Sick cats are pretty much like… young kids. They cannot tell you exactly how they feel and which part of their body hurts. They cannot utter words that will best describe their current state of health.
They can even hide their illness from you at times. How many times does your little boy or girl have a fever but seem to have the energy running around and playing, even though their body is running a temperature?
While it is hard to tell if your cat is feeling a bit under the weather or not, you can somehow spot its well being by assessing your pet’s behavior and appearance. That being said, you can specifically observe your cat’s coat.
Your cat’s coat and its health in general
If you have been paying close attention to your pet, you will definitely notice its shiny or silky coat. Remember that cats, by nature, can groom themselves up too without you combing their fur. What if you notice something wrong the next time you hold it close to your arms? Do you see straggly and unkempt hair? If you do, you should take that as a sign of problems with its health.
Cats who over-groom themselves can be sick
If you can see problems with cats that fail to groom themselves, there is also reason to be scared when your cat seems to over-groom itself. Take this as a sign of stress or an existing skin condition that you cannot notice from afar. When your cat excessively grooms itself, acute dermatitis may already be taking place. As you look closely, you will notice some hairy, hot spots on your cat, exposing red and raw skin.
A cat’s coat says much about its nutrition
When your cat’s coat deteriorates, you have reason to believe that it lacks the vitamins it needs. This can be caused by poor nutrition. In some cases, you can take it as a sign of arthritis. Come to think of it, the cat may lack time naturally grooming itself because of this condition where its joints become stiff thus preventing your pet from reaching certain areas of its body.
Greasy hair means another problem
You know very well that if your cat has greasy hair, then chances are, it can produce an unwanted smell. Aside from this most common presumption, you should also take it as an indication of a health condition like dental problems, diabetes, and even bladder infections.
Shedding is common in cats
Shedding is one thing that affects your cat’s coat, causing it to have thinner fur and a less-shiny coat. Since shedding is common, you cannot associate it right away with the presence of a medical problem. There is a reason to be alarmed though when you see balding, matting or thinned out areas on your cat’s fur.
Bring your cat to a veterinary hospital in Ossining, NY when you notice that something is wrong with its coat. Remember that you cannot just trust your instinct and depend only on what you observe. Your pet’s veterinarian always knows best.
