Cat symptoms
Noticed your cat behaving differently? Cats often hide that they are unwell, so even a small change is worth noting. Find the sign and read what can cause it, what else to watch for and when to see a vet.
This information is for guidance. A symptom on its own does not confirm a diagnosis, and this site is not a substitute for seeing a vet.
Most looked-up signs
- Cat drinking more water When a cat clearly drinks more than before it is not a small thing: a healthy cat usually drinks little, and a thirst that lasts for a while often points to an illness. A vet has to find the cause, so it is worth mentioning the change without waiting.
- Cat eating less or not at all A cat that eats less than before, or refuses food altogether, is not simply fussy. A change in appetite is one of the commonest and earliest signs of illness, and a cat that has not eaten for a day or more needs a vet, because cats without food can become seriously ill very quickly.
- Cat going outside the litter box When a cat that used to use the box starts urinating or passing stools beside it or elsewhere in the house, it is a medical sign until a vet says otherwise. It is not stubbornness or spite, and it is often the first sign of illness.
Show more signs (4)
- Cat sneezing or with a runny nose A single sneeze after dust gets into the nose means nothing bad. But sneezing that goes on for several days, a runny nose, watery eyes or a poorer appetite are a reason to see a vet, and a cat that has stopped eating needs to be seen quickly.
- Cat straining to urinate If your cat keeps going to the litter box, crouches and strains but passes little or no urine, it can be an emergency. Any straining to urinate needs a vet the same day, and sometimes straight away.
- Cat vomiting Vomiting is the active bringing up of stomach contents, and before it a cat may seem restless, drool and heave. A single hairball is not necessarily serious, but vomiting that keeps coming back, lasts more than a day or comes with a cat going off its food is a reason to see a vet.
- Cat with diarrhoea Loose stools mean the gut is moving food and water along too quickly. A single softer stool is not necessarily serious, but loose stools that keep coming back, last more than a day or come with vomiting or a cat going off its food are a reason to see a vet.
Digestion
- Cat always hungry A cat that suddenly eats more, begs for food all the time or steals it from the table may be more than just greedy. If it is also losing weight, drinking more or has become restless, that is a medical sign whose cause a vet needs to find.
- Cat chewing or eating non-food items A cat chews fabric or plastic, sucks woollen things or swallows thread and ribbon. It is more than an odd habit, because a swallowed object can block the gut, and swallowed thread, string or ribbon is an emergency even if the cat seems well.
- Cat eating less or not at all A cat that eats less than before, or refuses food altogether, is not simply fussy. A change in appetite is one of the commonest and earliest signs of illness, and a cat that has not eaten for a day or more needs a vet, because cats without food can become seriously ill very quickly.
- Cat losing weight A cat that is losing weight for no clear reason is not just getting slimmer. Weight loss, especially when the cat is eating well, is a medical sign that usually means an illness is at work in the body, so a vet should find the cause.
- Cat sitting hunched A hunched cat sits with its back rounded, its paws drawn in and its head lowered, does not want to move and avoids having its belly touched. Cats hide pain, so this posture may be one of the few signs that it hurts or feels unwell.
- Cat struggling to pass stool A cat that struggles to pass stool squats in the litter box for a long time, strains and passes small, hard stools or nothing. A change in the litter box is a medical sign, and straining with nothing to show for it can mean an emergency, because constipation is hard to tell from a blocked urinary tract.
- Cat vomiting Vomiting is the active bringing up of stomach contents, and before it a cat may seem restless, drool and heave. A single hairball is not necessarily serious, but vomiting that keeps coming back, lasts more than a day or comes with a cat going off its food is a reason to see a vet.
- Cat with a swollen belly A belly that has turned round, tight or saggy over days or weeks while the rest of the cat gains nothing is not just extra weight. It can point to fluid building up, an enlarged organ or worms, so a vet has to find the cause.
