Cat Illness Symptoms

Above: this is a vet’s cat – he’s lovely – intense gaze – photo by kafkan

“Cat Illness Symptoms” – What are people looking for when they do a Google search for this? A simple list of symptoms? That can’t be the case as there is little value in a list of symptoms unless the possible causes are attached.

The point is, can this be done and indeed should it be done? A list of symptoms and the possible causes is a form of diagnosis and only one person should do that, namely a properly qualified veterinarian with the cat in front of him/her.

This is because diagnosis of cat illnesses is difficult. Some underlying diseases produce a range of symptoms and a range of underlying illnesses produce overlapping symptoms – complicated obviously and fraught with the potential for error, even for an experienced vet I would have thought.

The point made, I confess that I have described cat health problems on this website; and I stress described the health problems. The articles/postings call them what you like are not diagnostic. They simply describe the issues in the same way one would describe a cat breed. The description must make a reference to the symptoms and they do. In some instances treatments are discussed when it is recognized that the symptoms could be treatable at home.

So, I came up with the idea of listing out the cat illness symptoms on this page and connecting the list to the pages describing the illnesses; voila, a cat illness symptoms page without attempting to diagnose. This page is then another doorway to the cat health problems page and associated links.

In conclusion, can an unqualified person provide such a list? Yes, in my view, provided it sticks to strict limits and boundaries, the sources are accurate and the writer precise. After all, cat breeders in collaboration with veterinarians provide medical care to their cats. And, books are written, at a quite complex medical level, by veterinarians (referred to in part here) for unqualified cat keepers about how to care for cats. It is all about knowledge while abstaining from diagnostics, which is the prerogative of the skilled vet. See a bit more on this: Cat Illness Diagnosis.

Associated Page: Common Cat Illness.

The list of symptoms; click on the text or block of text describing the symptoms to be taken to the page that describes an illness or illnesses that can produce these cat illness symptoms.

The illness selected is one possible cause. There may be others.

Changes in behavior as a sign of possible illness

Hair loss

Thinning, brittle, dull coat

Fast or slow pulse

Vomiting

Constipation

Cough

Diarrhea

Deafness

Sneezing, runny eyes and nose (like a human cold) Feline Sneezing – more detail on this

Feline Leukemia Symptoms – these cannot be listed in a simple fashion

Itchy around head, ears and shoulders — red/pink lumps on skin 0.5cm across — diarrhea — vomiting perhaps — hair loss (likely)

Cat crying

Cat Drooling

Cough which occurs when the cat is active or exercises —a lethargic cat —loss of weight —poor coat condition —blood in the sputum (sputum is the matter from the respiratory [breathing] tract) –later symptoms are heavy (labored) breathing and congestive heart failure

Substantially increased appetite accompanied by:- —weight loss (this would be particularly noticeable in the light of an increased appetite) —urinating a lot more. This would and should be noticeable to people keeping cats particularly if you are the one who changes the litter tray. —drinking a lot more. Once again this should be very noticeable if you are the person who feeds your cat. Water bowls will go down much more rapidly. In addition there may be these additional symptoms: —vomiting. Although a cat vomiting can be something not to be concerned about. advanced stage. —poor coat condition. —apparently some cats walk with hocks touching the ground. —weakness caused by low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can be serious. A cat will be listless. —dehydration. A symptom of dehydration is when the skin on the scruff of the neck when pulled fails to return to its original position in a normal time. Gums should be moist and tacky. This may indicate an advanced stage. —muscle wasting (extreme weight loss). Advanced Symptoms are:- —marked dehydration —vomiting —listlessness —loss of appetite

Strain when urinating, urinate in the wrong place, urinate small amounts, go frequently, urinate bloody urine and lick themselves a lot

Eyes bulges — sunken eye — Jerky eye — Cross eye — Inflammation of the eyelids —- swollen eye —- Eye lash irritation —- Rolled in eyelid —- Rolled out lower eyelid —- Film over the eye —- Watery eye —- Red eye — Cloudy eye — inflammation of the cornea – eye discharge, squinting, rubbing and protrusion of 3rd eyelid — opacity of the lens of the eye — hard eye —- squinting, watering — inflammation of the inner pigmented area of the eye

Dandruff

Hair loss and scabs around the head — thick wrinkled skin and grey/yellow crusts form plus the symptoms of scratching

Depression —lethargy —weight loss —possible anorexia —vomiting —possible diarrhea (soft fatty feces) —not eating due to depression —a direct symptom of the inflamed pancreas may be a painful abdomen {note: these symptoms may also be present in other illnesses

