Sometimes we as cat owners make the mistake of assuming all is well and good with our feline friends if they are showing no outwardly signs of distress. This attitude may stem from the perception that cats are maintenance free pets due to their independent lifestyle. As with us though, it is best to treat any heath problem early, and to do so a regular exam of your cats health should be done. The following article lays out a prescription for early detection to assur we are doing our best to keep our kitty healthy.
How To Have A Healthy Happy Cat
Giving your cat a simple monthly examination can help prevent potential problems for years, here's what to look for.
1. Have you noticed any recent changes in your cat's attitude or behavior, such as listlessness, restlessness,loss of appetite, aggression?
2. Does your cat's coat look dull or feel dry, brittle, or greasy?
3. Are his whiskers short or broken?
4. Using your hand, brush your cat's hair backwards from tail to head. His skin should be a normal grayish white.Is the skin a healthy color, or is it red and irritated? Is the tail area greasy with sparse hair?
5. Also look carefully for fleas or any little black flecks (the excrement of fleas) on the skin. Do you see any?
6. Does the neck, back or base of the tail show any lesions?
7. Smell your hand after running it through your cat's fur. Your fingers should not have an unpleasant fishy, rancid odor.
8. Are you able to feel good muscle tone around the sternum (breastbone)? If should not be soft orflaccid.
9. Do you feel a firm muscle mass when you run your hand down your cat's spine and over the ribcage? There should not be more than a pinch of fat.
10. Open your cat's mouth and smell his breath.It should smell clean and not have an offensive odor.Does it smell clean?
11. Look at the gums. They should be pink, not pale or white, nor should they be swollen, bright red,or bleeding.
12. Check the teeth. Do they look white and healthy?They should be free of tartar and not loose.
13. Examine your cat's eyes. Are they clear of film and free of mucous discharge? Is there any crusting around them?
14. Feel the inner side of your cat's thighs. Aret here any roundish bumps or swellings? These could indicate enlarged lymph nodes and usually the presence of worms.
15. Is your pet's stomach unusually distended?
16. Look at the paw pads. Are they smooth without dry, cracking lines?
If you notice any of these symptoms be sure to contact you vet for professional advise.