When getting a pet, it can all feel like sunshine and rainbows until it isn’t. As pet parents, there are more responsibilities that go beyond food, toys and affection. One of the most important things is staying on top of your cat’s health.
For many cat owners, recognizing when something is wrong isn’t always easy, but knowing what to look for can make all the difference.
Cats are often seen as these “low-maintenance” versions of dogs that don’t require vet check-ups or up-to-date vaccines. According to Angie Kautz, a vet tech assistant, a cat should visit the vet every year to ensure everything is okay.
Among some common misconceptions about cats’ health, there’s the belief that some diseases are unmanageable, making people take their cats back to shelters because they can’t deal with the emotional and financial burden of a sick pet.
This couldn’t be further from the truth; some diseases can be very challenging, but most of them don’t mean the end of the world. “People are very hesitant to keep an animal with that potential risk,” said Kautz. Like urinary tract infections, those come with potential blockages and can be a lifelong illness, but “it can be very well managed.”
There are three main things you should be paying attention to daily: diet, litter box habits and water intake. On top of that, “minimizing stress, minimizing anxiety, and making sure that they drink a lot of water,” said Stephanie Cheung, a veterinary medicine student at the University of Calgary, are things you can do to prevent health issues.
Cats are masters at hiding pain. “They are very good at hiding it for a very long time, and you don’t recognize it until it’s too late,” Kautz said.
“It’s less common for cat owners to be able to recognize illness in their pets,” said Cheung. “In veterinary hospitals, 90 per cent of patients are dogs, and 10 per cent of patients are cats, just because cats are so good at hiding their illnesses.”
Because of this, it’s important for owners to recognize subtle warning signs.
One of the most common situations cat owners encounter is cats peeing outside of the litter box. More often than not, this is not just a behavioural issue; it can be a sign of an underlying medical condition.
If your cat is peeing where he shouldn’t, this may not be the only sign that something is wrong. Keep an eye out for:
- Sneezing
- Poor grooming
- Drooling
- Not acting like themselves
- Not following their routine.
Small changes in their routine can mean more to you than you think. Cats may not be able to tell you something is wrong, but they will show you.
CAT GRIMACE SCALE
Familiarize yourself with some of the physical signs that your cat could be in pain. Using the Cat Grimace Scale: a tool used to identify subtle signs of pain in cats based on facial expressions.
Urinary Issues & FLUTD
One of the most common medical conditions that presents in cats is feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD).
Some of the most common symptoms are:
- Blood in their urine
- Straining to urinate
- Urinating in small volumes
- Not able to urinate at all
- Increased frequency of urination or urinating outside the litter box
- Vocalizing
- Looking uncomfortable
- Hiding
Male cats are more prone to urinary tract infections, which can lead to blockages. In some cases, these issues can be triggered by stress, like a new person in the house or the introduction of a new pet.
A male cat becoming blocked and unable to urinate at all is a life-threatening emergency. “A cat will pee out potassium. When they can’t pee, this potassium builds up in their body, and it causes their heart to gradually slow down and then eventually stop,” explained Cheung.
Another condition that presents FLUTD symptoms is feline idiopathic cystitis, which is an unknown cause of bladder inflammation.
“Some factors that contribute to feline idiopathic cystitis are cats being overweight, anxiety, frequent diet changes, genetics, age, non-clumping litter, a multi-cat household, or a lack of play behaviour,” said Cheung.
Diet also plays a role in urinary health. Changing their diet regularly can trigger a change in the pH of their urine and cause struvite crystals. They’re at higher risk with diets high in magnesium, phosphorus, calcium chloride, fibre, and protein. “However, it is important to note that crystals in the urine can be normal in cats,” said Cheung.
Other common conditions
Chronic kidney disease, CKD, is also a common condition that presents in cats, which means a gradual loss of kidney function. Some common clinical signs are weight loss, increased urination and increased water drinking, subtle changes that are easy to miss until the disease has progressed.
Beyond kidney disease, dental health is another area that owners often underestimate. Brushing your cat’s teeth might seem like a stretch, but dental hygiene plays a bigger role in their health than most owners realize. Without it, cats can develop gingivitis and tooth loss, and may be silently suffering through every meal.
For cats that won’t tolerate a toothbrush, alternatives like raw chicken necks, chicken feet, or silvervine sticks can help keep their teeth clean.
Just as overlooked, but equally serious, is obesity. While chubby cats may seem adorable, the reality is that obese cats are at significantly higher risk of illness than their leaner counterparts. A healthy diet and a consistent play routine can do wonders for your cat’s longevity.
Toxicities
Many common household items can be life-threatening to cats, and new owners are often unaware of the risks.
Veterinary emergency hospitals are seeing more cases of cat toxicities. One example is something as simple as acetaminophen. “If ingested by a cat, [it] causes injuries to red blood cells, resulting in inadequate oxygen delivery,” Cheung said. This is a real emergency that needs urgent attention.
Medication should be stored in a locked area, out of reach of pets and children.
Another silent killer is any type of lily. They are extremely toxic to cats, acting as a rapidly absorbed toxin and causing acute renal failure. It can be fatal within 24 hours. Cats will start showing clinical signs within 5 to 10 minutes of ingestion.
It’s not only the plant itself — it’s the water it sits in, and the dirt it grows in, so outdoor cats are also at risk of coming across lilies.
It is very common to be unsure whether what your cat is showing requires emergency attention. In the past couple of years, some resources have come forward, like Animal Health Link, which works like a tele-triage system for owners who aren’t sure if they should go to the ER or not.
When in doubt, it’s better to go and be told it’s nothing than to wait and lose valuable treatment time.
Being a pet parent means paying attention because your cat is counting on you, even if they’ll never say so.