The Subtle, Secret Signs Your Cat May Be Sick

You’ve probably heard about how well cats hide their illnesses. And it’s true. Cats are very private creatures, and as predators who are also prey, we don’t like showing our weaknesses. So often we will hide that we’re feeling bad until we just can’t anymore. It’s extremely rare for a cat to be a hypochondriac!

If you’ve lived with cats, and have the vet bills to show for it, I bet you wish there was a way to tell whether your cat is sick sooner. If you’re relying on your cat to tell you, when they finally do, often the problem has been developing over time. Sometimes cats will spring an illness on you by surprise, but you often can see signals that something is going on before your cat chooses to tell you. You just need to know what to look for.

Know Your Cat

The most proactive thing you can do for your cat’s health is to get to know them as well as possible. That means their habits, the way they eat, their food preferences, what’s going on in the litter box, and their general day-to-day life. That way, when something changes, you are able to detect it right away.

Here’s a short list of things to take note of. Consider them the measurements with which you can gauge any changes in your cat.

1. Their sleeping habits
   Cats have their favorite sleeping spaces, and their favorite beds. They also have specific times of day they normally nap. These can change during the year because of the changes of the season.
• Take note when a cat’s sleeping habits change in a way that’s not ordinary.
   
• If your cat is choosing to sleep somewhere hidden, like in a cat cave or under the bed, it could indicate they aren’t feeling great.
   
• Are they are sleeping significantly more or less than normal? That’s also something to think about because it could indicate illness.
   
• Physical sleeping habits could also indicate something is wrong. Are they napping in a position that appears to be compensating for pain? Are they breathing in an unusual way? There could be something going on.
2. Physical activity
   A healthy cat is active, alert, and playful. It’s not unusual for cats well into their senior years to run, jump and play. Some do slow down earlier than others, and that’s okay too. The important thing to notice is sudden changes in their behavior, or changes over time that negatively affect their quality of life. Arthritis is common in cats, but there is treatment.
• Has your cat suddenly stopped jumping? They could have hurt themselves, or are developing arthritis.
   
• If they are limping, it could mean anything from a sprained or broken leg to an injured paw, or even cancer. Although the latter is rare, that’s how my human discovered her heart cat before me, Harlot, had developed bone cancer. Check to see if there’s anything visible causing your cat to limp, and make note of the part of the leg that seems most affected. It’ll be helpful to bring that info to your vet when you bring your cat in.
   
• If your cat seems less agile in general, bring it up at your vet. It’s not uncommon in older cats, but in younger cats, it’s a signal that something’s wrong. Either way, it needs to be examined and possibly treated.
   
• Anytime your cat is doing less of any physical activity, notice the circumstances, and what your cat is doing instead. Any visible sign of pain, however, needs a vet visit.
   
3. Eating habits
   You know your cat’s food preferences, how much they eat, and how enthusiastic or picky they are about their meals. So when any of these change, it could be a warning sign of illness.
• If your cat allows it, check their mouth every few weeks for signs of gingivitis (redness where the gum meets the teeth), tartar, excessive drooling, or anything else such as mouth sores or a chipped or broken tooth. Sometimes your cat could have any of these and you wouldn’t know without seeing for yourself.
   
• Watch how your cat eats, and check for any changes. Are they starting to eat only on one side of their mouth? Chewing differently than before? Grinding their teeth? These are things you should mention to your vet.
   
• If your cat is eating more or less than normal, that could signal something isn’t right. Combined with other symptoms, it could mean a visit to the vet is in order.
   
• If your cat suddenly turns their nose up at their food, it might not be because they are finicky. A cat that is nauseous, could be suffering from a variety of illnesses. The nausea is often a symptom, and not the actual cause of what is really bothering them.
   
• Never ignore a cat that is not eating for more than a day! It doesn’t take long for a cat to develop fatty liver disease if they don’t eat. After 24 hours, gather up any other symptoms you may have noticed and take your cat to the vet.
4. Litter box habits
   One of the biggest mistakes people make about cats is believing that changes in our litter box habits are mostly behavioral. While that can be the case, it’s often because of illness, and that should be considered before thinking they are upset over something.
• Be familiar with the daily amount of pee and poop your cat leaves in the litter box. That way you’ll know if they are developing any problems right away.
   
• Kidney disease is extremely common with cats, and it’s accompanied by frequent urination. So if your cat is peeing more often, or more copiously than usual, tell your vet.
   
• When you are scooping the litter box, take a quick glance at the stool. Yes, you should be familiar with your cat’s typical poop! That way you know if something is different, whether it’s a lot of fur from overgrooming, a change in consistency or smell, blood from straining, or anything else that needs to be looked into.
   
• If your cat is straining to use the litter box, take your cat to the vet immediately. It could be a blockage of some sort, and potentially fatal. The one time when I was young and this happened, I just had a UTl, and while it wasn’t something fatal, it was very uncomfortable!
5. Physical condition
   Become very familiar with every inch of your cat’s body. One of the best reasons to groom your cat regularly, even if they have short fur, is to use it as an opportunity to examine their body. Run your hands over their torso. Feel their belly. Check their legs and paws. Check their eyes for any changes, or any discharge. Is their nose clean or runny?
• Regular physical checks let you know what your cat feels like on a normal day. That makes it easier to know when something abnormal pops up.
   
• If goes without saying, if your cat reacts strongly to being touched in any area, as if you have hit a painful spot, take them to the vet and have it looked at.
   
• Weigh your cat monthly if you can, or more often if you notice any changes. It’s easy. Weigh yourself first, then pick up your cat and step back on the scale. The difference is your cat’s weight.

As you can see, the better you know your cat, the more likely you will be to catch developing illnesses and conditions early on. And catching them early means a better outcome, less suffering — and lower vet bills in the long run. Your cat may not be able to say they are feeling unwell, but if you learn to recognize your cat’s specific signals, you’ll still know.

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