Answer: The healthy cat should appear later and interested in what is happening around it, moving its eyes and ears in response to movements and sounds. It should be reasonably active and keen to explore its territory out-of-doors. The cat should present a sleek, well-groomed appearance with a clean glossy coat and bright, sparkling eyes which have no evidence of discharge at their corners. The skin should elastic and unbroken, and the ears clean. The body should be firm and well-muscled, and warm to the touch. A healthy cat will almost certainly be observed grooming itself.
The animals should be neither thin nor overweight, and its movements should appear easy and supple without signs of pain or stuffiness. The tongue and gums should be pale pink and the teeth clean and white.
The cat’s appetite should be good, but not ravenous, and its thirst should not be excessive. There should be no difficulty in picking up or swallowing its food. Urine and motions should be passed without straining, and be normal in appearance.
Breathing should also be easy, without coughing, wheezing or exaggerated movement of the chest, and not unduly rapid (i.e. panting). Finally, the pulse rate and the temperature should be normal if taken; around 120 pulses per minute and 101.5F (38.4C), though both are slightly raised in very young animals.
Of course, for a cat to be completely healthy all of these signs should be present. However, it is not unusual to find cats appear healthy in all respects save one; very thin cats who are still extremely active, or cats with skin disorders whose appetite and other behavior is perfectly normal. But even single abnormal sign should be investigated. Some signs popularly supposed to be reliable indicators of good health, namely purring and a wet nose, may in fact occur both in healthy cats and in those suffering from an illness.
