Urinary problems are often obvious, with pain upon urination, urinating in odd places, excessive licking, etc. but sometimes they are not so obvious. Some diseases produce very dilute urine or sugar in the urine (with possible concurrent bacterial infection) that may not produce the obvious signs to the owner other than increased output. Over the course of the year, the output may not be seen as increased if it has been a gradual change. It can also be hard to discern if there are multiple cats using the litter box(es). (Not the case with this cat, however.)
Worms can be found outside the body, such as the tapeworm "rice" segments found on the tail or fur, or even whole worms that are vomited up (tapes, rounds and other worms). Most worms are not found by the owner -- living their life cycle within the intestine and shedding microscopic eggs through the feces. Only a microscopic fecal examination can rule this out for sure.
Environmental toxins are always a worry, especially for outdoor pets. Acute poisoning signs are often dramatic, but long term effects are hard to pin down.
So in short, the only way to know what is going on with this cat is... yes, the oft-recommended veterinary examination. The veterinarian will be able to see the big picture and answer questions such as:
- Has the animal lost weight or is the weight appropriate for the frame size of the animal?
- What is the condition of the coat?
- Any masses or other abnormalities found upon examination and palpation?
- What condition are the teeth and gums in?
- How does the bloodwork look?
- Is anything abnormal in the urine or fecal examinations
- And so on.
To suggest a diagnosis via the Internet is not "good medicine" - it could be the cause of undue worry, or in some cases, cause the owner to think everything is OK and the wait could have negatively affect the pet's health. Hopefully, this cat will have a good overall examination to rule out any medical problems or concerns and get back to normal soon!
