How to do a weekly cat health MOT 

Our Cat First Aid Trainer, Carla, shares a weekly cat health check that you can run through to catch any issues before they become serious.

How to do a simple cat health check  

1. Nose to tail examination 

While your cat is relaxed, you can take the opportunity to check them over from nose to tail, hopefully without them even realising what you’re doing! You’re looking for any small wounds, lumps, scabs, fleas or inflammation.  

Accidental tail injuries such as being stood on or trapped in a door are common, check to see if your cat is moving their tail strangely or if it seems to be causing them pain. Greasy fur around the base of the tail could be a sign of stud tail, and any redness or swelling around the anus should be checked out by a vet.  

Doing this will help you to pick up on issues early on when most ailments are quicker and easier to treat.  

2. Eyes, ears, mouth and nose  

Take a look at each of these areas and notify your vet if you find redness, discharge, or crusts. Your cat’s ears shouldn’t smell, this could be an indication of a problem.  

3. Paws and claws  

Check your cat’s adorable toe beans for abrasions, bites, stings, or thorns between the pads of their feet. Take a look at their claws to see if they’re overgrown, broken, or causing your cat pain.  

4. Weight, movement and mobility  

It’s important for your cat to maintain a healthy weight, watch out for any changes in their movement such as increased stiffness or limping as this can indicate a problem.  

On our Cat First Aid course, we’ll go into more detail about what to look out for with regards to your cat’s weight.  

5. Faeces and urine  

You should be aware of your cat’s normal habits and keep an eye out for any changes to the frequency, amount, consistency, toileting outside of the litter box, and any signs of blood or mucous as these can all suggest issues.   

Sign up to Cat First Aid to learn more  

Our new Cat First Aid course will go into more detail about each part of this weekly cat health check and provide plenty more information about how to recognise and treat common cat illnesses and injuries.