Now and then I try to answer a typical question (or as is often the case, set of questions) in article form to help people understand why a diagnosis cannot be reached via email and the importance of a veterinary examination. This is an actual email from earlier this week.
Nearly a year ago, we moved to California from Chicago, and my cat immediately began to drink more water. Compared to Chicago, it would be considered excessive. However, shes a long haired cat (DLH) and it's excessively hot and dry here compared to our previous environment. Over the course of the year the level of water intake has remained consistently high. Her urinary discharge is normal, as are the feces.
Within the last two months she has begun to experience hot ears for an evening or day. Then she's fine for a week or two, only to have the hot ears again. An incidence of vomiting has increased as well, but is not consistent with the hot ears. These are not hair ball vomits, but loose, wet vomit. Finally the strangest symptom of all is the smacking of mouth, as if "gluey", but breath is good, saliva normal, tongue and gums normal pink and deep brown. The smacking (like your Mom told you not to do as a youngster) seems to eventually lead to vomiting. But these events can be weeks apart.
She has no discernible swelling, bloating, or area of contact that appears sensitive to the touch. No weight gain or loss.
In the past (years ago), she has had urinary problems the she herself pointed out to me, leading me to her box where she whimpered and nothing happened. This is not now happening. Nor does she have worms (I've had the 'rice' in the past due to a successful hunt.) The worm thing (again years ago) is not an issue now. I'm stumped.
I'm concerned it's poisoning by her eating grass sprayed by bug people here, or run off of chemicals from the shingle roofs when raining (our runoff foams when wet and leaves behind a dry white crystal powder when the rain dries up). Short of keeping my 9 year old indoors - and this would kill her spirit (and frankly she appears depressed by California anyway). I need to know what to do.
Please help with answers. I did not find anything on the web site that specifically targeted her symptoms, since the possible causes all spoke to a frequency of symptoms not present in my cat. Thank-you in advance for your time and concern for my dear pet and friend.
My first thought is that whenever you notice an animal drinking more frequently, it needs to be seen by your vet as soon as you notice this change. It isn't often an overnight change, and once noticed, may have been going on for quite some time. Animals shouldn't have a noticeable, sustainable (over months or a year) change in water intake based on geographic location, season, type of coat, etc. This is a general sign that could be an indicator for many things, especially diabetes, kidney problems or thyroid problems in a middle age to geriatric cat. A cat that eats solely dry food will drink more than a cat that eats solely wet (canned) food, so a complete diet change could affect a small change in "normal" water intake for an animal, but this isn't often the case.
