Unusual Cat Illness Symptoms To Watch Out For

1. Introduction

It’s no secret that people love cats. In 2022, it has been concluded that there were over 63 million pet cats in the country, which was an increase of 3.9 million from 2021; likewise, there was a 3.4 percent increase in the number of overall cat owners. Some think that this population increase isn't alarming, but the condition of each of these cats can really affect us all. Recently, it was discovered that pets (like cats) are a significant source of emotional support and motivation for a large number of Americans. Reciprocally, we love them instantly!

This is why it is important to know about unusual cat illness symptoms. With a little extra knowledge, cat guardians have the chance to demonstrate the sophistication of being proactive for their cats, ensuring all the possible problems might be caught as early as possible to better ensure recovery. Hindered or harsh recovery from illness not only directly affects the quality of life for surviving cats, but will also generally need even more care and expense to restore them to overall health. At the end of this valuable process, we are talking about everybody’s livelihood and level of nurturing commitment. The above noted typical list of symptoms to observe includes illnesses you could catch early by recognizing unusual signs of illness. Our sick little guys can commonly show some very unique symptoms, potentially retain different channels for ingesting toxins or environmental carcinogens, and could have currently understudied biologies in specific diseases. As research develops, it's yours to level up your cat care support!

1.1. Why It's Important to Recognize Unusual Cat Illness Symptoms

Your cat’s health should be of utmost concern to any responsible pet owner. The sooner you’re able to recognize that your feline is exhibiting unusual symptoms that are not normal for them - these can include subtle, perhaps even unbothersome signs like excessive hiding, lost interest in regular activities, or something appearing a little “off” about their appearance - the faster they can see your trusted vet and initiate testing and monitoring if necessary. In veterinary medicine, we can attest to the great value in an early diagnosis of any oddity. If it turns out the regular urination or loss of appetite were fleeting with no dire consequences, you not only have peace of mind and no longer need to lose sleep, but you haven’t wasted money on expensive diagnostics and unnecessary treatment. This also helps the body return to a healthier place faster and ensures the best chance of patient stability to face the next challenge. Early diagnosis also means that leaving the problem for another day will have had less time to notoriously worsen as problems tend to do. As we all know, if left alone, many illnesses and injuries can progress to the point of being too severe to treat. With this in mind, take a minute to read experience and tips to recognize unusual signs of illness in cats.

2. Common Cat Illness Symptoms

Most cat owners are aware of common cat illness symptoms such as vomiting, refusal to eat or drink, and changes in behavior. However, there are some symptoms that are often overlooked by pet owners. Here are the common cat illness symptoms in cats: - Reduced appetite or disinterest in food - Vomiting - Diarrhea or constipation - Gagging - Change in usual hiding behavior - Poor grooming habits - Lethargy - Abnormal body position - Coughing - Abdominal pain or discomfort - Weight loss - Reduced interest in play and social behavior - Sneezing - Slightly elevated temperatures up to 103 - Abnormal behavior after trauma By using the information presented above, even if your cat is a really good hider, you know certain things to look for that will give away illness, such as abnormal appetite, behavior, or physical signs such as vomiting and diarrhea. For some of the diseases, these common symptoms are often the ones that show up at the very tail end of the disease. The sooner we can diagnose and treat any health problems, the better the prognosis is likely to be. Even the most observant cat owners can’t catch every abnormal symptom. Managing cats often includes trying to note when something is severely abnormal. However, helping more cat owners become aware of these additional unusual symptoms to watch out for may help greatly in diagnosing other cats.

2.1. Overview of Common Symptoms

- Sneezing: may indicate fungal disease or other infections, viral or bacterial rhinitis, foreign objects trapped, irritants such as smoke inhalation, or tumors and polyps. In some cases, important symptoms or illnesses that may be cause for concern are linked to blood in the nasal discharge and abnormally heavy or prolonged bleeding. The most commonly identified reason for blood in the nasal discharge of a cat is an upper tooth root abscess in the top jaw.
- Grooming: overfur, overgrowth of nails, excessive drooling, botulism (an affected cat will exhibit signs ranging from swallowing difficulties, drooling, hypersalivation, drop jaw, dilated pupil, coughing, frequent heart rate, vomiting, and/or diarrhea), obstructions, pain, anxiety, disorientation, and vestibular syndrome (which can cause alterations in mood, seizures, head tilts, loss of balance, drunk-like walking, uncoordinated walking, and occasional nausea or vomiting) as well as head pain and ear infections.

