Plain answers for pet parents in Nigeria: what a symptom might mean, which vaccine is due, what is safe to feed, and when it can't wait for the vet.
A cat losing weight while eating well is one of the most useful signs in feline medicine. It has four common explanations, and every one of them is treatable when found early.
Cat HealthCats are not subtle, they are just quiet. Learning to read the tail, the ears and the eyes tells you when a cat is content, when it is about to bite, and when it is unwell.
Cat HealthBy the time a cat looks unwell with kidney disease, most of the kidney is already gone. The early signs are drinking more and losing weight, and both are easy to live alongside.
Cat HealthIndoor cats live longer and get bored, and boredom in cats looks like over-grooming, cystitis and fighting rather than like mischief.
Cat HealthLook closely at the bald patch. Short, broken stubble means your cat is pulling the hair out, usually because of fleas, an allergy, pain or stress. Smooth, bare skin means the hair is falling out, from ringworm, a hormone problem such as an overactive thyroid, or poor diet. Any bald patch is worth a vet visit.
Cat HealthScratching is not damage-seeking behaviour, it is maintenance and marking. You cannot stop it, and you do not need to. You need to give it somewhere better.
Cat HealthA cat is pregnant for about 63 to 65 days. Switch her to kitten food from around week 4, give her a quiet, private nesting box, and learn the signs of a birth going wrong. A vet can confirm the pregnancy by scan from about 3 to 4 weeks.
Cat HealthAn occasional hairball is normal. Frequent ones usually mean the cat is grooming more than it should, and that is worth investigating rather than managing.
Cat HealthCat flu is a virus infection of the nose, eyes and mouth: sneezing, runny eyes and nose, and sometimes painful mouth ulcers. Many cats recover with good nursing, but a cat that stops eating needs a vet within a day or two, because a cat that goes without food develops a serious liver problem.
Cat HealthCats train themselves if the setup is right. Almost every litter problem is a setup problem, a medical problem, or a cleaning problem, and it is worth knowing which.
Cat HealthA dog skipping a meal is usually nothing. A cat skipping meals is different, and the reason is a liver problem that starts within days of not eating.
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Skeepedia is general information, not a diagnosis. If your pet is unwell, see a vet.