Watch for changes from normal
- Eating less or more, weight loss, swallowing difficulty or repeated vomiting.
- Drinking or urinating more, straining, producing little urine or toileting outside the tray.
- Hiding, irritability, unusual vocalisation, low energy or reduced social contact.
- Poor grooming, overgrooming, coat or skin changes.
- Stiffness, altered jumping, weakness, balance changes or a hunched posture.
- Eye or nose discharge, coughing or changed breathing.
A single clue may have many causes. A pattern and timeline help your veterinarian.
Some signs should not wait
Difficulty breathing, collapse, seizures, major trauma, suspected poisoning, repeated unproductive retching, severe weakness or straining to urinate with little or no urine can be emergencies. Call a veterinary clinic or emergency hospital immediately.
Make the veterinary call more useful
Note when the change began, food and water intake, urine and stool, medications and possible exposures. A short natural video can show breathing, movement or an episode that does not happen in the clinic. Do not delay care to obtain footage and never provoke a symptom.
What CatMind can — and cannot — do
CatMind may help you organise observable behaviour and notice context. It cannot examine your cat, diagnose disease or rule out pain. If you are wondering whether your cat is sick, a veterinarian is the right next step.
Sources and further reading
- Cornell: The special needs of the senior cat
- AVMA: Pet first aid and emergencies
- Cats Protection: Signs of pain
Sources support the general information on this page. CatMind is an observation tool, not a veterinary diagnostic service.
Curious what your cat is communicating?
CatMind helps you look more closely at visible and audible behaviour, compare sensible possibilities and keep context in the picture. It does not diagnose health conditions.
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