What do you do on a daily basis..

to watch your cat for signs of illness?

I'm curious because I'm so paranoid that Sam will get sick and I won't know.


I always check his poops and his eyes daily. There's probably more I could be doing.

That is about it. As long as he isn't constantly throwing up or runny poops or sneezing or running eyes...you probably don't need to worry about anything.

As well as that Itry to check they are all eating/drinking what they should, difficult sometimes in a multicat house, and as I pet them it becomes sort of automatic to check for any problems, fleas or ticks (shouldn't be as they are all Frontlined but you never know), lumps or any evidence of a bite or scratch.

I do a roll call each morning. If they respond even a bit different from the usual cheerful meow or "run to mommy" stampede then I check for hurts, or fever, or anything that may have caused the change.

I try to actually see everyone eat and drink every day. I monitor litterbox activity as well- try to make sure poops are firm and pees are large. Every petting session includes a good look at their eyes, nose, ears etc. as well as their bum. Grooming time means feeling for lumps, sore spots etc. and I try to look in everyones mouth at least once a week- if for nothing else than to accustom them to it and check the gumline for gingivitis.

I try to pay attention to their normal activity as far as respiration rate, temps, and heart rate. If I think something is the least bit amiss I will begin charting all three of these things in preparation for a vet visit. My medical tool box includes an otoscope, an ear thermometer, and a cheapish stethoscope. While I don't think is is necessary for everyone to run out and buy these things- once you have them you have them forever and I find them extremely useful.

I firmly believe in taking the briefest of notes anytime anything seems off- we think we will remember but when the time comes to recall when a problem started there is nothing like notes to get it right. I can't count the number of times I have solved a mystery because I had jotted down something weeks before.

I also think that a hard copy of "The Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Guide" or similar is a good thing- internet research is great and all but I like having a book in my hands, plus computers usually fail at the worst possible times.

Have your veterinarian and emergency clinic's phone numbers (and address if it is not known by everyone in the household) on your fridge and in your cell phone so no time is wasted if there ever is a problem.
Know where the crate is.

I know I may seem overly prepared to some, but it is my firm belief that the more you plan for emergencies the less likely you are to have them. Kind of a reverse Murphy's Law karma thing.

The 2 biggest things that I keep an eye out for is their weight and the quality of their fur coat. Whenever they sit in my lap (and every one does that at least a few minutes each day), I take the time to give them the full body strokes and a lot can be told by that. It is really hard to keep an eye out for all of them in a multi cat household.

I've had times when someone if throwing up (I find the remains) and if it keeps up, I've resorted to locking up groups of cats in clusters to narrow down the sick one. With so many cats a single throw-up doesn't get me in a tizzy - it's when it continues beyond a day.

Twice in all these years I've come across blood splots in the house. That calls for an immediate exam of everyone in the house.

Oh, I am so glad to know it is not just me! I worry if I think they don't pee enough. I worry if they don't poop enough. I worry if they meow.

I worry that they are too fat. I worry if I think they are hungry. AM I NORMAL????

Originally Posted by eupnea

to watch your cat for signs of illness?

I'm curious because I'm so paranoid that Sam will get sick and I won't know.


I always check his poops and his eyes daily. There's probably more I could be doing.

Click to expand...

i do a pat down ... check the litter box ... make sure the older one eats enough

I try to keep an eye on if I see them eating and drinking. I don't monitor what's in the litter box that closely because with 3 cats, I can't really tell who's doing what if I'm not in there watching them (oh the lack of privacy here). What we do instead is just be aware of how often and how they behave in there. Frequent visits (like three in an hour) or bolting out of the litter box will mean a visit to the vets for UTIs.

I also give them regular kitty massages and we've found growths on two cats this way. I will start at the head and shoulders moving down the body checking behind the hip bones , then the legs and paws. It took awhile to get them use to it but now... they all love it.

Mostly, I go off of gut feelings. If something doesn't feel right, I will watch that particular cat closer for some sign of something out of the ordinary.

I keep a hawk eye on my cats food bowl,,I know where every piece of food was the last time I looked at it just to make sure she is regularily eating..Also, keeping an eye on their poo is good.

The best thing i can tell from is her behaviour, she is normally very vocal and playful, so if she is sittin around or not meowing at me..then I would know something is wrong.

I am SO glad you are all here to help me. Reading your posts makes me feel better.

I monitor the litter box, food and water bowls, and coat/skin every day (he likes to be combed). Jamie had a problem with EGC (rodent ulcers), so I check out his mouth once a week. Other than that, I just "happen" to notice his energy levels or any abnormal behavior, which in his case is not sleeping for a day or two. It's a lot easier to keep track if you just have one cat.
Today's "abnormal behavior" was stealing a (very) hot pepper from my husband's plate, and running off and eating it. I consider cats eating hot peppers very weird, but he actually loves them.

thanks for all the responses!
I've already got the emergency vet number in my phone, but I'mgoing to start checking his teeth.. hopefully weekly. We'll see if he'll let me do that.