Cat stops eating — more advanced symptoms will be jaundice and vomiting — the skin (may see it inside the ear flap – pinnae) and eyes turn yellow. In very advanced stages the cat might be bright yellow-orange all over the body

A range of cat illness symptoms including high level of urination and drinking (supply plenty of fresh water) –apathy (due to poisoning of the cat’s body by the retention of the waste products of metabolism – uremic poisoning) –sluggishness (due to poisoning of the cat’s body by the retention of the waste products of metabolism) –loss of appetite –loss of weight –dry coat – unkempt appearance –tongue and gum ulcers –brownish tongue –ammonia smelling breath –vomiting yellowish fluid –diarrhea –anemia –bleeding of the intestine –coma (terminal)

Excessive grooming causing hair loss

Sudden loss of coordination — circling — falling — loss of balance — blindness — spasms of the face and limbs — paralysis, one side of the body is usually affected

Biting the tip of the tail or attacking the tail –sensitivity to touching –dilated pupils –twitching of the tail –running around wildly –symptoms can look like epileptic fits –rippling skin as mentioned above –looks like crazy behavior but cat is distressed –loud meowing

Skin tumor – possible cause

Chronic dry cough —fever —weight loss —nasal discharge —wheezing

Rashes on the head, neck and back –possible swollen eyelids –possible hair loss –sores due to scratching — possible diarrhea —possible vomiting (see cat vomiting)

Noticeable and persistent hacking cat cough that can last for a long episode — shortness of breath

Abdominal discomfort — vomiting — convulsions — scooting (drag bottom on ground)

Weight loss

Appetite loss –weight loss –sleepy –weakness –pulse rapid –breathing rapid — the gums and tongue are pale.

Peeing outside litter tray — dark urine — small amounts of urine — frequent urination.

Gastrointestinal symptoms, diarrhea, dehydration, high fever, severe depression and vomiting.

General cat illness symptoms and it can be hard to differentiate the symptoms of this disease from other feline diseases — loss of appetite and weight — listlessness — running a temperature (fever of 106 degrees) — vomiting — diarrhea — dehydration — anemia — jaundice (yellow skin – liver failure) and unsurprisingly the cat looks very ill — The color of the eyes may change and a reddish area on the iris, bleeding into the eye and the eye may be cloudy.

Initial acute cat illness symptoms: –fever — swelling of lymph nodes, which are part of the immune system. They filter/trap foreign particles –low white cell count (white cells – leukocytes – are also part of the immune system providing a defense against foreign invading objects) –skin infections –anemia. The disease progresses from the early acute signs (above) to latency (up to 3 years) to the chronic phase, the symptoms of which are: –general ill heath –severe mouth/gum disease –diarrhea –loss of appetite –loss of weight –URIs (Upper Respiratory Infections) –ear canal infections –URIs (Urinary Tract Infections)

Weight loss and increased appetite — grooms less and looks messy — hyperactivity — nervousness — panting — vomiting — diarrhea. Increased thirst and urination can be present. This condition can be confused with renal disease

Increased drinking and urinating — increased appetite — panting — pendulous appearance to abdomen — increased urinary and skin infections — decreased exercise tolerance — weight gain — hair loss — increased pigmentation of skin — thinning skin — muscle weakness — failure to grow hair that has been shaved Normally not all the symptoms are present. Normally 2-3 symptoms and some none. Doesn’t cause obvious illness. Increased thirst may be the most obvious

Circular red rings on skin – one of the simpler but hard to see cat illness symptoms

Excessive production of ear wax forming a thick brown/black layer in the ear canal — irritation — scratching — inflammation of ear

rash — itching and scratching — watering of eyes — wheezing — anaphylactic shock

Female cat – pink nipples

Skin rash (opens new tab or window)

Persistent hacking cough

Erratic habits — howling for attention — wandering aimlessly — altered sleeping habits — missing the litter — asking for food after feeding — getting disorientated and confused — decreased grooming

Swollen area on head — irritating to cat — excessive washing on swollen area (opens new tab or window)

Scooting – dragging the bottom along the ground to alleviate irritation/pain/discomfort (opens new tab or window)

This page on cat illness symptoms is not comprehensive. It is well researched and intended as a guideline, something to provoke thought. But, as usual, the advice is not to treat ill cats without medical advice or unless medically qualified oneself.

Sources: these can be seen in full when accessing the pages linked to this list of symptoms.