- Cat with blood in stool or vomit Blood in stool or vomit may be bright red, dark like coffee grounds or turn the stool black like tar. Any blood is a reason to contact a vet, and together with other signs such as vomiting, weakness or a swollen belly it is an emergency.
- Cat with diarrhoea Loose stools mean the gut is moving food and water along too quickly. A single softer stool is not necessarily serious, but loose stools that keep coming back, last more than a day or come with vomiting or a cat going off its food are a reason to see a vet.
Skin and coat
- Cat losing hair Bare patches in the coat, hair falling out in clumps or a thinning coat can mean a skin disease, but the cat may also be licking its fur off itself. A vet needs to find the cause.
- Cat scratching A little scratching is normal cat behaviour, but constant or determined scratching, chewing at the coat or licking until sores appear tells you the skin has a problem. A vet should find the cause, not guesswork.
- Cat with dandruff or scabs Dandruff, small scabs or crusts on a cat's skin, including around the eyes, show that the skin is damaged or inflamed. There are many possible causes, so a vet needs to find it.
- Cat with red skin Red skin on a cat shows inflammation or irritation. The fur often hides it, so the redness is seen only when the hair is parted, and a vet needs to find the cause.
- Cat with thickened skin Thickened skin on a cat feels firmer, rougher or wrinkled, sometimes together with crusts or hair loss. It is a sign that the skin has been inflamed or irritated for a long time, and a vet needs to find the cause.
Breathing
- Cat breathing with its mouth open Cats rarely pant, so a cat breathing with its mouth open is not normal and is an emergency. A vet is needed immediately, and your cat should be handled as little as possible on the way.
- Cat coughing Cats cough rarely, so a cough is a reason to see a vet. If your cat coughs crouched low with its neck stretched out, it can be an asthma-like condition rather than a hairball, and it still needs a vet.
- Cat sneezing or with a runny nose A single sneeze after dust gets into the nose means nothing bad. But sneezing that goes on for several days, a runny nose, watery eyes or a poorer appetite are a reason to see a vet, and a cat that has stopped eating needs to be seen quickly.
- Cat snoring or breathing noisily Some cats, especially those with a short, flat face, snore, snuffle or breathe audibly. It shows that air has more trouble getting through the nose or throat. A sound that is new or getting louder needs a vet's assessment, and laboured or open-mouth breathing needs to be seen by a vet urgently.
- Cat struggling in the heat For some cats, especially those with a short, flat face, hot weather, excitement or stress makes breathing harder than it does for others. If your cat runs short of air in the heat, breathes with its mouth open or seems exhausted, it may be overheating and needs a vet urgently.
- Cat struggling to breathe If your cat breathes fast or with effort, wheezes, breathes with its belly working or breathes with its mouth open, it is short of air and this is an emergency. A vet is needed immediately, and your cat should be handled as little as possible on the way.
Movement
- Cat bunny-hopping Bunny-hopping means a cat pushes both back legs together instead of moving them one after the other. It is an unusual gait that can show the spinal cord or its nerves formed abnormally, and it is often a condition an animal is born with. A cat like this should be shown to a vet.
- Cat circling Circling means a cat keeps turning to the same side, walks in loops or spins on the spot instead of going where it meant to. A quick turn before lying down is normal, but circling while awake and getting nowhere points to something affecting the brain, the balance system or the eyesight. A vet needs to find the cause.
- Cat collapsing or fainting Collapsing means a cat suddenly cannot stay on its feet, buckles or drops to the floor, and fainting means it briefly loses consciousness. It can be a sign of heart, muscle or nerve disease, so a cat that collapses or faints needs to be seen by a vet immediately.
- Cat having seizures A seizure is a sudden, uncontrolled burst of abnormal brain activity: a cat may fall onto its side, shake, paddle its legs, drool or lose awareness of its surroundings. It is an emergency, so a cat that has had a seizure needs a vet immediately, even if it seems well afterwards.
- Cat holding its head down A lowered head means your cat can no longer lift its head or holds it bent downwards, and its chin may rest against its chest. It can point to weak neck muscles, pain in the neck or a serious illness. If the chin is pressed to the chest and your cat has suddenly become weak, a vet is needed immediately.
