Vetsuite Veterinarians
General Practice & Preventative Medicine
SENIOR CATS AND THE VET
If your senior cat is getting biannual veterinary exams, you need not be alarmed at small changes in his behavior or expressions of minor discomfort. But one or more of the following symptoms could be caused by a range of minor or major illnesses. In these cases, it’s not your job to diagnose the disorder. Observe your cat and report his symptoms to your veterinarian as soon as possible. If he’s struggling to breathe or loses consciousness, take him to your veterinarian immediately.
YOUR SENIOR CAT NEEDS TO SEE A VET WHEN HE . . .
· Drinks water or urinates more often than usual
· Loses weight
· Is unusually hungry
· Vomits repeatedly
· Has diarrhea lasting for more than 3 days
· Finds it difficult to pass stool or urine
· Forgets his litter box habits
· Exhibits lameness for more than five days or in more than one leg
· Has trouble seeing
· Develops open sores on the skin that persist for more than one week
· Develops a foul mouth odor or drools excessively
· Appears to gain weight only in his abdomen
· Spends more time than usual sleeping or gazing into space
· Loses hair or scratches, especially if only in specific areas
· Is unable to eat dry food
· Collapses suddenly or has a bout of weakness
· Has a seizure (convulsion)
· Coughs or gags often
· Has bleeding from the mouth, nose or rectum
· Has a significant decrease in appetite or doesn’t eat for more than 2 days