In addition to physical health monitoring, it is important for pet owners to have a regular understanding of various symptoms that may be indicative of illness. Observing your feline friend in various environments can help you identify a usual behavior profile. Then, if there are any variations or symptoms from the list on a regular basis, it may indicate a health problem. The symptoms are as follows:

- Coughing: can exhibit problems such as lung disease, airway irritation, bronchitis, heart disease, allergies, asthma, heartworm, and pneumonia.

The way signs of disease manifest in cats tend to be much more subtle and sometimes almost imperceptible. Traditionally, illness signs have been separated into three general categories based on organ systems: respiratory, digestive, and urinary. Most of the time, symptoms change in terms of an increase in frequency or an increase in intensity per day. Some signs may be related to stress. In some cats, simultaneous reporting of at least two symptoms can be a cause for greater interest.

3. Unusual Cat Illness Symptoms

Anyone who has ever had a cat will know that they are experts at hiding signs of illness. They don't behave like humans do when we are unwell. They still eat and drink, groom themselves, and sleep. This means that we often rely on signs such as changes in behavior or eating habits. However, some cats show unusual symptoms when they are unwell. These are often things that we think of as normal cat behavior but may be an indication of an underlying health issue. These signs are important for the vet to know because they give an idea as to which part of the body may be affected. They also show that our pets' behavior is much more complex than we give them credit for!

Many cat owners will know to bring their pet in if they are sick once in a while, missing meals, vomiting, or losing weight. However, few will think to visit the vet if they notice that their cat is suddenly drinking excessively, or if they become a little agitated when there is a lot of building work going on outside. Here, we will list some of the more unusual cat illness symptoms that we see at the vet clinic. If you notice any of these, make sure to get an appointment with your vet to discuss your concerns further.

3.1. Definition and Importance

Unusual symptoms refer to those symptoms or signs of discomfort in a cat that are not commonly noticed in regular pets. There can be varying stress levels, fear, personality differences, and altered behaviors in different cats despite feeling fine physically. These usual variations are not considered unusual symptoms. Unusual symptoms are those that are not typical for a pet to have just because they happen to be whiny and misbehaving. In some cases, unusual symptoms may be early warning signs that a disease is present or developing inside the body, yet it can take quite a bit of time for the parent to recognize that the animal is not feeling well or is in greater pain than usual. Unusual symptoms in cats are an essential focus for both parents and veterinarians to pay attention to. Being sent home earlier than usual or diagnosed with a minor health problem can lead to severe and possible permanent, irreparable damage if the pet happens to return to the vet clinic or hospital later. In severe and usually terminal cases, some unique cat owner visits have reported cases of additional medical intervention, amputation, or euthanasia. If we do not respond to the parent's ongoing unusual symptoms and report them, we can miss an underlying health problem causing the signs and ultimately place our patients at greater risk later. Therefore, awareness, responsiveness, and addressing unusual symptom issues early are vitally important to the entire more significant problem and many parts of the veterinarian-client and patient relationship itself.

4. Specific Unusual Symptoms to Watch Out For

When it comes to our feline friends, we have often heard that there are some general signs of sickness to look out for. But did you know that there are some particularly unusual symptoms that could definitely be cause for concern if seen in your cat? We're going to be looking at some of the strange or uncommon cat illness symptoms to watch out for. One of the first unusual symptoms to watch out for is excessive vocalization. This could be a sign that your cat is in pain, disoriented, anxious, or scared. Another unusual symptom to watch out for is sudden aggression, especially if your cat has always been peaceful. Aggression could be the result of an injury, illness, or new stress in an environment. Pawing at the mouth is an unusual symptom that could be one of a few concerning health problems such as a tooth abscess, tooth resorption, or gum disease. Sudden loss of appetite for longer than two days is not normal for any cat and can be a sign of acute gastrointestinal distress or a more serious illness. You should at this point immediately take your cat to a veterinarian. These are just a few of the unusual symptoms you should be on the lookout for. It can be particularly important to remember that while some of these symptoms can be associated with some very serious health concerns, sometimes the reason for such a sudden strange behavior can be linked to something less serious such as stress. Given the range of health problems that can be indicated by unusual symptoms, early consultation with a vet is the best course of action available. Keep an eye on your beloved cats and always write down any unusual behaviors you see so you have a written record to take with you to your final consultation.

