Signs of a Sick Cat

Breast Cancer in Your Female Cat

My cat Sugar died from breast cancer. I got Sugar when she was eight years old. She was my first house cat. She was a purebred Siamese. She loved to lay on my lap and sleep in bed with me. She loved to play with tiny sponges. She would gather up any she saw lying around the house. She would toss them up in the air and catch them. Sugar loved to catch flies in her paw and eat them.

Sugar was a very talkative cat. She would meow loudly. A Siamese cat, indeed, sounds like a baby crying.

Sugar was not declawed, and I loved going outdoors occasionally. She would eat grass outdoors. Eating grass helps dislodge your cat’s hairballs.

Sugar grew up in a house that had birds. I had a parakeet. She would sit and watch him sing for hours. When my parakeet died at age ten, she was unfortunate.

Sugar loved to go for car rides. Sugar would sit on my lap and look at the scenery as we drove.

I noticed a lump on one of Sugar’s breast one day. I took her to my vet, and he removed the cancerous lump. The test of the breast tissue removed came back positive for breast cancer. Sugar was eating well and seemed to be getting along fine.

A new lump appeared on her breast. My vet gave her a shot that seemed to slow the growth of the cancerous tumor. Sugar had many growths in a couple of years.

Cancer covered all of her breasts toward the end of her life. Sugar was now sixteen years old. I called my vet to make an appointment to have her put to sleep. I had a burial box with cat toys and a towel to wrap her in. I took her home and buried her. I missed her terribly for a long time.

I never want to see a beloved pet suffer. I remember all of the beautiful times together that we had.

I hope your cat never gets breast cancer.

A healthy cat should have bright and shiny fur. They should have bright clear eyes. The ears should be clean and free of ear mites. A healthy cat will want to play and be outgoing. A healthy cat will eat the food you generally put out for him. Their tail should be straight up or slightly down.

If you notice a sudden change in your cat’s behavior,r he may be sick. A cat that quits using his litter box could have a bladder problem or diarrhea. A cat that starts sneezing or coughing could have something more severe or distemper. If your cat displays an odd behavior you have never noticed, watch him, as he may be ill.

The sick cats that I have had displayed their symptoms of sickness slowly. Kittens have started with a sneeze that has turned into a distemper. If your cat starts sleeping most of the day away in an area away from you, it could be a sign of illness. Sleeping in the bathtub could mean he has a bladder problem or kidney failure. They sleep in your tub to cool down from a fever. If your cat seems to be straining or howling in pain at the litter box and is a male, he may have a blockage as far as being able to pass his urine. Take him to your vet ASAP. A condition such as this can be life-threatening quickly. When cleaning your cat’s litter box, if you notice blood in their bowel movement, have your vet give him a blood test to determine the cause. If you see worms in the litter box, have your cat dewormed. Worms will cause weight loss and a lack of luster to their fur.

I discovered one of my cats had terrible teeth by scratching under her chin. She winced in pain. My vet pulled the bad teeth, and she was fine.

If your cat vomits for three days, take him to your vet ASAP. He could have a severe condition. He could have a blockage in his intestines.

If your cat fails to clean himself or the tail hangs down, he is not feeling well. Another sign of bad health is runny or dirty eyes.

Make sure your cat has his shots up to date. Take your cat in for his annual physical, as this will prevent many health problems. I hope you and your cat stay healthy.