INTRODUCTION
I am a "feline only" veterinarian. I was born surrounded by cats because my Father loved cats. I either inherited a gene from him that made me instantaneously love cats or became a cat lover just from always having them around me.
From the beginning, I was extremely sensitive to the signs of a sick animal. Of course, that sensitivity was greatly enhanced as my veterinary training educated me thoroughly on the anatomy, physiology, behavior, and diseases of cats.
However, you certainly do not have to be a veterinarian to be able to recognize signs of illness in your own cat. It's rather simple, actually, once you learn what you need to know.
In spite of that, the most painful part of my career has been the too numerous occasions upon which a loving owner brings their precious kitty to see me when the cat should have seen a vet much earlier. All too often, not only is the cat brought in late, but he's come to me too late. At those times, knowing that I could have saved their beloved cat's life had I examined him a month or week or even a day earlier is difficult for me to face and heart-wrenching for the owner. In most cases, it has also meant prolonged suffering for the cat.
I have thus come to the conclusion that while recognizing signs of illness in a cat is easy to learn, it is not common sense. It has to be learned.
ANATOMY OF A CAT
Don't stop reading! I know the word "anatomy" strikes fear in many pre-med or pre-vet students and may in you also. However, the anatomy that you need to learn about your cat is simple to learn. In fact, you probably know most of it already, but may not be aware that you know it.
Many of my clients over the past 18 years have been surprised to learn that cats can get just about every disease that affects people. It's true, and it really shouldn't be surprising if you know or learn that cats have essentially the same organs that you and I have. If they have the same organs that we do, then it's just another simple step to realizing that those organs can malfunction the same way ours do..
For example, people develop diabetes because there is a problem with their pancreas. Cats have a pancreas, so naturally they can develop diabetes, too. People become hyperthyroid because they have a thyroid gland and it malfunctions, producing excess thyroid hormone. Hyperthyroidism is common in cats. They, too, have thyroid glands that can malfunction.
The similarities between human and cat anatomy include both internal and external components.
To learn what you need to know to access your cat's health at home, it's easiest to address those two components separately.
EXTERNAL ANATOMY OF A CAT.
If you look at your cat from head to tail, you'll see
(1) Ears
(2) Eyes
(3) Nose
(4) Mouth and Chin
(5) Neck
(6) Fur
(7) Skin
(8) 4 legs -- the front two are very much like our arms while the back two are very much like our legs. They have the same bones and same joints, including shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles. Our hands are their paws --- even our fingers have the equivalent in cats with three bones and a nail projecting from the distal most bone.
(9) back, chest area, and lower abdomenal area
(10) anus
(11) penis or vagina, both with a urethra through which urine is excreted
(12) tail
(13) testicles if intact male
EXAMINING YOUR CAT EXTERNALLY
I have a system I have used in my practice for 18 years that will make your evaluation at home easy if you use this system also. It's simple. Examine the following parts of your cat's body by always starting at the head and continuing down the cat's body to the tip of the tail. If you do it the same way every time you examine your cat, it will become like second nature.
The most important thing to know is how all the parts of a "normal" cat's body look. You need to know what’s normal obviously before you can know that something is abnormal. Once you know normal, anything different is worth questioning your vet about.
From head to tail tip, look at the following.
(1) Ears
Look at your cat’s face straight-on and compare the two ears. Are they both standing up, uniform in size and shape? See photo.
Now, look inside each one under good lighting conditions. Are they the same inside? Are they pink? Do they smell? They shouldn’t. Are they perfectly free of wax or other debris? They should be. Most of the time, healthy cats have incredibly clean ears.
To check your cat’s hearing, stand behind the cat, making sure that he absolutely can’t see you and clap loudly. He should turn around or jump or at the very least, flick his ears quite obviously.
Again, while looking at your cat’s face straight-on, determine whether the eyes are the same size. Are they shaped the same way? Are the pupils (the black center) equal in size? Are the pupils easy to see or is it at all cloudy in front of them? It shouldn’t be.
The cornea is the clear “covering” of the eye that you really shouldn't see at all as you are looking at the pupils. Is it cloudy instead? Are there blood vessels obvious on the cornea? There shouldn’t be.
If you shine a bright light in one eye, do the pupils in both eyes get smaller and are they the same size? When you take the bright light away, do they both get larger and, again, are they the same size?
If you move your finger back and forth to the left and right does your cat follow your finger with both eyes? How about up and down? If you throw a cotton ball a small distance away, does your cat see the cotton ball?
Are the inner corners of the eyes clean? Is there any discharge coming from the eyes? Is the cat squinting? Do the eyelids look at all swollen? Is the “3rd eyelid” visible? It shouldn’t be.
See the photo for a fairly perfect healthy cat face. Normal ears, bright eyes with same size pupils, no discharge (the dark streaks running from the inner corners of his eyes are just part of his markings), and clear corneas.
