Do You Know What These Symptoms Mean in Your Cat? A UK Owner’s Guide to Signs of Illness and When to Act

Cats are very good at hiding illness - it’s an evolutionary survival instinct so that they don’t show weakness to other predators. Unfortunately, this can make it difficult for owners to tell when something is wrong.

Serious conditions often start with subtle symptoms that are easy to miss. These are the all-important early warning signs before an illness progresses. As a cat owner, you need to understand how to:

• Recognise symptoms early

• Understand what they might indicate

• Act at the right time

In this guide, we look at common symptoms, what they might mean and how urgent they are. This will give you a good understanding of what action to take to ensure the health of your cat.

Common Signs of Illness in Cats (And What They Mean)

Though they are subtle, there are various things to look out for in your cat that could indicate something is wrong. From behavioural changes to differences in appetite or physical symptoms, it’s easier to read the signs if you know what to look out for.

Behavioural Changes

When a cat is feeling unwell, the first thing you might notice is changes in their behaviour. Let’s look at what forms this can take:

• Lethargy: If your cat seems lazier than usual and refuses to be active, it could suggest it is suffering. This is often a sign of pain, infection or a chronic illness.

• Hiding or withdrawal: This behaviour is commonly linked to anxiety, but it can also be an indicator of pain or stress.

• Aggression or irritability: If you notice this kind of behaviour, and it is out of character, it could indicate discomfort or even neurological issues.

• Changes in sleep patterns: If a cat sleeps significantly more than usual, it is likely that something is wrong.

The key takeaway from this is that changes in behaviour are often the earliest signs of illness in cats.

Appetite and Drinking Changes

A cat’s eating habits are likely to change if it is not feeling well, and this is something you can easily notice if you are paying attention.

• Not eating for 24 hours or more: This is not normal and it is dangerous for cats. The longer they go without eating, the greater their risk of hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease)

• Increased appetite: If a cat is suddenly ravenous, constantly asking for more food, it could be a sign of an overactive thyroid.

• Increased thirst (polydipsia): When a cat shows the need to keep drinking, it is sometimes linked to issues like kidney disease or diabetes.

• Reduced drinking: Though this may not necessarily be a symptom of something, it shouldn’t be ignored. Cats (particularly older ones) are at risk of dehydration.

Again, watch for these signs as they are common indicators that there is a problem.

Physical Symptoms

These are the things that cats will often try to hide, but you will notice them if you pay enough attention. Look out for the following:

• Vomiting: If you notice your cat occasionally vomit a hairball, this is quite normal. But frequent vomiting is a cause for concern.

• Diarrhoea: If you notice this in a cat’s litter tray and it lasts more than 24-48 hours, it should get attention from a vet.

• Weight loss: Even gradual loss that isn’t intentional is significant in cats.

• Poor coat condition: If a cat’s coat begins to look dull, greasy or matted, it suggests the cat isn’t grooming itself properly. In turn, this indicates illness or pain.

• Eye or nasal discharge: This is a common sign of an upper respiratory infection.

When noticed, any of these symptoms are likely to be enough to take a trip to the vet.

Litter Tray Clues: What Your Cat’s Toilet Habits Reveal

One of the best places to look for signs of illness is a cat’s litter tray. Changes here are virtually impossible for your cat to hide, and they are strong indicators of health concerns.

Urination Issues

There are several issues with urination that you might notice by observing the litter tray:

• Frequent urination: If a cat is urinating more than usual, it could be a sign of a urinary tract infection (UTI) or cystitis.

• Straining or crying: If you hear this from the litter tray, it could be a medical emergency, especially in cats (risk of blockage).

• Blood in urine: This might be hard to detect, but if you do then it requires immediate vet attention.

• Not urinating for 24 hours: This could be a life-threatening emergency.

Essentially, if you notice any changes in a cat’s urination, we strongly urge you to seek veterinary attention quickly.

Stool Changes

Changes in a cat’s stool can also indicate health concerns if you know what to look for:

• Diarrhoea: This is easy to spot, and it is often caused by diet problems, infection or parasites.

Constipation: If you notice your cat struggling to pass solids, it could be caused by dehydration of obstruction in the bowel.

Blood in stool: This could be an indicator of gastrointestinal disease.

Again, if you spot any of these things, we recommend taking your cat to the vet to get checked out.

How Litter Sense Can Help

Changes in urine are usually subtle. We mentioned the risks of blood in urine, but this isn’t always easy to spot. Litter Sense cat litter is designed to react to changes in urine, changing color by reacting to the presence of:

• Unhealthy pH levels

• Blood in urine

These things can be warning signs of infections and other problems, and Litter Sense helps you spot them as early as possible to get them checked by a vet. Early treatment always leads to the best possible outcomes for your cat.

How Urgent Are These Symptoms?

Not every symptom you spot needs you to rush to the phone and make an emergency appointment with your vet. Let’s break the symptoms down into emergency, urgent and monitor-at-home symptoms.

Emergency Symptoms

If you notice any of the following, you need to get your cat seen by a vet right away:

• Straining to urinate or no urine output

• Blood in urine

• Severe lethargy or collapse

• Difficulty breathing

• Repeated vomiting in a short period

• Seizures

Any of these symptoms has the potential to become fatal within hours, so there really is no time to waste.

Urgent - Contact a Vet Within 24 Hours

Here are some symptoms that you should take very seriously:

• Not eating for 24 hours

• Persistent diarrhoea or vomiting

• Sudden behavioural changes

• Increased thirst or urination

• Noticeable weight loss

Get in touch with your vet within a day of noticing these symptoms, or immediately if any of them suddenly gets worse.

Monitor at Home

There are some symptoms that you can just keep an eye on, though this should only be done for the short-term. Keep an eye on the following:

• Mild appetite fluctuation

• Occasional hairball vomiting

• Slight behavioural shifts

If any of these symptoms persist for more than 48 hours, it’s a good idea to seek advice. Again, if you notice a rapid increase in any of these symptoms, immediate veterinary attention is essential.

What to Do If You Notice These Symptoms

If you suspect that your cat is showing any of the symptoms desribed in this article, we recommend the following process to confirm:

1. Observe: Watch as your cat eats or drinks, observe general behaviours and monitor litter tray use.

2. Record: Take note of the duration and frequency of symptoms.

3. Check basic health indicators: Take a look at your cat’s gums. They healthy colour here is pink. You could also try gently pinching the cat’s skin - it should return quickly if the cat is well hydrated.

Ultimately, unless you are a vet, you are not qualified to make a diagnosis. Any cause for concern should be checked by a vet to get a professional assessment of symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cat Symptoms

How do I know if my cat is seriously ill?

The sugns that a cat has a serious health concern include lethargy, loss of appetite, breathing issues and changes in urination. Any of these should be checked out by a vet.

When should I take my cat to the vet?

If you spot emergency symptoms like collapse or struggling to urinate, this is an emergency and you should contact a vet immediately. For other symptoms, we recommend contacting a vet within 24 hours of spotting them.

Are cats good at hiding illness?

Yes, cats have evolved to mask symptoms so as not to show weakness to rival predators. Symptoms are often subtle until they become advanced, but they are still possible to spot.