Clinical Signs
Health Problem
Owner’s Observations
Reduced range of movement, swelling
of joints, pain on movement, lameness.
Osteoarthritis
Reduced activity, reluctance to jump/
climb, aggression, less sociable.
Gingivitis, resorptive lesions, halitosis,
gum recession.
Dental Disease
Smelly breath, wet food preference,
chewing on one side of mouth,
reduced appetite.
Polyuria (PU), polydipsia (PD), weight
loss, reduced appetite, ill-thrift.
Chronic Renal
Insufficiency
Drinking and urinating more, dull coat,
losing weight.
Polyphagia, weight loss, increased
activity, PU/PD, hyperthermia,
tachycardia.
Hyperthyroidism
Hungry, eating more, more active despite
ageing, drinking and eating more.
Reduced environmental awareness,
vocalising, periuria.
Dementia
Unable to locate food, water or litter tray,
voiding outside litter tray, vocalising,
getting 'lost' in house.
Inflammation, purulent discharge from
wounds, abscess formation, lameness,
pain, pyrexia, inappetance.
Cat Fight Injuries
Bleeding, obvious wounds, dullness,
reduced appetite, skin swelling.
Retinal detachment, blindness,
engorged retinal vessels.
Vascular
Hypertension
Change in appearance of eyes-speckled,
or red, apparent sudden onset blindness.
Loss of clarity of retina on exam, loss
of vision.
Retinal
Degeneration
Sudden onset blindness.
PU/PD, often concurrently overweight,
dull, lethargic.
Diabetes
Mellitus
Drinking more, urinating more, dullness,
inactivity, often overweight cats.
Vomiting, diarrhoea, maelena,
abdominal pain, inappetance,
hypersalivation.
Gastro-Intestinal
Disease
Vomiting and or diarrhoea, eating less,
eating grass, change in colour of faeces.
Pale mucous membranes (mm),
prolonged capillary refill time,
tachycardia.
Anaemia
Pale gum colour (should be salmon pink)
weakness, lethargy.
Abnormal growths, lymphadenopathy,
cachexia.
Cancer
Any new skin lumps or bumps, dullness,
weight loss.
Tachycardia, tachypnoea, dyspnoea.
pale mm, weak pulses. Lethargy.
Heart failure
Panting, open mouth breathing, rapid
breathing, inactivity, unable to stand or
walk, pale gums.
Inflammation, erythema, pruritus,
self-trauma, pyoderma, alopecia.
Skin Disease
Change in colour or appearance of coat,
hair loss, over-grooming, redness.
Cystitis, self-barbering, change in
habitus.
Stress
More frequent urination or in abnormal
places, overgrooming, chewing at coat,
altered food/water intake or insomnia.
Table 1
Small Talk
Special Feature
Pain, inflammation of pads, lameness.
Overgrown nails
Reduced activity, less tolerant of handling.