It is very possible for a cat to lose its sight and the owner not know. I have had several clients come in with their cat and tell me that he sees just fine because he makes his way around the house and never bumps into anything. Yet, when I check the cat’s eyes and vision, he is completely blind.
How is that possible? Cats are able to so quickly adapt and find their way around familiar surroundings, that as long as nothing is out of place in the house, you may never know they’re blind.
To make sure your cat can see, you can use the cotton ball trick. You also should place a chair or other object in the middle of the room, call your cat to come to you and see if he goes easily around the chair or bumps into it.
(3) NOSE
Looking at your cat’s face again, are the nostrils the same size? Are they free of discharge or debris? Is there any swelling of the nose? Does your cat breathe quietly or can you hear noise when he breathes? Is your cat's nose pink? SEE ABOVE PHOTO FOR A NICE HEALTHY PINK NOSE.
(4) Examining a cat’s mouth can be very difficult. I certainly don’t want you to get bitten doing it. IF you can, you should gently lift the upper lip on one side and look at the gums and teeth. Are the gums pink, not red or white? If they are red and inflammed looking or very pale or white, that is cause for concern. Are the gums moist? They should be. Are the teeth white? If they’re not, they have a build-up on them just like people get and cats need their teeth professionally cleaned just as we do. Dental care for cats has been much over-looked in the past and is SO necessary. Taking care of your cat's teeth is important not only for the comfort of the cat, but to prevent spread of infection to other organs of the body.
Don’t assume just because you see a couple of teeth and they look ok, that all the teeth are fine. If you can’t see both sides and front of the upper and lower teeth and your cat’s teeth haven’t been examined by a vet in the last year, make that appointment.
If your cat lets you open his mouth easily, try to get a peek at his tongue as well. Are there ulcers? Is it a healthy, normal pink color? Is the thickness uniform or is any part of the tongue harder and thicker than the rest?
To the left is a photo of severe dental disease. You can see the severely swollen, red inflammed gingiva as well as the large chunk's of tartar on the teeth. It is so bad you really can't even see the teeth. All teeth had to be extracted. In just a few days, the kitty felt better than she had for months, maybe years. Don't let your cat's mouth get this way. It's preventable!! Schedule regular dental check-up's for your cat.
(5) Feel and look at your cat’s chin for two reasons primarily. (a) Rub your
hand along the bony ridges of the chin and note whether they feel the same and there’s no prominent hard thickness on one side that’s not on the other. Cats can get cancer of the jawbone.
hand along the bony ridges of the chin and note whether they feel the same and there’s no prominent hard thickness on one side that’s not on the other. Cats can get cancer of the jawbone.(b) Does the skin covering the jawbone feel smooth and free of bumps? If there are bumps, your kitty may have feline acne and need to see the vet. See the photo to the right of a normal chin and jaw.
(6) Neck. Just rub your hands gently all over your kitty’s neck, underneath and on top. Feel mainly for symmetry and lumps. If you feel something on one side that is not on the other, it may be cause for concern.
(7) A cat’s skin and fur often reflects its general state of health and well-being. Is the fur intact or are there areas of hair loss? Don’t check just the obvious, but look up and down the legs and on the belly and the tail and under the tail. Check every inch of the cat’s body looking for hair loss or irritated skin and feel for lumps and bumps and scaly areas. Every cat owner should own a flea comb and comb through the fur in several different places on the body, checking for fleas or for black “flea dirt”.
Is the fur soft and shiny and not too oily or not too dry? Is the skin flaky? Are there white dandruff-like particles present, particularly in front of the tail? Is the hair matted anywhere on the body? "Dandruff" can indicate underlying disease or can be caused by inadequate grooming. Both dandruff and mats need attention and can be uncomfortable for your kitty.
(8) 
Watch your cat walk and jump. Does it look the same as always? 
Cats walk on what is the equivalent of our toes. (see diagram to left) If your kitty is suddenly not doing that, but instead is walking down on its “heels”, (see diagram to right), an immediate visit to your vet is in order. That is one of the hallmark signs of diabetes.
Also, check that your kitty can jump up and down from the sofa or bed as usual and climb stairs if he has been climbing stairs. Watch your cat walk and jump. Does it look the same as always? Cats walk on what is the equivalent of our toes. (see diagram to left) If your kitty is suddenly not doing that, but instead is walking down on its “heels”, (see diagram to right), an immediate visit to your vet is in order. That is one of the hallmark signs of diabetes. Definitely check each of the 4 paws if your cat will let you. The pads should be pink (unless your kitty’s pads are black genetically). If your cat is not declawed, make sure the nails are not so long that they’re starting to curl under and grow into the pads. If that happens, a nasty abscess can occur. If your cat IS declawed, check that there is no regrowth of the claws. It can happen and can be very painful and need vet attention.
The paws should be uniform in size.
