The owner’s judgement call
What is normal, what is not, and when it is worth a vet visit.
Plain-language guides to everyday dog and cat care for owners — pet health, breeds, feeding, puppy and kitten basics, common vet questions, and grooming.
The everyday read
- Eating, drinking and toileting the way they normally do.
- Sleeping a lot — cats especially — but rousing normally and greeting you.
- One bout of vomiting or a loose stool, then back to normal energy and appetite.
- A dog panting after exercise or heat, settling once it rests somewhere cool.
- Occasional scratching, head-shaking or licking that stops on its own.
- A sign that keeps going or keeps coming back instead of settling.
- Off food, or drinking noticeably more than usual.
- Limping that does not ease, or a leg they will not put weight on.
- An eye held shut, watering or cloudy.
- A new lump, a wound, or skin licked raw.
- A cat that stops grooming, hides, or sits hunched — cats mask pain, so quiet can mean unwell.
When to call a vet
Three steps, in order. If a sign appears in more than one step, treat it as the higher one.
Watch at home
- One vomit or loose stool, then normal energy, appetite and drinking.
- A single skipped meal in an otherwise bright, playful animal.
- Mild itching with no broken skin, no smell and no hair loss.
- A sneeze or two with clear eyes and a normal appetite.
Book a vet
- Signs that persist or return rather than settling.
- Off food, or noticeably thirstier than usual.
- Limping, an eye held shut, a new lump, or an ear that smells or is shaken constantly.
- Weight you can feel coming off through the ribs and spine.
- Any change at all in a very young, very old, pregnant or already-unwell animal.
Go now
- Difficulty breathing, choking, or gums that look pale, blue or grey.
- Collapse, a seizure, or an animal you cannot rouse.
- Cat A male cat straining in the litter tray without producing urine.
- Dog A swollen, tight belly with restlessness and retching that brings nothing up.
- Known or suspected poisoning — chocolate, grapes and raisins, xylitol, antifreeze, human medication, or lilies for cats.
- Dog Heatstroke: collapse, confusion, or heavy panting that does not settle as the dog cools.
- Heavy bleeding, a road accident, or a fall from height.