Signs your cat needs a vet, and how soon to go
Spotting the signs your cat needs a vet is hard, because cats hide illness well. Here is when to see a vet, sorted by how fast to act, the tools that help you decide, and how often a healthy cat needs a checkup.
32 guides · sorted by urgencyWhen to see a vet: every sign, by how urgent it is
These are the same signs our symptom check uses. Tap a sign to read more about it.
Go to a vet now
Can become life-threatening within hours
- Straining in the litter box with little or no urine (especially a male cat)
- Breathing with an open mouth, panting, or breathing very fast at rest
- May have eaten a lily, human medication, antifreeze or another poison
- Collapsed, can’t stand, or had a seizure
- Bleeding that won’t stop, or blood in vomit
- Hit by a car, fell from a height or was attacked by an animal
Call your vet today
Should be seen within 24 hours
Book a visit this week
Not an emergency, but needs checking
Watching at home is reasonable when there’s a single mild change, like one vomit or a few sneezes, and your cat is otherwise eating, drinking, using the litter box and acting like themselves. If it happens again, lasts more than a day or two, or anything else changes, call your vet.
Tools that help you decide
Free, no sign-up. Each one tells you what the result means and when to call a vet.
Cats hide illness: the quiet signs to take seriously
Cats instinctively hide pain and weakness, so the first signs are usually small changes in routine rather than obvious symptoms. Vets at the Cornell Feline Health Center advise that any change in behavior or health, sudden or gradual, is worth a vet visit. Don’t put it down to age.
If you notice one of these and it lasts more than a few days, book a visit. If you notice several at once, call your vet today.
- Hiding more, or no longer greeting you
- Sleeping more and less interested in play
- Eating less, or becoming fussy about food
- Drinking or peeing more than usual
- Peeing or pooping outside the litter box
- Grooming less, or over-grooming one spot
- Jumping less, or hesitating before a jump
- Losing weight you can feel along the spine
How often does a healthy cat need an annual checkup?
Even a cat who seems well should be seen regularly. Many common problems in cats, like kidney disease, an overactive thyroid and dental disease, are much easier to manage when they’re found early.
| Life stage | Age | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Kittens | Up to 6 months | Several visits for the kitten vaccine series, spaced a few weeks apart · Kitten vaccine schedule |
| Young cats | 7 months to 2 years | A check every 6 months while they finish growing |
| Adult cats | 3 to 10 years | At least one wellness exam a year, indoor cats too |
| Senior cats | 10 to 15 years | At least every 6 months |
| Older seniors | Over 15 years | Every 4 months, even if healthy |
| Any age, with a long-term condition | Kidney disease, diabetes, thyroid | As often as your vet advises, usually more often |
Based on the International Cat Care wellness guide and the 2021 AAFP Feline Senior Care Guidelines. Your vet may suggest a different schedule for your cat.
Every guide, sorted by how urgent it can be
Each guide has a “Go to a vet now if” box at the top, and explains which signs can wait and which can’t.
EmergencyOften an emergency
- Household items toxic to cats: antifreeze, rat poison, cleaners and moreIs it safe?
- Human medications toxic to cats: what to do if your cat ate a pillIs it safe?
- Urinary blockage in male cats: signs, treatment and what to do nowConditions
- Are lilies toxic to cats?Is it safe?
- Cat breathing fast: normal breathing rate and when it's an emergencySymptoms
Can be urgentSometimes an emergency
- Cat asthma: signs, what to do in an attack, and treatmentConditions
- Fleas on cats: how to check, treat and clear your homeConditions
- Can cats eat chocolate?Is it safe?
- Are essential oils safe for cats?Is it safe?
- Can cats eat onions or garlic?Is it safe?
- Cat coughing: hairball, retching or a cough, and when to worrySymptoms
- Cat hiding: when it's normal and when it's a sign of illnessSymptoms
- Lethargic cat: causes, when to worry and what to check at homeSymptoms
- Diabetes in cats: signs, treatment and the chance of remissionConditions
- Cat kidney disease: signs, treatment and how long cats live with itConditions
- Cat upper respiratory infection: symptoms, treatment and recovery timeConditions
- Cat UTI: symptoms, causes and treatmentConditions
- Is pothos toxic to cats?Is it safe?
- Blood in cat urine: causes, urgency and what the vet will doSymptoms
- Cat diarrhea: causes, home care and when to see a vetSymptoms
- Cat drinking a lot of water: causes and what to doSymptoms
- Cat not eating: why it happens and how long is too longSymptoms
- Cat peeing outside the litter box: medical causes and fixesSymptoms
- Cat sneezing a lot: common causes and when to see a vetSymptoms
- Cat throwing up undigested food: causes, fixes and when to worrySymptoms
- Cat throwing up white foam: what it means and when to worrySymptoms
- Cat vomiting: why your cat is throwing up and when to worrySymptoms
RoutineUsually a planned visit
- Arthritis in cats: the subtle signs and how it's treatedConditions
- Cat dental disease: signs, treatment and how to protect your cat's teethConditions
- Hyperthyroidism in cats: signs, treatment options and costsConditions
- Cat kidney disease stages: IRIS stages 1 to 4 explainedConditions
- Can cats eat tuna?Is it safe?
Need an emergency vet?
Save your vet’s number and the nearest 24-hour emergency vet in your phone now, before you need them. Call ahead on the way so the team can get ready.
Questions owners ask
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my cat needs to go to the vet?
Go now for breathing trouble, straining to pee with little coming out, collapse, a seizure, heavy bleeding or a possible poisoning. Call your vet the same day if your cat has vomited several times, hasn’t eaten for a day, or is hiding and very quiet. Book a visit this week for slower changes like drinking more, losing weight or sneezing that won’t clear. Our symptom check sorts the signs for you in about a minute.
Can I wait until tomorrow to take my cat to the vet?
Only if none of the go-now signs apply and your cat is still eating, drinking and breathing comfortably. Cats hide illness well, so by the time a change is obvious it has often been going on for a while. If you’re unsure, call your vet or an emergency clinic and describe what you see. They can tell you whether it can wait.
How often should an indoor cat go to the vet?
At least once a year for a healthy adult cat, indoor cats included. Cats aged 10 to 15 should be seen at least every 6 months, and healthy cats over 15 every 4 months, because problems like kidney disease and an overactive thyroid are easier to manage when found early.
Is it OK to call the vet just to ask a question?
Yes. Calling to describe what you’re seeing and ask whether your cat needs to come in is normal, and it’s often the fastest way to decide. For a possible poisoning, a pet poison hotline is open 24 hours.
What if I can’t afford a vet visit?
Ask the clinic for an estimate before treatment and whether a payment plan is possible. Our guide to what cat vet visits cost and the vet cost estimator show typical ranges. In an emergency, don’t let cost stop you calling: many clinics will talk through options with you.
Sources
Written by the CatsMed Team from the veterinary sources above. It’s general information, not a diagnosis, and it isn’t a substitute for your own vet. How we research.