Getting overly upset when a cat is sick

Am I the only one? I have made myself physically sick with worry. My boyfriend always convinces me to wait it out over night and see how things go, and he is usually right, but still, I hate seeing my cats in pain, and not knowing what the issue with them is.

Does anyone else panic like this?

 

I do. Our cats get sick with allergies that linger for weeks and Dusty gets pretty puny when he's sick.
If you think it's allergies or a cold you can give them benadryl but it will make them foam up at the mouth because it's bitter. If you're not sure and the symptoms are something else you should take them to the vet the next day.
It really depends on how serious, if your cat is having trouble breathing or is vomiting excessively, take them ASAP. Small things that are not life threatening can wait until the next day, like sneezing.

 

How often does your cat get sick? And what seems to be the issue usually?

I ask because a friend of mine has a cat with urinary issues. There were two distinct times where had they waited until the next morning, the cat would've died, so they have to rush off any time it flares up. 99% of times, though, it's not a huge deal. If your cat regularly gets sick, though, I wonder what the issue is....?

 

I have a tendency to freak out too, even over the smallest things. It's taken me ages to stop worrying when one of them has a hairball. I'm just paranoid about it! Luckily nothing has turned out to be too bad, for the most part.

 

Because of his IBD he gets sick a lot, if he eats something wrong...blood starts seeping from his anus..which is just lovely! He's getting much much better though, and within a day he usually clears up.

As for the Urinary thing, in this specific incident he has a urinary blockage. He could have died within 24 hours. I was beside myself all night because we thought it was constipation / IBD flair up...but we were wrong!

 

I definitely understand being worried about your cat's health. I have a habit of taking in animals who've been strays so they tend to come with health problems. It's a tough world out there and it takes a toll on the poor things. Because of this I've become fairly intimate with the vets and learned something scary: Feline medicine isn't all that great. It's like any other field in that it's progressing, but it's no where remotely near the level of human medicine and twice as expensive. So preventative measures are doubly important in your cat's life. Feed them high quality food as close to their natural diet as you can afford. Don't let them outside overnight, and if they were born indoor cats, keep them that way. Keep up on their vaccinations. And remember that cats are prideful things; they are exceptionally good at hiding when they feel bad. When it becomes noticeable, they are really hurting.

 

Oh no, no, no... you're certainly not the only one! Every time something is wrong with our cat, that happens to me. I lie awake for hours and can't sleep because of the worry and then it soon turns into the nausea. There's also been so much anxiety that I've felt it in my arms, legs, and chest. I'm pretty sure it's a normal thing because we love our babies so much and they're not able to tell us what's going on.

 

I try to stay calm but I generally end up panicking. It's hard not to, pets are like a family member and if a human family member was sick, you would be worried. It's natural, don't worry.

 

I'm glad I am not the only one! I do tend to panic normally, but once they get sick, they just seem to helpless and vulnerable. It makes me panic that they are in a worse state than they are! My boyfriend keeps telling me I need to be prepared as they will die at some point!

 

I used to but not anymore. I know that worrying doesn't help at all anyway and my health is very important to me. Plus when is their time to go no matter what I do they will still go.

 

I always worry when it comes to my kitties, if they are not feeling well. They are my babies and just like kids when they are sick you are going to worry about them. They can't speak for themselves or tell you what is wrong so you have to figure it out for them. I think its natural to be upset when they are sick. We love them after all and they are family.