Cats are naturally programmed to hide illness. If a cat acts
sick in the wild they become a target for larger prey. Cats who live inside the home still possess this instinct to mask symptoms of disease. This can make it difficult to notice when your cat is sick. Veterinarians have been trained to look for subtle signs of illness.
It’s very common for us as owners to look at our cats and think they seem fine. It’s also very hard to understand our cat’s ability to hide serious disease. If we feel sick, we know it and if we feel sick enough we go to the doctor. In our cat’s brain, no matter how sick they “feel” illness should be hidden or they risk exposing themselves to danger from other prey animals. Our cats do not have the ability to turn this “feature” of their brain off when they are safe and under our care. When your cat acts sick they are very sick. By this time our cats are simply unable to act normal and the disease process may be very advanced.
Veterinarians can detect illness on a simple physical examination. Subtle changes like a small amount of weight loss or excess dander in your cat’s hair coat can be signs of a problem. How your cat’s heart and lungs sound and even how they react when the veterinarian palpates or “feels” their abdomen can be an indication of illness. A very important problem that is missed by owners and caught by veterinarians is dental disease. Inflammation of the gums, tartar, and plaque on the teeth is common in 80% or more of cats by age 3. Inflammation of the gum tissue (gingivitis) is an open wound in the mouth that allows bacteria and toxins into the blood stream. This bacteria then needs to be filtered by the kidneys and liver which leads to organ damage.
Bringing your indoor-only cat to the veterinarian once to twice a year can prevent major illness, keep your feline friend feeling good and keep your long term veterinary bills lower.
If you would like to schedule an appointment for your cat click here : http://northernilcatcliniccom.web.siteprotect.net/schedule-appointment/