- Cat limping Limping means your cat is protecting one leg and shifting its weight onto the others, sometimes only briefly lifting a back leg or skipping along on three legs. The reason can be an injury, a joint, or a kneecap or hip that formed imperfectly. Cats hide pain, so even a slight limp is worth showing to a vet.
- Cat no longer jumping up A cat that no longer jumps onto the sofa, windowsill or cupboard, hesitates before a jump or chooses lower spots has changed a habit for a reason. Cats hide pain and weakness, so avoiding jumps is often the first and only sign. A vet should find the cause.
- Cat trembling or twitching Trembling or twitching means the muscles are shaking rhythmically or involuntarily, often in the head, the legs or the whole body. The cause can be cold, fear or pain, but tremors can also point to a nerve, muscle or metabolic disease, and in kittens to an inherited disorder. Tremors that keep returning or do not stop need to be assessed by a vet.
- Cat walking on its heels A cat that walks crouched, resting on the whole length of its back feet instead of on its toes, shows a change that is worth showing to a vet. Such a walk is sometimes linked with a blood-sugar disease, but it is not a diagnosis, and a vet has to find the cause.
- Cat walking stiffly A stiff gait means your cat no longer moves as freely as before: the steps are shorter, the movements careful, and the first steps after sleep or rest especially stiff. The reason can be sore joints, a muscle or nerve disease, and in young cats an inherited disorder. It is a sign that your cat is worth showing to a vet, not simply old age.
- Cat walking unsteadily An unsteady walk means your cat sways, stumbles, moves in a poorly coordinated way or walks with its legs set wide. The cause can lie in the brain, the spinal cord, the muscles or the balance system, and in kittens and young cats it can be an inherited or developmental disease. A vet needs to find the cause.
- Cat with weak hind legs Weak hind legs mean your cat struggles to bear weight on them, and they buckle, tremble or drag. It can be an inherited or developmental nerve and spine condition showing in a young cat, but sudden weakness in the hind legs is an emergency. A vet needs to find the cause.
Head and senses
- Cat hearing less A cat that ignores sounds, sleeps through noise or does not turn when called may be hearing less. In cats hearing loss can be inherited or come from a disease of the ear, so a vet needs to find the cause.
- Cat shaking its head or scratching its ears Head shaking and scratching at the ears show that the ears itch or hurt. A vet should find the cause, and if your cat tilts its head, stumbles or walks in circles, go the same day.
- Cat squinting or rubbing an eye A squinted eye, or a cat rubbing its eye with a paw, usually means the eye is sore or irritated. A painful or squinting eye needs a vet the same day, because sight can be lost quickly.
- Cat tilting its head A head held persistently to one side means the cat's sense of balance has been disturbed, and that is run by the inner ear and the brain. It is not a minor thing: a sudden head tilt, especially with unsteadiness or flicking eyes, is an emergency.
- Cat with a red or swollen ear A red, warm or swollen ear means something in the skin or canal of the ear is inflamed, irritating or sore. A vet needs to find the cause, because ears that look alike from the outside can hide different problems.
- Cat with an unusual head shape A head that looks unusually large, domed or different from other cats can be inherited or developmental, but it can also point to a condition pressing on the brain. A vet needs to judge which it is, not guesswork from appearance.
- Cat with changed pupils Pupils that stay wide, pupils of different sizes, or eyes that reflect light unusually brightly can point to a disease of the eye or of the whole body. Pupils of different sizes, or an eye that changed suddenly, need a vet the same day, because sight can be lost quickly.
- Cat with cloudy eyes A cloudy, greyish or bluish eye means something has changed in the clear layers of the eye. A sudden change in an eye, or an eye that looks painful, needs a vet the same day, because sight can be lost quickly.
- Cat with ear discharge or smell Dark debris, fluid or an unpleasant smell from an ear shows something is wrong in the ear. A vet should find the cause, and if your cat also tilts its head, stumbles or the ear bleeds, go the same day.
