It’s very hard for cat owners to see their usually affectionate and playful cat moping around the house, but that can happen when your pet is feeling under the weather. While we turn to chicken soup and Netflix binge sessions on the couch when we’re sick, we obviously can’t do the same for our cats. However, there are some things you can do to comfort your cat when they’re ill. Read on to find 12 tips for caring for a sick cat.
The 12 Tips on How to Comfort a Sick Cat:
1. Don’t Wait to See the Vet
The best thing you can do for your sick cat is to take them to the vet for an evaluation as soon as possible. Cats hide their signs of illness until it’s impossible to hide them anymore, so it may be that your pet’s been sick for days or weeks before they finally start showing signs of being unwell. The faster they’re seen, the quicker they can get nursed back to health.
2. Keep Essentials Nearby
The last thing your sick cat feels like doing is walking upstairs or across the house to get a drink of water or use the litter box. Keep these essentials nearby so they’re more likely to drink and use the litter box knowing they don’t need to traverse across the house first. Instead of feeding them in their usual spot, consider offering them their next meal close to their resting spot to save them the effort and steps.
3. Keep Them Warm
Think of how cozy and comforting it is for us when we crawl underneath a comfy blanket on a chilly winter evening. Warmth is also a psychological comfort for cats that provides them with a sense of security and well-being. Provide your sick pet with a cozy place to rest that’s warm, peaceful, and quiet. You may consider adding a second heat source, like a heating pad on a low setting. However, if your cat is unable to get around by themselves, you shouldn’t use a heating pad under them as they won’t be able to move away if they get too hot and could get burned.
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4. Consider a New Litter Box
Sick cats may not have the energy required to jump into top-entry litter boxes or even step into one if it has high sides. Consider buying a low-entry litter box to help them get in and out with ease. If it’s not in your budget to buy a new box right now, you can cut down the sides of a cardboard box or even their high-sided litter box to make entry easy.
5. Wipe Away Discharge
If your cat is suffering from an upper respiratory infection, they may get a runny nose and have eye discharge. Wipe away any discharge using a clean washcloth damp with warm salt water or a cat-safe wipe.
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Many cats enjoy grooming sessions, and if yours is part of this demographic, don’t skip a brushing because they’re sick. They may enjoy the attention, which will help them feel as if their routine isn’t upended because of their illness. Additionally, brushing your cat can provide you with the opportunity to monitor their skin and fur for any further signs of sickness.
7. Honor Their Wishes
Sick cats sometimes want nothing more than to be left alone to heal. If your cat isn’t interested in cuddling or getting pets, respect their wishes and leave them be. However, you should still keep an eye on them to keep tabs on their condition and ensure they’re improving.
8. Give Medication as Prescribed
If your veterinarian has put your cat on medication to treat their illness, make sure you’re following the instructions to a T. It’s important to keep up with medication in the proper dosage at the right intervals to ensure your cat is getting the dose your vet has deemed necessary to treat them. Do not stop giving the medicine if you feel your cat has recovered from their sickness unless the vet has instructed you to do so.
9. Tempt Them to Eat
Cats need to eat even if they’re sick, but it is often the last thing a cat who’s feeling unwell wants to do. If cats refuse to eat for more than a day or two, they are at risk of a potentially life-threatening condition known as hepatic lipidosis. Encourage your cat to eat small, frequent meals consisting of highly palatable and digestible food.
- Offering strong-smelling foods like chicken
- Warming wet cat food to release its scent
- Blending wet food if they have problems swallowing
- Offering small bits of food by hand
- Dabbing a small amount of wet food on their lips
- Adding a small amount of fish oil or tuna juice (the spring water that tuna comes in, not the brine) to the food
If your cat is still refusing food, your vet may recommend hospitalizing them to give them a feeding tube or prescribe an appetite stimulant.
10. Follow Veterinary Advice
Follow the advice from your veterinary team, as they know exactly what is necessary to get your cat back to feeling like themselves again. For example, your vet may recommend a bland diet if your cat is vomiting or an e-collar if they have sores or wounds.
