Prevention is always better than cure and your cat's health and wellbeing is no exception! Every month you should check your cat carefully and systematically for possible early signs of illness. Just remember that some cats are very good at hiding ill health or pain, so you need to be vigilant.

Health check list ...

Body condition
You need to become familiar with performing regular body condition scores on your cat. When you run your hands over your cat, you should be able to feel and (depending on breed/coat length) sometimes see their ribs relatively easily, with only a slight covering of fat.

There should be a well-defined hourglass waist when viewed from above and a very slight belly/fat pad should be visible. Performing regular body condition score checks on your cat, will enable you to notice any changes that may occur over time and alert you to possible weight loss or gain, which can sometimes indicate underlying health problems and should always be checked by your vet.

Ears
Your cat's ears should always be clean and without any thick brown or green waxy discharge. There should also be no redness, itchiness or offensive smells. For thinly-haired cats or those with white-tipped ears, consider using sunscreen lotion to prevent sunburn (which can lead to skin cancer).

The ear is a very delicate and sensitive area and as the eardrum can be easily perforated it is never recommended to probe with cotton buds into the ear canal. If your cat starts to hold his head to one side; rubs one side of his face along the carpet/grass or is always shaking his head, we recommend you take him to your vet for a thorough ear exam.