You may wonder why your cat suddenly doesn’t have any appetite when a food is given to them. Or your pet cat suddenly becomes immobile and doesn’t respond when you try to tease them? Or doesn’t seek any attention when you arrived at home? And it’s already too late that when you bring your cat to a clinic and the vet tells you that your cat is sick. You can detect a disease or illness before they strike hard at your cat.
Most loving owners handle their cats quite a bit each day while playing or grooming. Your cat probably likes being touched by you, so why not take advantage of this situation? While grooming, massaging or stroking your pet, pay attention to its physical condition. Check the coat if it is dry or brittle, greasy, or lustrous? Does it have any odd growth or sores? How about parasites? By inspecting your cat or kitten closely each and every day, you will be able to catch a number of developing problems before they have a chance to become serious.
During your daily inspection, be sure to examine:
- The cat’s coat, which should be lustrous and shiny, not oily, dry or brittle. Check also for bare patches and for parasites (lice and fleas). Check that the skin is pink and healthy looking, not dry and flaky. Any rashes should be shown to your veterinarian for possible scabies infection.
- The cat’s body, which should be free of lumps, abscesses, sore or swelling. Check also for swollen abdomen and bladder (located between the stomach and the groin), either of which could point to problems ranging from worm infestation to kidney stones to cancer or intestinal blockages.
- The cat’s orifices, which should not have any discharges – a sure sign that your cat has an infection.
- The cat’s legs, which should move freely without causing the pet pain.
By doing these every two weeks will insure an immediate attention if you observe any abnormalities in your pets cat general condition.