Updated: August 11, 2022 by Kristen Chapple
When your lovely little fur of ball – always playful and funny and running around the house like crazy – stops being like that all of a sudden, you might start wondering what’s wrong. Maybe he or she is sick, but how can you tell that? How do cats act when sick?
First, you must know that there are no clear general rules as to what might cause your cat to change behavior, but if you notice even subtle modifications in her behavior, there must be something there that’s not quite right.
How Do Cats Act When Sick
Most of the time you might not notice anything wrong with your cat because they’re masters at hiding the fact that they’re not feeling well. A sick cat in the wild will never give away any sign of that because that will transmit to larger predators the message of weak prey.
Due to that, most of the signs a cat will give away are very subtle. Yet if you pay attention to the details, you might understand more. The best thing to do in case you notice any of the following signs is to discuss them with a veterinarian to find out more precisely what your little furry friend suffers from.
Changes in the Cat’s Organism
A cat’s organism will always give some signs if something is wrong. Losing appetite or eating too much is one such change which may signify a disease of some sort. There are many diseases that can cause this appetite change, so it’s best to consult the veterinarian.
Stinky breath can mean tooth or gum disease and in some cases even kidney disease.
Urinating or defecating outside the litter box – assuming that the litter box is ok and clean and was previously used by the cat – might indicate infection of the bladder or some blockage in that part of the body.
Changes in weight can mean various conditions including thyroid disease or even cancer for weight loss and obesity for overweight cats.
Changes in the Cat’s Behavior
If your feline friend turns antisocial and hides away, that might indicate that he’s not feeling well and he’s trying to hide from predators and not give away signs that he’s weak. Don’t take it personal, he won’t start seeing you as his enemy. It’s just his old wild instinct dictating that new behavior.
Over grooming or lack of grooming might indicate a skin condition, or an infestation of fleas or other parasites.
A modification in the level of activity of a cat can mean thyroid problems in the case of more activity and arthritis or other issues if there’s less activity.
Changes in the sleep pattern can also have a medical cause at the fundamental level. A change in the cat’s daily routine might mean your little friend deals with a lot of stress.
Just pay attention to the details and provide the veterinarian with all that information for the best diagnostic.
