Your Guide to an At-Home Cat Health Assessment

Cats certainly have a bit of mystery about them and are notoriously difficult to understand. MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital knows, though, that when you really start to pay attention, there are definitely ways to tell how your cat is doing. Taking a periodic at-home cat health assessment is an easy way to make sure your cat is happy and healthy.

Cat Health Assessment Checklist

Your cat might pretend that they don’t need you, but despite their best efforts, they do rely on you as their advocate and caretaker. Running through our cat health assessment checklist once or twice a month is a great way to be sure that your feline family member is doing well. 

Ask yourself:

• Has your cat shown any changes in eating habits (more or less)?
• Is your cat drinking more or less than usual?
• Have you noticed any changes in litter box habits (urinating more, visiting more frequently, larger or firmer bowel movements, going outside the litter box)?
• Is your cat more or less social than normal?
• Is your cat hiding more?
• Have you noticed any changes in weight?
• Does your cat’s coat appear shiny and well-groomed?
• Is your cat having trouble jumping or reaching places they normally access?
• Are there any new lumps, bumps, or skin lesions?
• Is your cat vomiting or having diarrhea more than very occasionally?
• Are your cat’s claws at a healthy length without growing into the skin?
• Are the gums pink and moist?
• Do the teeth appear free of tartar and without significant odor?
• Does your cat seem itchy or otherwise irritated?
• Is your cat engaging in destructive behavior?

If you don’t know the answer to these questions, you have a great place to start. These are all things that you should be paying attention to as a cat owner.

During routine daily feedings, cuddle sessions, grooming, and nail trimmings, make note of these observations so that you can be more alert to deviations from your cat’s normal behaviors.

When to Call Us

Besides at-home cat health assessments, you should also be bringing your beloved pet in to see us for routine wellness visits. During these visits, weight checks, nose to tail examinations, and screening testing can help us to identify potential health issues. 

Sometimes, though, our cat patients need to come in to see us in between wellness checks. Make an appointment to see us if you are noticing any changes in your home cat health assessments that you cannot easily explain. 

We are always happy to check out your kitty if you have any qualms about how they are doing. You know your cat best, and chances are that if you think something isn’t right, you are not imagining it. 

Most problems in pets are best treated when diagnosed early in their course, so please don’t hesistate to let us know if you have concerns about your cat.