4.1. Sudden Changes in Behavior

Has your cat recently started growling during play, hissing when picked up, or suddenly gotten aloof? Don't ignore these signs. It's often a cat showing signs of being ill. Cats are masters of disguise. They tend to disguise the fact that they are feeling the pain of an illness. One way of telling is through any potential changes in their mannerisms. It's known as the Rule of Sudden Changes. They can point to many various possibilities. When a cat who is typically happy is no longer happy, it may be because of any of the symptoms below. Intestinal inflammation or other stool-related issues can cause a cat pain. Constipation and megacolon are two other common causes of this. Internal problems and other cancer symptoms can cause higher levels of pain. Although these early signs can sometimes be fairly subtle, it should still warrant a call to the vet.

Changes in a cat's mannerisms, among other issues, can most often be attributed to illnesses they had previously been suffering from. The cause of the ailment is the most obvious sign that something is wrong. Pain changes both their physical health and their attitudes towards life, like it does with people. A cat that bellows out of fright is entirely different from one bellowing because it fears it is dying. The same goes for emotional changes as well. They can be caused by untreated pain or a variety of other issues, including epilepsy. Emotional complications caused by painful illnesses or illness-related panic attacks are never a good sign and should always warrant a trip to the vet.

5. When to Seek Veterinary Care

Knowing when to seek a veterinarian’s care can be difficult with pets, especially cats who are very reluctant to show signs of illness in the first place. Additionally, when cats do finally draw attention to themselves, it’s often done by acting odd or strange. While these are definitely cat illness symptoms people should take note of, it’s important to not automatically assume severe illness.

Because cats don’t show illness signs until symptoms become severe and chronic, if you notice any abnormal behavior in your cat, you may want to try and schedule a vet appointment for the same day. Specifically, any strange behavior that should raise concern is convulsions, loud vocalization, or agitation that won’t stop. Any physical signs should be checked out as well, like a distended abdomen, pain when picked up, extremely high temperature, or extreme bloating. Also, make sure you never wait overnight to have a vet check out a pet in distress or one that has suddenly become lethargic seeming out of the blue. Always have a veterinary care plan mapped out with a local vet prior to getting a pet. If you have a vet that is already established as your pet’s caretaker and they have close contact with your pet, the vet should be able to talk to you over the phone about some symptoms and if they feel it’s important to be seen or not.

5.1. Signs of Emergency

If you need to contact a vet, it is important to let them know the signs of emergency so that they can triage and get the cat in front of a vet quickly. Phones are not always answered by a vet, and in a busy clinic, it could be quite some time before someone gets to a voicemail. Having the person answering the phone know the signs of an emergency will help them signpost you to the best action. There are a few signs of an emergency to be aware of and watch for. Difficulty breathing, bluish discoloration of the gums, sudden collapse (especially if the animal is non-responsive rather than moving around as if nothing has happened), unresponsiveness at all, continuous seizure, excessive bleeding from any part of the body, sudden blindness, ingestion of a foreign body (particularly if it is sharp), and poisoning are some examples. The other type of signs that are always an emergency to see a vet is something regarding the eyes. If any incident or problem causes you any doubt as to what to do, I would always pick up the phone before doing anything, if for no other reason than to keep costs down in case a vet does need to see your pet. Often, something can wait until the next day, and prolonging a problem doesn't usually help; it only makes it worse. In the case of emergencies, cost is usually not the priority; time is. If an animal is seriously unwell, without acting quickly, things could get worse fast. If you need to, there are a few occasions where it is advisable to help. Following these tips may help keep you and your pet safe.

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