- Cat with eye discharge Pus-like, sticky or thick discharge in the corners of the eyes, eyelids stuck together, or red tissue around the eye point to inflammation or infection. A vet has to find the cause, and if the eye is painful, held shut or cloudy, contact one the same day.
- Cat with eyes turned down or sideways When the eyes are held pointing downwards or to the sides even as the cat looks at you or an object, that is an unusual eye position that an inherited or developmental change can account for. A vet needs to assess it, not guesswork about what it is and how it will turn out.
- Cat with failing sight Cats adapt to losing their sight quietly, so a cat that bumps into things, moves hesitantly at dusk or avoids heights may have lost some sight. A sudden change in sight needs a vet the same day, because sight can be lost quickly.
- Cat with watery eyes A watering eye can mean anything from mild irritation to damage to the cornea. If a watery eye is squinted, painful or suddenly changed, see a vet the same day, because sight can be lost quickly.
Mouth and teeth
- Cat drooling Saliva dripping from a cat's mouth, a wet chin or wet fur after sleep points to something wrong in the mouth or to nausea. Some cats drool from pleasure, but that is different and brief, while new or lasting drooling needs a vet's examination.
- Cat grooming less A cat that grooms less is not being lazy. It is often a sign of pain or illness, and the look of the coat is one of the first things you can notice.
- Cat having trouble chewing Chewing carefully, chewing on one side or dropping food from the mouth shows that eating hurts or is awkward. A cat with a sore mouth often does not stop eating, so these signs slip past easily.
- Cat injuring its own face or tongue A cat that scratches its own face or bites its tongue is in pain or in intense discomfort. Such a cat should be seen by a vet, and there is nothing to decide at home.
- Cat pawing at its mouth A cat that rubs its face with its paws or claws at its mouth is almost always trying to get rid of something that bothers or hurts it. It is not a habit or mischief, so a vet needs to find the reason.
- Cat with bad breath A strong, unpleasant smell from a cat's mouth is not a normal cat smell. It most often points to a problem with the teeth or gums, but it can also come from elsewhere in the body, so a vet needs to find the cause.
- Cat with red, swollen gums A healthy cat's gums are pale pink and firm. Red, swollen or easily bleeding gums point to inflammation and are likely to hurt, although your cat may not show it.
Drinking and urinating
- Cat crying while urinating When a cat cries out, moans or yowls while urinating or trying to, it shows pain. If it also strains and passes little urine, the urinary tract may be blocked, which is an urgent, life-threatening state.
- Cat drinking more water When a cat clearly drinks more than before it is not a small thing: a healthy cat usually drinks little, and a thirst that lasts for a while often points to an illness. A vet has to find the cause, so it is worth mentioning the change without waiting.
- Cat going outside the litter box When a cat that used to use the box starts urinating or passing stools beside it or elsewhere in the house, it is a medical sign until a vet says otherwise. It is not stubbornness or spite, and it is often the first sign of illness.
- Cat licking its genital area Cats groom all the time, but if a cat starts licking its genital area unusually often or doggedly, it can point to pain or irritation in the urinary tract. If it also strains to urinate or passes little urine, it can be an emergency.
- Cat straining to urinate If your cat keeps going to the litter box, crouches and strains but passes little or no urine, it can be an emergency. Any straining to urinate needs a vet the same day, and sometimes straight away.
- Cat unable to control urine or stool When a cat cannot control its urine or stool, they leak or drop out without its will, often unnoticed. It is not a matter of habit but a health problem that a vet has to assess, especially in a kitten or a cat with no tail.
- Cat urinating more If the litter box holds more or bigger wet clumps, your cat is urinating more often or passing more urine. This needs telling apart from a cat that goes to the box often but passes only a few drops: that can be an emergency.
- Cat with blood in the urine Pink, brown or bloody urine, or spots of blood in the litter or beside the box, is never normal in a cat. If the cat also strains to urinate or passes little, it can be an emergency, so a vet is needed the same day.
