat is exhibiting any of these symptoms they should be taken immediately for veterinary evaluation. Cats with bladder infections may have a frequent need to go outside the litter box but this behavior has other causes too.

Preventing urinary problems is key, so diets rich in moisture (like wet food) can help maintain healthy hydration levels all times helping prevent potential UTIs (urinary tract infection).

Coughing or wheezing

Coughing and wheezing in cats can be indicative of a serious underlying condition, especially if accompanied by difficulty breathing. Feline asthma is one potential cause—symptoms include wheezing, rapid breathing, vomiting, and lethargy.

Unfortunately, this respiratory disorder often goes undiagnosed until it has reached an advanced stage. Asthma can drastically reduce your cat’s quality of life, so early treatment is key to managing the symptoms long term.

Coughing may also indicate the presence of an upper respiratory infection (similar to a human cold) or irritation of their lungs, airway or throat due to inhaling something like smoke or dust particles.

Cat owners should always take coughing and wheezing seriously as these are both signs that their pet is having difficulty getting oxygen into its body which could lead to further health complications if left untreated for too long.

Swelling

Swelling in cats can be a sign of an existing or underlying health issue. Cats will often display external swelling around the face, ears, legs, joints, and stomach which can get worse over time.

It is also important to mention that swelling can move from one part of their body to another or become localized if there is inflammation present. Symptoms such as vomiting, red eyes, swollen lymph nodes, tiredness and low appetite may accompany the signs of swelling in cats as they try to fight off potential illness.

If your cat is displaying any signs of inflammation it should not be ignored since extended periods of swelling around any area on a cat’s body could indicate more serious illnesses with potentially life-threatening effects.

Therefore it is important for pet owners to seek immediate veterinary attention whenever their cats have visible swellings even if they don’t appear particularly severe at first sight or have been present for a while without changing significantly in size or shape.

Excessive thirst

Excessive thirst, medically known as polydipsia, is a sign of poor health in cats. Cats stay hydrated by drinking water and eating moist foods like raw meat or wet canned food. If your cat suddenly starts drinking more water than usual, this may be an indication of underlying health issues such as diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, hyperthyroidism or urinary tract infections.

Excessive thirst often leads to increased urination which can cause litter box messes elsewhere around the house. In cases where excessive thirst is due to diabetes mellitus, you may notice that your cat also shows other signs like weight loss despite having a good appetite.

Unintentional weight loss could also indicate a serious condition like kidney dysfunction or liver failure will cause cats to drink more water than usual too. To ensure optimal health for your cat it is important to watch out for any changes in their intake traits over time and seek veterinary help if necessary so that symptoms can be managed early on and further complications prevented from developing.’.

Lethargy

Lethargy is a concerning sign that affects cats of all ages. It is characterized by decreased energy and lowered levels of activity, causing cats to seem more lethargic than usual – they may be playing less, hiding or shying away from human contact, eating less, not grooming properly and lacking enthusiasm in their activities.

Unfortunately there are many causes for lethargy in cats: it can be a symptom of minor medical conditions such as infections or dehydration; or an indication of more serious illnesses including cancer, kidney failure and heart disease.

It’s important for cat owners to recognize when their pet isn’t feeling like themselves and act quickly if symptoms persist. Signs of lethargy can take some time to develop so check your cat regularly and look out for any changes in behavior that could suggest poor health – if you observe something unusual with your kitty’s demeanor towards food quantities/litter box habits/sleep patterns etc then schedule an appointment with the vet as soon as possible.

Seizures

Seizures are one of the most common neurological issues in cats, and can involve twitching, shaking or muscle spasms. Seizures may take the form of generalized or grand mal seizures which include both limbs becoming rigid and convulsions.

In some cases, signs of a cat seizure could be more subtle such as ear flicking and whisker, mouth and eye movements. Other potential symptoms related to seizures in cats include circling behavior, blindness or wobbliness when walking as well as restlessness and sleepiness.

If your cat is displaying any of these symptoms it is important to speak with your veterinarian to discuss possible causes for their unusual behaviors so that appropriate treatment options can be discussed.

Conclusion

It is important for cat owners to understand the signs of a healthy and unhealthy cat, so that any issues can be spotted quickly. Regular check-ups with your veterinarian are essential to keep your feline companion in optimum health.

Common signs of poor health include vomiting, diarrhea, weight changes, limping or difficulty moving, coughing or wheezing and excessive thirst. A normally healthy cat has clear eyes, regular litter habits, good grooming habits and normal appetite levels which are all indicators of its overall wellbeing.

By taking note of these symptoms in cats it is possible to take necessary action right away if something appears amiss with your pet’s condition – seek medical attention promptly if there are any suspicious changes noted and invest in preventive care at home such as clean bedding areas free from fleas etc., adequate exercise/play times as well as balanced diets to ensure their optimal health over time.