The following are some clues that can help you determine if it is time to visit your veterinarian:
- Appetite: Decrease or increase
- Eliminations: Vocalizing during eliminations, increase or decrease, changes in ability to get in and out of the box, changes in how stool or urine is passed
- Sleep: Sleeping more, restlessness, sleeping less, and/or unable to get comfortable
- Grooming: Overgrooming, not grooming and/or matting
- Play: Decrease
- Activity: Increase OR decrease
- Vocalizing: Increase or decrease in purring (purring can be a way for cats to comfort themselves), not meowing for treats or food as usual, yowling that you have not noticed before at any time of the day
- Interactions with people or other cats/dogs: Aggression with other cats that you have not noticed before, human-directed aggression, “cranky” cat, or “clingy” cat
If you believe your cat may be feeling pain, please do not hesitate to give us a call. Only subtle changes may be noted. One idea is to put a current photo of your cat on the refrigerator. Each year, post a new photo. Subtle changes will be easier to detect this way.
Share your observations with Dr. Carlos and our knowledgeable staff at Companion Veterinary Hospital in Blaine, Minnesota.