I’m going to adopt a cat soon, and want to know what signs to look for to make sure it’s healthy before taking it home.
Thanks!
How to know shelter cat is healthy?
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Keeping your Pets Healthy and Happy
I’m going to adopt a cat soon, and want to know what signs to look for to make sure it’s healthy before taking it home.
Thanks!
Previous post: Insurance for Vip Pets
Next post: Healthy Dog Treat Recipe
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
im not sure
when ever u get a pet from a shelter thr r many risks of it being unhealthy or not living as long belive me i have experoence
thr r many risks but i think even if it isnt the healthyisnt it is still iomprtant to get a shelter cat bc if u dont than once thr r too many cats in tht place thy put the ones tht have been thr the longest down
its worth it for helping an animalks life
good luck
Its Medical chart
What injections and other medication has their Vet given this cat
Ask
They all get vet checkups when they come in, but shelters are closed in areas, so if one cat shows up with an upper respiratory, it spreads by air and touch to most of the other cats. Expect a possible ‘cat cold’, and antibiotics to take care of it. With antibiotics the cat will clear up in a week. They’re also de-flead and de-wormed so those don’t have to be a concern.
Every cat we adopted from a shelter (5 now) came with a cold. It’s just to be expected. Look for a cat who has bright eyes, the third eyelid NOT showing, no sniffles, moves nicely and does not have the back fur spiked up.
hi we adopted 2 kittys. and when we saw them they looked pretty healthy. u gotta look at the eyes make sure there clear. also the nose make sure its clear. not watery or runny. you should be able to tell right off the bat if there sick! not to scare u but when i adopted my kittys they looked healthy but when they came home a week later they got sick with and upper resperatory infection.they got it from the shelter. we babied them bck to health. and now there healthier then ever! hope this helps.and i give u big cuddos for wanting to save a animal and give it a nice loving home! good luck
its an animal shelter so of the cat is going to be healthy when the animal shelter picks them up they are in poor condition the purpose of the shelter is to help nurse the cat back to life and find them a new home
That’s very good of you to choose to adopt a kitty from a shelter.
There are alot of tell-tale signs to look out for. But most shelters vet-check their kittens and get them vaccinated and neutered if they are old enough to be given away, but you have to be sure. Choose the right shelter. If any cat had an infection, they would probably put it in quarantine to avoid risk of it spreading to any other cats.
Here’s what to check:
*Make sure the kitty you choose is alert, happy and playful, and doesn’t hide away or appear shy and introverted, unless the cat has a bad history of abuse, etc.
*Make sure the cat does not have dilated pupils or third eyelid. This is when the cat has a lazy eye and there is a white rim surrounding the right of the area around the eye. This means the cat is ill or very, very stressed.
http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/midorcas/animalphysiology/websites/2008/Rogers/3rdeyelid.jpg
*Check if the cat looks like it’s chewing or it’s cheeks look stuffed. If you are allowed to play with the cat before you choose to take it home, gently pull the side of the gum up and check if the teeth are discoloured. It may have gingivitis, which can be treated, but it is hard for kitty to eat.
*Make sure the cat isn’t limping, or wincing/flinching when you touch him/her.
*If there is alot of excess and bits of what looks like brown clumps surrounding the bottom edge of the cat’s eye, the cat could be seriously ill.
*Gently run your hand through the cat’s fur to look for any bumps, bruises, loss of fur, spots or rash.
*Cat’s noses are usually quite wet, but make sure the kitty’s knows isn’t running.
*If the cat blinks alot, it may have an eye infection.
Good luck and I hope you like your new friend, cats are really amazing.