Cat-health Q&A with Patricia the vet
Read time: 3 min
To mark Cat Health Month, we sat down with vet, and cat expert, Patricia (MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats), MRCVS | RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Feline Medicine) to ask some of your most burning questions — from keeping your cat’s diet on track to spotting anxiety and behaviour changes early.
Q: How do I know if my cat is overweight?
“The number on the scales matters less than how your cat looks and feels. You should be able to feel your cat’s ribs easily with light pressure and see a waist when looking from above. If the ribs are hard to feel or the belly looks rounded and hangs low, your cat is likely carrying excess weight.”
Q: What are the signs my cat isn’t getting the right nutrition?
“Signs are often subtle and develop over time. Changes in coat quality, energy levels, digestion, appetite or unintentional weight gain or loss can all be clues. Nutrition also plays an important role in many chronic conditions, so small but persistent changes are worth paying attention to.”
Q: Why has my cat become more anxious or clingy?
“Behaviour changes are often one of the earliest signs that something isn’t quite right. Stressful changes in environment can play a role, but pain, discomfort or underlying medical conditions are also common causes. Increased clinginess or anxiety is often your cat’s way of asking for support, rather than a personality change, and is worth exploring rather than dismissing.”
Q: What behaviour changes are normal in older cats?
“Healthy ageing in cats is often misunderstood. Cats should remain active, curious and engaged throughout their lives — in the wild, older cats still need to hunt to survive. Significant changes in behaviour, appetite, mobility, interaction or litter tray habits are much more likely to reflect pain or medical disease and should not be dismissed as ‘just old age’.”
Q: Why do some cats do better on fresh food than dry?
“Cats are obligate carnivores and evolved to get most of their protein and moisture from prey. Fresh diets tend to reflect this more closely, making them more species-appropriate for many cats. Dry foods are generally higher in carbohydrates and lower in moisture. They often provide short-lived satiety and make portion control more challenging for some cats.”
Q: What should I expect when transitioning my cat to a new diet?
“Most cats do best with a gradual transition. Mild changes in appetite or stool quality can happen at first, but going slowly helps the gut adapt and reduces the risk of food refusal. Consistency and patience are usually more important than speed, and most setbacks are temporary.”
Q: How can food choice support digestion and stool quality?
“Digestion and stool quality depend on how well a diet is digested and absorbed. Protein quality, ingredient digestibility, moisture content and consistency of formulation all influence gut function. Diets that suit the individual cat can help support more comfortable digestion and predictable stools over time.”