5 Signs Your Cat Needs To Go To The Vet Now
Looking out for your cat's health is important, but the independent streak that felines often display also makes them hard animals to decode, especially when you're worried that they might need help. Knowing what signs to look out for, however, will help you determine whether your cat needs to pay a visit to an animal hospital.
Vocalizations
In nature, cats do not loudly vocalize unless they're in extreme distress. While domesticated cat breeds, particularly the Siamese, have earned a reputation for being more talkative, cats still don't generally make outright howls unless they're in pain. Some cats also have stress responses that lead to panting. In the most extreme cases, vocalizations and panting will precede a sudden onset of hind-end paralysis which is called ATE.
Hiding
Getting away from everything and everyone is an instinct many cats have when they're hurt, and running away to spaces behind couches and under beds is common. If your feline has become difficult to coax out of hiding, particularly with normal incentives like offers of easy food, you may want to get suspicious about its health. There may be other reasons for a cat to run into hiding, such as the introduction of a new pet or a child to your household, but persistent hiding might also be an indication of medical problems.
Wounds
Seeing wounds on a cat, especially tomcats that roam outdoors and get into fights with other cats, is something that a lot of pet owners have been conditioned to. Unfortunately, fight wounds are also common transmission vectors for a number of feline diseases. Cats are prone to the development of abscesses and scars from wounds, but going to a veterinary services provider to get antibiotics may head off the worst outcomes.
Lethargy
A cat can be exposed to a number of poisons that'll make it lethargic, with the two most common being lily plants and antifreeze fluids from automobiles. Should you know for sure your cat has been exposed to either, getting to an animal hospital like Cats Only Veterinary Hospital in time is of the essence.
Not Eating
Cats like to eat, and it's incredibly uncommon for a cat to go a whole day without desiring food. A number of issues can cause a cat to not want to eat, including kidney failure and liver problems. The most common is intestinal obstructions, usually caused by hairballs cats accumulate in the digestive tract from persistent grooming behaviors.
Share