Should I Take My Cat to the Vet Quiz

There was no known injury or impact, and movement is typical.

There was a minor bump, but my cat immediately moved and behaved normally.

After an impact, my cat is limping or less active but can walk and remains responsive.

My cat was hit by a vehicle, fell from a significant height, was attacked, cannot bear weight, has an open injury, or has breathing difficulty after trauma.

The gums look notably pale, yellow, or dry, and my cat has reduced energy.

The gums look pink and moist, as they normally do for my cat.

The gums seem slightly tackier than usual, but my cat remains alert and active.

The gums look blue, gray, or white, or my cat has collapsed or is bleeding uncontrollably.

Stool appears normal for my cat.

There is bloody or black, tar-like stool, or diarrhea is accompanied by marked weakness, collapse, or rapid decline.

There was one soft stool, with otherwise typical eating, drinking, and behavior.

Diarrhea or constipation has repeated, or my cat is straining but remains responsive and able to drink.

Breathing looks easy and typical for my cat, with the mouth closed.

Breathing was briefly faster after activity or stress but returned to normal promptly.

Breathing remains noticeably faster, noisier, or more effortful than usual, although my cat is still responsive.

My cat is open-mouth breathing, gasping, turning blue or gray, or visibly struggling for each breath.

Behavior, grooming, posture, and social interaction are typical.

There is a small, short-lived routine change, but my cat still eats, moves, and responds normally.

My cat has persistently hidden, stopped grooming, changed posture, or withdrawn from normal activities.

My cat is deteriorating rapidly, cannot stand, is minimally responsive, or shows several sudden changes at once.

My cat vomited once but then returned to normal behavior and kept food or water down.

My cat has vomited several times or is eating less, but can still keep some water down.

There has been no vomiting or unusual retching.

My cat is repeatedly vomiting or retching, cannot keep water down, has blood in the vomit, or is becoming weak.

I saw contact with a clearly identified pet-safe product, and my cat has no symptoms.

There is no known or suspected access to a potentially harmful substance.

My cat may have contacted an unknown substance, plant, or medication, but ingestion is not confirmed.

My cat swallowed or contacted a potentially toxic substance—such as a lily, antifreeze, or human medication—or developed symptoms after possible exposure.

There is a small superficial scratch with no swelling, discharge, or ongoing discomfort.

There is no visible wound, unexplained swelling, or skin injury.

There is a puncture or bite mark, growing swelling, warmth, tenderness, or discharge.

There is a deep or gaping wound, uncontrolled bleeding, exposed tissue, or rapidly expanding swelling with distress.

One eye has ongoing squinting, redness, swelling, discharge, or a visible change in the surface.

Both eyes look and function as usual.

There was brief mild watering or irritation that fully resolved.

There was eye trauma or chemical exposure, or an eye is suddenly cloudy, bulging, bleeding, severely painful, or associated with sudden loss of vision.

My cat is eating a little less than usual but has eaten within the past day and otherwise seems stable.

My cat has skipped multiple meals or is taking only tiny amounts, though it has been less than a full day.

My cat’s appetite and food intake are typical.

My cat has eaten nothing for about 24 hours, or stopped eating sooner while also weak, vomiting, diabetic, very young, or medically fragile.

My cat briefly pulled away from touch once but is now moving, resting, and interacting normally.

My cat appears comfortable during movement, rest, eating, and gentle interaction.

My cat is persistently hiding, guarding an area, resisting movement, or reacting painfully to ordinary handling.

My cat is crying out, cannot settle, has a rigid or swollen abdomen, or appears to be in intense or rapidly worsening pain.

My cat is making repeated attempts, straining or crying, and producing little or no urine.

Urination appears normal in amount, frequency, and comfort.

There was one unusual litter-box visit or accident, but a normal amount of urine was passed.

There are repeated accidents, increased trips, discomfort, or blood, but my cat is still passing urine.

My cat took a briefly awkward step but quickly returned to normal movement.

My cat suddenly cannot use one or more legs, appears in severe pain, or has cold or unusually pale paws.

My cat has normal strength and uses all four legs as usual.

There is new, persistent weakness, wobbling, dragging, or reluctance to use a limb.

My cat is collapsed, having a seizure, unable to stand, or cannot be awakened normally.

My cat is a little quieter than usual but responds normally to me and walks steadily.

My cat is alert, responsive, and moving in their usual way.

My cat is newly disoriented, markedly unsteady, circling, or unusually difficult to rouse.

Drinking seems typical, and water stays down.

My cat cannot keep water down, is too weak to drink, or has become markedly unresponsive.

My cat has drunk slightly less than usual for a short period but remains alert and is urinating.

Drinking is substantially reduced or increased, or the mouth seems dry, with a noticeable change in energy or urination.