How to Check Your Cat's Health at Home: A Monthly Routine

Most cats are experts at hiding illness. By the time a cat is obviously unwell, a problem may have been building for weeks. A short monthly check at home will not replace veterinary care, but it helps you learn what is normal for your cat — so you notice small changes early, when they are easiest to deal with.

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This routine takes about ten minutes, once a month. Pick a calm moment, when your cat is relaxed, and keep treats nearby. If your cat becomes stressed, stop and try again another day. A check should never become a wrestling match.

Why a Monthly Check Matters

Cats often carry on eating, sleeping and grooming even when something is wrong. Subtle signs — a slightly duller coat, a small lump, gums that look paler than usual — are easy to miss in daily life. Checking the same things, in the same order, every month gives you a baseline. You are not diagnosing anything. You are simply learning your cat, so you can give your veterinarian useful information if a visit is needed.

Before You Start

Choose a quiet, well-lit spot where your cat feels safe. Sit with your cat on your lap or beside you, and talk softly throughout. Have a notebook or phone note ready to record anything unusual, including the date. Weighing your cat is easier if you weigh yourself holding the cat, then weigh yourself alone and subtract the difference — or use a baby scale if you have one.

Step 1: Eyes and Ears

Look at your cat's eyes in good light. They should be bright and clear, with no cloudiness, redness, swelling or thick discharge. A tiny amount of clear tearing in the corner can be normal, but yellow or green discharge, squinting, or one pupil looking different from the other deserves a veterinary call.

Next, lift each ear flap gently and look inside. Healthy ears are clean and pale pink, with no strong smell. Dark, crumbly debris, redness, swelling, a bad smell, or frequent head shaking and scratching can

point to mites or infection. Do not poke cotton buds deep into the ear canal. Note what you see and let your veterinarian advise on cleaning and treatment.

Step 2: Mouth, Teeth and Gums

Gently lift your cat's lip and look at the teeth and gums. Teeth should be reasonably clean, without heavy tartar build-up or broken teeth. Gums should be pink and moist, not very pale, yellow or bright red. Bad breath that is new or much worse than usual, drooling, dropping food, or chewing on one side are all worth mentioning to your veterinarian. Mouth pain often shows up as changed eating habits before anything else.

Step 3: Coat, Skin and Body

Run your hands slowly over your cat's whole body, then comb gently through the coat. You are feeling for lumps, bumps, sore spots, scabs, bald patches, flakes or parasites. Part the fur in a few places and look at the skin underneath. A healthy coat is smooth and fairly even, though older cats may groom less well and need a little extra help.

While you comb, notice how your cat reacts. Flinching, hissing or pulling away from one spot may mean that area is tender. Check the paws too: claws should not be overgrown or growing into the pads, and the pads should be free of cuts or swelling.

Step 4: Weight and Body Shape

Stand back and look at your cat from above and from the side. You should be able to feel the ribs with light pressure, under a thin layer of fat, but they should not stick out sharply. From above, most cats have a slight waist behind the ribs. Sudden weight loss, a rapidly growing belly, or a big change in appetite are reasons to contact your veterinarian promptly, even if your cat seems otherwise well.

Record the weight each month. Small ups and downs happen, but a steady trend in either direction matters more than a single reading.

Step 5: Eating, Drinking, Litter and Behaviour

Your monthly check is also a chance to review the basics. Is your cat eating and drinking about the same amount as usual? Are litter-box habits normal — no straining, crying, blood, or sudden trips outside the box? Is your cat playing, sleeping and seeking company in the usual pattern?

Changes here are often the first clues. Drinking much more water, eating far less, hiding for long periods, or becoming suddenly clumsy or less active should not be brushed off as just getting older. Write down when the change started and what exactly changed.

What to Write Down

Keep it simple: date, weight, and one line for each area — eyes, ears, mouth, coat, body, appetite, litter and behaviour. A short note such as "small lump, left shoulder, about pea-sized, first noticed 23 October" is far more useful to a veterinarian than "something on shoulder". Take a photo of anything visible, like a skin change, so you can compare it next month.

When to Call the Veterinarian

Book a visit if you find a new lump that grows or does not go away, sores that do not heal, persistent vomiting or diarrhoea, difficulty breathing, trouble passing urine, sudden weakness, or any rapid change in weight, appetite or behaviour. If your cat is in obvious distress, do not wait for the next monthly check — seek veterinary care promptly.

Done gently and regularly, this routine becomes a quiet moment with your cat as well as a health habit. Ten minutes a month, a few notes, and a trusted veterinarian are a simple combination that helps your cat stay comfortable and well for years.

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