Behaviour and mood
- Cat grooming excessively Excessive licking, licking one spot or odd licking and chewing movements very often point to itching, pain or illness, not to a habit or boredom. Cats hide pain, so such behaviour may be the first sign. A cat like this should be seen by a vet.
- Cat hiding New or increased hiding very often means pain or illness, not a problem of character or training. Cats hide weakness and pain, so hiding, especially together with a smaller appetite, can be the first and only sign. A cat like this should be seen by a vet.
- Cat in pain when touched If a cat has started to react crossly to stroking or touch, hissing, pulling away or nipping, it very often means pain or illness, not a problem of character or training. Cats hide pain, so such a change can be the first sign. A cat like this should be seen by a vet.
General wellbeing
- Cat bleeding Blood on a cat's fur, the floor or its bed means there is a wound or injury somewhere, and under a thick coat a wound can be deeper and larger than it looks. Bleeding that will not stop is an emergency. Every cat that is bleeding should be examined by a vet.
- Cat lethargic and sleeping more A cat that becomes less lively, sleeps more, rests longer or shows less interest in what is going on around it may be unwell even when nothing else is visible. Cats hide illness, so a quieter cat than usual is information, not nothing.
- Cat playing and moving less A cat that stops playing, jumps less or moves less does not change without a reason. Cats hide pain and illness, so a cat that is quieter and calmer than usual is information, not just a change of character.
- Cat tiring easily If your cat stops, lies down or breathes harder after a short play or a few steps, a vet should look at it. Cats hide weakness, so tiring easily can be one of the first signs of trouble with the breathing, the heart or the muscles.
- Cat with a lump or swelling A new lump or swelling on a cat can be an abscess after a bite, a bruise after a knock, a cyst or a growth. You cannot tell from outside which it is, so any new lump, and any lump that is growing, changing or not shrinking, needs a vet.
- Cat with a matted, dull or greasy coat Cats spend a good part of every day washing, so a matted, dull or greasy coat says that something has changed: it hurts, the back is too hard to reach, or the skin is suffering. Cats hide pain and disability, and a less well kept coat is often the first and only sign.
- Cat with pale gums A healthy cat's gums are pink and moist. If they have turned pale, white or washed out, it can mean too few red blood cells, blood lost or poor circulation, so contact a vet promptly.
- Cat with sudden hind-leg weakness If a cat's hind legs suddenly weaken or stop working, it drags them, cries out in pain or the legs feel cold, that is an emergency. This picture can be caused by a blood clot blocking the vessels, often linked to heart disease, so a vet is needed right away.
- Cat with swollen lymph nodes Lymph nodes are small parts of the immune system found all over the body. In a healthy cat they are hard to feel, so a lump noticed under the jaw, in front of the shoulder or in the groin means something is going on. You cannot tell from outside why they have swollen, so a vet needs to find the cause.
- Cat with yellow gums or eyes A yellow tint to the gums, the inside of the ears or the whites of the eyes means there is too much bile pigment in the blood. It is not a quirk of appearance but a sign that something is wrong with the liver, the bile ducts or the blood cells, so see a vet promptly.
- Kitten growing slowly or weak A kitten that is born weak, does not grow stronger like the rest of its litter or clearly lags behind as it grows is a cause for concern. The reason can be inherited, metabolic, in the nervous system or something simpler, so a vet should assess the lag. A weak newborn kitten that does not suckle needs a vet immediately.
- Overweight cat Excess weight comes on slowly in a cat, so someone who sees it every day often does not notice. The signs are ribs that are hard to feel through the fat and no waist when you look from above. Extra weight loads the joints and can be linked with serious illness, so a vet should see the cat.
The cat disease encyclopaedia
If you already know the name of the condition, start there instead: every condition has its own page with the signs and when to see a vet.
This is general information, not veterinary advice. For your own cat's health, tests and treatment, see a vet.