Cat Care

Why does my cat have bad breath? Persistent halitosis is commonly associated with oral or dental problems such as plaque-related gingivitis, periodontal disease, painful teeth or inflammation inside the mouth. Food can temporarily affect breath, but consistently unpleasant odour should not simply be accepted as normal. Cornell notes that healthy feline breath should not be…

Common cat ear infection signs include repeated scratching, head shaking, redness, pain, abnormal odor and increased discharge. These changes can occur with inflammation of the outer ear canal, but their presence does not tell you whether the underlying problem is ear mites, bacteria, yeast, allergy, a foreign object, a polyp or another ear disorder. Merck…

Cat itching but no fleas can still be related to flea exposure, but many other problems can also cause scratching, biting, licking or overgrooming. Possible explanations include flea allergy, mites, environmental or food-related allergies, bacterial or yeast-associated skin problems, ringworm, ear disease, irritation, pain and other skin disorders. Itching is a clinical sign rather than…

Why is my cat losing hair? Bald spots or thinning fur can develop when hair is physically broken or removed through licking and scratching, when skin or hair follicles are affected by parasites, infection or inflammation, or when another health problem interferes with normal hair growth. Merck notes that acquired alopecia in cats has many…

A cat losing weight but still eating may simply be receiving fewer calories than expected, but unexplained weight loss can also occur with parasites, digestive or absorption problems, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, kidney disease and other chronic illnesses. Weight loss may involve body fat, muscle or both, and some cats continue eating normally or even become hungrier…

A cat poop color chart can help you describe what is changing in the litter box, but stool colour by itself cannot tell you what disease, if any, is present. Brown is generally expected, while yellow, grey, green, red or black stool may occur for different reasons. Consistency, frequency, appetite, vomiting, weight and behaviour often…

A cat vomit color chart can help you describe what your cat brought up, but colour alone cannot tell you why the vomiting happened. Clear fluid, foam, bile, food, hair, blood, plant material and other substances can all change the appearance, while the underlying cause can range from a brief digestive upset to gastrointestinal disease,…

Why is my cat not eating? Appetite can fall because of something as simple as an unfamiliar food or stressful feeding environment, but cats may also stop eating because of dental pain, nausea, digestive illness, fever, kidney or liver disease, respiratory illness, medication effects, toxins or a gastrointestinal foreign body. Appetite loss is a clinical…

Why is my cat always hungry? Sometimes the answer is related to feeding routine, portion size, calorie density, food competition or learned food-seeking behaviour. But a genuine increase in appetite—called polyphagia—can also occur with medical problems, particularly when hunger appears alongside weight loss, increased thirst or urination, diarrhoea, vomiting or other changes. Hyperthyroidism and diabetes…