Five tips for a healthy cat
Every month you should do a five point check to make sure your cat is staying healthy.
1 Check his/her weight. Weigh your cat every month if possible. An easy way to do this is to weigh yourself, then pick you cat up and weigh both of you together. Subtract your weight from the combined weight and the difference will be the weight of your cat.
If you cat is getting overweight then find out about weight clinics at your vets.
If your cat is eating normal but loosing weight consider asking your vets advice in case there is a medical problem.
2 Check their coat which should be silky smooth all over. Look for cuts, sores and flaky skin
A dull, dry harsh coat can be an indication of poor health.
3 Look at their ears, eyes and noses. Healthy eyes should be clean and clear with no redness. Ears should be clean, pink and no bad smells. Dark wax and a bad smell could be mites which would need treating. Your cats nose should be cold and damp with no snotty bits
4 A cats gums should be pink and healthy. To check their gums lift the lips and gently but firmly pressing your finger tip on to the gum. When you remove your finger the gum should return to its nice pink colour. Look for tartar on the teeth and for any sore spots in the mouth
5 Look for unusual bumps or lumps all over their body. Then check the pads for cuts and don’t forget the claws. If the claws are frayed it could be an indication of your cat having a fall or a bump. Always look under the tail for worms which look like little grains of rice.
If you follow these five steps every month then you will know if there are any problems with your cat.