(9) Back, chest, and abdominal areas. Feel the backbone of your cat. Is it more prominent than it used to be? That can indicate weight loss. A digital scale is a great thing to keep around so you can weigh your kitty at least once monthly.
Especially check the nipples in the skin of the abdomen. Remember males have them as well and while it’s rare, males can get mammary cancer, too. Make sure they are all similar in size, shape and color, including the area of skin around each one.
(10) Look at the urogenital and anal regions on your cat. Is there any discharge? Are there feces or anal sac material stuck on the cat or mats that are inhibiting normal defecation?
(11) Last, but not least, run your hands the full length of your cat's tail, feeling the fur and skin and the underlying bones. Cats can have broken tails, nasty skin infections, lacerations on their tails, ringworm.....
Ok, got all that? Don't panic. It's not as much as it seems and it's not difficult. With a little practice and simply changing your thinking a bit so that you instinctively look at your cat like this all the time, you'll notice changes more quickly and help your kitty be healthy and comfortable and maybe even save his life.
"EXAMINING" YOUR CAT'S INTERNAL ORGANS
Knowing what is going on inside your cat may sound much more difficult than checking your cat externally. Of course, we all know that the internal organs can't be seen or directly examined. However, in some ways, it’s much easier. While you can’t actually do an internal exam or see x-rays or ultrasound of your kitty, you can get a wealth of information from the small number of things you can determine.
As I mentioned earlier, cats have internal organs similar to our own. Among the most important are
(1) Brain
(2) Heart
(3) Kidneys
(4) Thyroid Glands
(5) Urinary Bladder
(6) Gall Bladder
(7) Liver
(8) Possible uterus if a female cat and not spayed
(9) Lungs
(10) Pancreas
(11) Spleen
(12) Stomach
(13) Intestines (small and large)
Your at-home evaluation of these internal organs will be performed by monitoring your cat for the visible symptoms of malfunction of these organs.
The most common symptoms of organ malfunction are simple and easy to learn.
There's basically only five things to remember. All five are right in front of you.
What are they? Well, what are the five main things your cat does? Eat, Drink, Urinate, Defacate, and Sleep. Right?
That's all you have to stay aware of in order to monitor your cat's internal organ function.
You simply ask yourself the following questions each day.
(1) Is your cat eating more or less?
(2) Drinking more or less?
(3) Urinating more or less?
(4) Having more frequent or less frequent bowel movements, and is the stool harder or softer?
(5) Last, but not least, has your cat's activity level changed? Is he sleeping the same amount and acting the same as usual when he's awake? Or is he sluggish, less active, and sleeping more?
If any one of those 5 functions change, then you need to observe carefully, even take notes, and call your vet right away. It could be nothing OR it could be early kidney problems, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, a urinary tract infection and a few other things - 99% of which can be cured or controlled IF CAUGHT EARLY.
If any one of those 5 functions change, then you need to observe carefully, even take notes, and call your vet right away. It could be nothing OR it could be early kidney problems, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, a urinary tract infection and a few other things - 99% of which can be cured or controlled IF CAUGHT EARLY.
CONCLUSION
There’s much more to learn about the individual conditions and diseases your kitty can face, but if you learn the symptoms to watch for in order to detect cat illnesses early, you AND your kitty are way ahead of the game. I would much rather practice preventative medicine or diagnose sick cat symptoms while the condition is still early and treatable rather than finding it's too late. I know you want that for your cat also.
Several of the major diseases that cats can get have very similar symptoms, especially elderly cat health problems. But don't worry. If you notice any of the symptoms of cat diseases that we just talked about, your vet can match those symptoms with the appropriate disease with a thorough exam and usually blood work. Occasionally, x-rays, urinalysis, or even ultrasound may be needed.
Fortunately, veterinary medicine has the same methods of testing, diagnosis, and treatment these days that human physicians use. Please remember that your cat's chances of being helped are much greater AND your expenses much less if you go to the vet at the first sign of something unusual.
It's worth repeating those 5 functions you need to monitor one more time. Appetite, Thirst, Urination, Bowel Movements, Activity Level. Pay close attention to those activities of your cat. Your observations are free, your vet bill cheaper when disease is diagnosed and treated early, but the cost when your observations save your cat's life.....PRICELESS!
References
- All information for this article provided by Dr. Neely, AskTheCatDoctor.com based on her education at Penn, personal experience in private practice in Bryn Mawr, and the teachings of the many wonderful cats whom she has lived with during her life
http://www.AskTheCatDoctor.com - http://www.vet.upenn
.edu/ - http://www.TheCatHos
pitalOfBrynMawr.com - All Photos By Shelby Neely
http://www.AskTheCatDoctor.com
Matt
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Great Article - Very Informative
As of this writing they serve the state of NH only.
ehab rmdn
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thanks alot doctor
really i enjoyed while reading your article
i am avet and this article help me much
if u dont mind to add me to your massenger
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drhooba77@gmail.com
thanks alot dr Shelby
Zak Goldstein
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Great article