Making things comfortable
Before you check your kitten over, choose somewhere she feels comfortable – like your lap or on a bed. While you’re examining her, be as gentle as you can, and use lots of soft, reassuring words.
Breathing and abdomen
Listen to your kitten’s breathing, making sure that it's regular and not strained in any way. Very gently, run your hands along her sides, checking for anything that seems unusual.
Ears and eyes
Look into your kitten’s ears, checking for any scratches to the outer ear, inflammation or dark-coloured wax. Around your kitten’s eyes, look for discharge, inflammation or signs of injury. Never touch the eyeball, and don't put drops in without speaking to your vet.
Mouth and nose
Gently open your kitten’s mouth and look for broken teeth, inflamed gums or a build-up of plaque deposits. Your kitten’s nose is a good indicator of her general health – it should be cool and moist. If your kitten has a crusty nose or is sneezing a lot, she may have a cold. If you're at all worried, just book her into the vet for a more thorough check-up.
Claws
Check your kitten’s paws to see if she has any broken or missing claws. You’re also looking for injuries to the soft skin between her pads. Gentle pressure on her foot will unsheathe her claws – remember they’re sharp!
Speak to your vet
If you're worried about anything, keep an eye on your kitten for a day or two. If you're still not happy with how she is after that, give your vet a call.
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Grooming: Coat care and dandruff elimination
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What is a healthy diet for cats?
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Cat’s Ears, Eyes And Skin
Your cat’s eyes and ears are highly sensitive, just like those of her big cat cousins in the wild. Sharp eyesight makes her a natural hunter, while her acute hearing helps her pick up the tiny sounds of her prey moving around.While it's important to visit the vet if you’re worried about your cat’s health, there are some basic checks you can do at home to make sure her eyes, ears and skin are in tip-top condition.HEALTHY EYESTo check your cat’s super-sharp eyes, just follow this simple checklist:Gently pull down your cat’s lower eyelid – the area you see here should be pinkCheck that both your cat’s pupils are a normal sizeStand with your cat next to a daylit window, open and close the curtains, and check how that her pupils react normally to the changing lightCheck your cat’s eyes for coloured discharge, or excessive watering – both signs might mean she’s picked up an eye infectionIf your eye checks reveal anything unusual, take your cat to the vet for a full check-up.HEALTHY EARSIf your cat's spending a lot of time shaking her head or scratching at her ears, there could be something wrong. Here’s how to check your feline friend’s ultra-sensitive ears:Keep her ears generally clean and free of dirtCheck to see if your cat’s ears are a brighter pink than usualStrong odours could indicate an ear infectionWax – especially dark wax or goo – might be a sign of an ear infection or ear mitesInfections caused by mites are relatively easy to cure using eardrops or a special 'spot on' applied to your cats shoulder blades. If there are any other cats in the house, it's a good idea to treat them too. Your vet will advise you about what treatment is best for your cat.Other possible conditions include a cauliflower-like thickening of the outer ear – this will need to be cleaned regularly – or a sudden swelling of the ear flap, which might be a blood blister, usually caused by scratching. Blood blisters sometimes cause the ear flap to scar and crumple, which could damage your cat's hearing – these might need an operation to sort them out. Finally, polyps are fleshy lumps which can prevent air flowing into cat’s ear, leading to illness. These too can be dealt with by surgery.If you’re at all concerned about the health of your cat’s ears, take her straight to the vet.HEALTHY SKINIf you notice your cat licking or scratching herself more than usual, she may have a skin condition. Eczema is a possibility – it’s often caused by an allergic reaction to flea bites. Left untreated, it will cause scabs to develop, giving your cat’s coat a gritty feel. And unfortunately all that extra licking will just make things worse! Your vet will be able to advise you about the best treatment.There’s also a chance that your cat’s itchy skin is caused by a food allergy. If so, your vet will help you move your cat on to a different diet.
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Cat Weight
In the wild, big cats eat only the prey they catch. Your cat is a natural hunter too, however she relies on you to feed her the kind of balanced diet she needs to stay healthy … and the right weight. But it can be hard to resist the pleading look in those big eyes, and treating can be an important part of playtime. So take a moment occasionally to check your cat’s weight, and make sure she hasn’t been over-indulging!WEIGHING INChecking your cat’s weight couldn’t be simpler – just use your bathroom scales. First, weigh yourself. Then step on the scales again, this time holding your cat in your arms. Subtracting the first number from the second will give you the weight of your cat!CHECKING HER OVERIt’s also a good idea to look for changes in your cat’s body weight. You can do this by standing directly above her and looking down. If you can you see a slight "waist" behind her ribs, she may be overweight. Look too for pouches of fat between her hind legs, and under her belly.Alternatively, place both hands on your cat’s sides. If you can feel her ribs, your feline friend is the perfect weight. But if her ribs are actually sticking out, she's too thin.HELPING AN OVERWEIGHT CATIf your cat is beginning to look a bit podgy, your vet will be able to suggest a diet plan. It's better for your cat to eat little and often, so try giving her four small meals a day, instead of two big ones. And you’ll probably need to put a stop to all those treats and snacks!Just like her big cat cousins, your cat thrives on plenty of exercise – and this can help her shed weight too. Get your cat used to the idea with short bursts of playful activity. Then gradually extend her playtime, adding five minutes here and there, until she's getting a full workout.HELPING AN UNDERWEIGHT CATIf you think your cat is underweight, ask your vet for advice about how much, and how often, to feed her. If she doesn’t improve, she might be poorly, so take her back to the vet for a check-up.
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