11. Go to Follow-Ups
Following up with your veterinary team is essential in nursing your cat back to health. A follow-up appointment will allow your vet to examine your pet to ensure the treatments they’ve recommended are working.
12. Stay Calm
It is completely normal to feel anxious about your cat’s illness, but you must try to remain calm. Cats can pick up on your feelings of anxiety and stress, which can upset them and even cause them to feel anxious and stressed themselves. Take care of yourself at the same time you care for your cat. Try to set aside a small window of time daily to do something to take your mind off of things and ease some of your stress.
Final Thoughts
As you nurse your cat back to health, take note of any developing signs of illness or changes in behavior. Keep your veterinary team in the know of such changes so they can make notes and offer other treatment options if necessary.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself at the same time you care for your cat. You won’t be of much help to your pet if you fall ill yourself.
Featured Image Credit: Anna Krivitskaya, Shutterstock
The 12 Tips on How to Comfort a Sick Cat:
6 Responses
Hi, this is one of our last resorts, hope this is going to help. One of my cats apperantly has heart- and bowelproblems. His bloodsugar level is above 300 but he used to eat the food prescribed by the vet. Now he won't eat anything and will start to retch whenever we display food before him. He's really low on energy but the vets don't do much except for diognose him. What could we do for him? He's becoming flesh and bones and is painfull to watch.
Hey Oliva, I’m so sorry you’re going through this. From what you’ve described this is a critical medical emergency and your cat needs immediate veterinary attention. We understand you’ve been trying everything, and it’s deeply frustrating and painful to feel like you’re out of options. But you’re not alone, and there is still support available. If you wish to have a chat with one of our vets for a second opinion, you can find them at www.pangovet.com
Hi I rescued a kitten from a KFC parking lot. She is very thin and is having a hard time breathing. Not runny nose. She acts like it’s asthma. And I can’t get her to drink water. I’ve left freshwater everywhere in the house even got a fountain. I’ve been using a syringe just to get some fluids down her. Now the last couple of days she’s worse and won’t eat. I’ve taken her to the vet. But they just wanted me to buy expensive prescription food a bottle of electrolytes and test her for parasites. I did all that. But she can’t breathe and won’t drink water. Please help I hate losing this tiny baby.
Hi Jami Summerlin. It sounds incredibly distressing to have rescued this tiny kitten only to have her struggle so much, and your dedication to using a syringe to get her fluids is commendable. However, the fact that she is very thin, is having difficulty breathing, and now won't eat or drink are critical, life-threatening symptoms, regardless of what the initial vet visit found.
The signs you describe are too serious to wait. She needs immediate professional medical intervention that goes beyond initial testing and prescription food. She may require supplemental oxygen, warmth, and supportive care to address the breathing difficulty and dehydration. Here are some reads you may find useful.
I Found a Stray Kitten, What Do I Do? Vet-Reviewed Care & Feeding Tips: https://www.catster.com/cat-health-care/what-to-do-with-a-stray-kitten/
How Do I Save a Kitten: 5 Vet-Approved Steps to Follow
https://www.catster.com/cat-health-care/how-to-save-a-kitten/
What to Feed a Kitten: Vet-Verified Guide For Each Stage
https://www.catster.com/cat-health-care/what-to-feed-kittens/
How to Syringe Feed a Kitten: 5 Vet-Approved Steps & Safety Guide
https://www.catster.com/cat-health-care/how-to-syringe-feed-a-kitten/
My cat won't take it's medicine. Try to catch it but she bites & scratches won't eat or drink if she smells something. Stressful for both fir us and painful to watch as she worsens asI have the cure in my hand.
Hi John, so sorry to hear you are struggling to give your cat the needed meds. It is not an easy task please know that you are not alone. We recommend you read the following post for additional advice and tips that might be helpful to you right now:
https://www.catster.com/felines-weekly/how-to-give-your-cat-medication-dr-karyns-tips/
https://www.catster.com/ask-the-vet/how-to-give-cat-a-pill/
https://www.catster.com/cat-health-care/how-to-give-cat-liquid-medicine/
Thank you very much for reading us and more than anything for loving your cat, we hope you find this information helpful and we wish you the best of luck in providing your beloved cat with the needed medication.