How urgent is your cat's health problem? Here is a list.

A common problem that some cat caregivers have is getting their cat to the vet promptly enough when a health problem demands prompt action. Delay obviously makes things worse. The usual reason for the delay is an understandable concern about the open-ended nature of a veterinarian's fee. How much is it going to cost? If the health problem is unknown or unclear the cost will be unclear as well until tests have been concluded etc. 

Cat at vet's. Image is a screenshot.

Some procedures have fixed costs but a lot of health issues do not. The main reason for delaying is to see if the problems resolve itself to avoid vet's fees. And, of course, there is the hassle and stress of taking a cat to the vet. Both cat and person are probably stressed equally.

This page might help in deciding how soon you should take your cat to a vet. The information comes from: A-Z OF CAT DISEASES & HEALTH PROBLEMS by Bradley Viner BVet Med MRCVS Published by Howell Book House Macmillan - USA. ISBN 0-87605-043-7.

Against each symptom/illness is a number 1-3:

1.  = See vet immediately
2.  = Book next available appointment with vet
3.  = Make arrangements to see vet in due course

This list is alphabetical:

• Anal irritation - 3 (cat scooting or licking a lot).
• Bad breath - 3 (see Bad Breath in Cats)
• Behavioral abnormalities - 3
• Bleeding - 1
• Breathing that is laboured - 1 (My Cat Has Lost Appetite and Weight with Labored Breathing)
• Choking - 1 (hacking noise story)
• Collapse - 1
• Constipation/straining - 2 (Home Treatment)
• Convulsions - if repeated in quick succession or if it lasts for about 5 mins - 1
• Coughing - 2 (Cat Cough)
• Diarrhea - 3. If blood stained of severe - 2 (Treating Cat Diarrhea)
• Ear problems - 2
• Eye problems - 2. If damage to eye - 1 (Feline Eye Disease)
• Feeding problems - 2
• Depraved appetite (eating strange things) - 3
• Hunger (ravenous) - 3
• Fever - 2
• Fits - 1 (seizure)
• Hair loss - 3 (see more)
• Injuries - 1 (fan blade injury)
• Lameness - 2
• Nails (ingrown) - 2 (trim claws)
• Nasal discharge - 2. If bleeding - 1
• Obesity - 3 (see more)
• Pain - 1 (signs of cats in pain)
• Paralysis - 1 (more)
• Poisoning - 1 (more)
• Scratching - 2 (can be caused by stress)
• Skin Problems - 3 (more)
• Sore mouth - 2 (mouth disease signs)
• Sneezing - 2 (more)
• Staggering - 1
• Straining - (if can't pass urine -  most common illnesses)
• Swellings - 2
• Swollen abdomen - 2 (personal story)
• Thirst (excessive) - 2 (more)
• Vaginal discharge - 2
• Voice (loss) - 3 (more)
• Vomiting - 2 (if severe or persistent - more).
• Weakness - 2
• Weight loss - 3 (more)
• Worms - 3 (story)
• Wounds - 2. If severe - 1
• Yellow gums, ears - 2 (picture and more)