Cats are these big furballs of mystery, and they do some pretty weird stuff that most
people just chalk up as “normal weird stuff cats do.”
Because of that, a lot of cat owners just can’t figure out when to take their cats
to the vet.
In this video, we’re going to be clearing up some of the most potentially serious things
that cats need to be rushed to the vet for, immediately!
10.
"Dragging Back Legs."
If your cat normally walks fine but suddenly starts to walk with its hind legs dragging
behind it, something very serious might be going on.
Cats can sometimes develop clots in their bodies.
If that clot doesn’t dissipate and ends up traveling to the back legs, it can get
stuck there and cut off the blood flow to the legs, which can cause the cat to literally
lose control over its hind legs.
If you go in to touch the legs, you might even notice that they’re colder than the
rest of the body.
Generally, this type of blood clot happens in the hind legs, both of them, but it can
even happen in just one of the hind legs, the front legs, or even in other parts of
the cat’s body!
This is a problem that’s more common in cats with heart diseases but could potentially
happen to an otherwise healthy cat too.
That’s why it’s extremely important for everyone to know about what this looks like
because if it happens to your cat, you need to rush them to the vet immediately.
9.
Difference in breathing
Some cats don’t breathe rapidly, others will start to pant even if they’re just
done one zoomie round in the past hour.
Each cat has a general pattern of breathing that they normally stay in the range of.
But, if you’re noticing your otherwise panting cat suddenly has slowed breathing or a calm
cat that’s suddenly panting, it’s a cause for concern.
If it’s not a hot summer day, and your cat hasn’t gone on the 4 am run around the house,
sit them down and examine them.
Check their mouth, if the gums are discolored, or the tongue.
If the color seems off, there might be something going on with their lungs.
Even if the color is normal, the breathing change in itself is a cause for concern, and
you should call your vet immediately to rule out any life-threatening issues immediately!
8.
Constantly sleeping
Sure, cats sleep a lot.
Some cats will even go on to sleep through the entire day, or night, only waking up for
a sip of water, some food, and will go back to sleep again!
But there’s a point where the constant sleeping doesn’t seem okay.
This will be different for each cat, but if they’re starting to sleep a lot more than
they usually do, or maybe aren’t sleeping nearly enough, take note of it, and call your
vet to make sure that it isn't anything serious.
Sometimes there are viruses going around that cats catch without us even knowing, and ignoring
signs like excessive sleep could put their life at risk!
7.
Throwing up a lot
If cats eat anything, they’re not used to, even a different flavor of the same cat food
they’ve had all of their lives!
Some say that’s just cats being overdramatic, which, let’s be honest, they are.
However, they’re not always being the drama queens they were born to be.
Sometimes things are actually serious.
If your cat swallows too many bones, they can accumulate in its system and cause internal
damage.
Or, if they eat something that’s potentially poisonous to them, their bodies might try
to reject that food and throw up in response.
If nothing in their diet has changed, and they’re throwing up excessively, notify
your vet immediately and see if they need to be taken in for an emergency scan.
6.
Going to the litter box but not peeing Cats are some of the bougie-st animals in
the world.
So much so that they won’t even pee somewhere they’re not supposed to and will throw a
massive tantrum if their litter box isn’t scooped the exact way they like it, they’ll
refuse to use it.
One of the biggest warning signs you need to watch out for in cats is if they’re frequently
going to use the litter box but for some reason, aren’t able to do so.
They might sit there, straining, and still not be able to pee!
This is a telltale sign of a serious UTI, and the cat needs to be put on treatment right
away!
5.
Too many hairballs
If your cat is the fluffier kind, it’s going to spend a large chunk of its day just grooming
itself to perfection.
Seriously, they don’t care if that’s the only thing they’ve done all day.
They’re going to keep grooming that one spot on their paw until it’s absolutely
perfect.
This behavior can cause them to throw up a hairball here and there.
But if your cat is just constantly throwing up hairballs, they’re either overgrooming
themselves to the point that they literally can’t stomach the hair anymore, or they
have a more serious problem with their digestive system.
No matter which one of these is the case, if there are more hairballs than ever before,
let your vet know so they can decide if it’s serious enough for an in-house visit or not!
4.
Coughing
Spotting a cat coughing is confusing.
At first, it’s even hard to figure out what’s going on because it just looks like the cat
is trying to throw up but can’t seem to do so!
That is, in fact, the cat is coughing.
There are a few reasons why a cat might cough.
If your cat has the flu, it’ll probably cough, if it’s got a problem in its throat,
it’s going to cough, and if something more serious, like an airway blockage or even an
asthma attack!
No matter which one is the cause, if the cat’s coughing, the vet needs to be called immediately!
3.
Limping
This is a fairly obvious one, but often, it’s not taken as seriously as it should be.
If your cat is generally just fine but suddenly comes home limping, drop everything and call
the vet.
Even though cats are great jumpers, they can easily fall off of something a little too
high and partially or fully break their limb, and the pain would lead them to not put any
weight on the limb at all.
If that’s the case, the cat would need to get x-rays done immediately and either get
a cast for a few weeks or, worse, supportive surgery.
It’s hard to tell how bad the breakage is without examining the limb, which is why the
vet should be informed immediately if something like this happens.
That way, they can prepare the x-ray stations and the surgery room just in case the cat
needs to be taken in for surgery immediately.
This is something no cat owner should ignore because even though cats are adaptive creatures
and will just adapt to not using the broken limb, it’s important that you seek help
immediately and the limb fuses back together properly.
2.
Behavioral changes
If you’ve got a very vocal cat that just talks to you all day like you’re their best
friend, that’s their baseline.
If that cat suddenly stops speaking or doesn’t speak as much as it normally would, that’s
a behavioral change that shouldn’t be ignored.
The same is the case if your otherwise quiet cat starts getting a little too vocal around
the house.
No matter which way the cat sways, if it’s doing anything out of the ordinary, take that
as a cue and call the vet up to discuss.
If this is a cause for concern for your particular cat, they’ll be able to tell you, and if
so, you can rush the cat to the vet immediately.
1.
Not eating
This one might just be one of the most important and often overlooked concerning things that
cats do.
If your cat is on a routine and eats a certain amount of food every day, if they suddenly
stop being as excited about food as they normally are, there’s a problem.
Cats only really stop eating food if they absolutely hate the option that’s in front
of them, or there’s something up with their health.
This also applies to if the cat that usually doesn’t eat a lot is begging for more and
more food and gobbling it down like there’s no tomorrow!
Either way, any major appetite changes shouldn’t be ignored, and if it happens, call the vet
immediately to get to the bottom of the problem!
Alright!
Has your cat ever done any of these things?
Let us know in the comments below.
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