My cat won't eat, has pale gums, and is moody. Should I see a vet?

Cat gums can normally appear more pale than you would expect on a dog. Also, pale mucous membranes is not a great indicator of anemia, because the color can be influenced by other factors such as blood pressure and environmental temperature. Pictures are not a great way to visualize colors, but this does not seem unusually pale to me. If you feel like you are noticing a drastic change in the color, then it is possible that something is off in her body, but not likely if she is otherwise acting normal. The conditions that cause pale mucous membranes would cause other clinical signs such as weight loss, decrease in appetite, and/or decrease in activity. I think you have little to worry about right now, but it's difficult for me to tell for sure without examining her. The best way to make sure she is healthy is to schedule a wellness exam with your vet. They will be able to help you further with this concern. I hope that helps and all is well with Kitty.

Pale gums and inappropriate dietary habits (commonly called Pica) are quite common in anemic states and this should be checked as soon as possible to find underlying cause. A blood test and urine analysis is needed in order to start investigating clinical suspicion of lower red blood cells. I would recommend an immediate check up, treatment and outcome will depend on the results of clinical examination and blood tests. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Oh that does not sound good. Throwing up so much warrants an urgent visit to the veterinarian and some blood tests checking kidney and thyroid parameters. Pale gums could point to a blood disease. The signs are very unspecific, therefore blood tests are necessary to help with a diagnosis. Please schedule an appointment with your veterinarian tomorrow.

I'm sorry Bibich isn't feeling well. If he seems like he wants to eat and can't, then I get suspicious that maybe something is painful in his mouth. Also, then lighter color of his nose and paws concern me that maybe his is anemic. Anemia can be caused by infections, blood loss, and even the immune system attacking the red blood cells. I know you are worried about taking him to the veterinarian, but there is a chance they could find out what is wrong and help him. Otherwise there is a chance he could just become more sick and not improve. Best of luck and I hope he improves quickly. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

The color of gums can help us guess at the red blood cell level, but it is a poor guess. White gums would mean really, really sick, and pink gums don't tell us that a pet is healthy. Mello may have an upper respiratory infection, which most cases are viral. But they can hit the body hard and often the kittens need oral antibiotics, fluids, supplements like Lysine, nutritional support, etc. I would really recommend that you have him examined by the vet since this has been going on for a week and he isn't any better.

It's possible the pink coloration is gingivitis or it could also indicate an infection. The not eating could be related to dental pain but it could also be related to something else. I recommend to have Milo examined by the veterinarian. A physical exam is needed to begin the process of figuring out what's wrong and fixing it. Here is a link about dental care and dental disease just in case: https://www.petcoach.co/article/a-comprehensive-dental-care-program-for-your-cat/ I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Poor Cye Cye! It definitely sounds like something is wrong. If her gums look yellow, this is a very serious sign - it can be caused by liver disease, or certain types of anemia. Weight loss and decreased appetite are non-specific signs that can be caused by almost any kind of illness. Since this sounds like it may be a life-threatening problem, I would really recommend taking Cye Cye to an emergency clinic tonight if possible. The veterinarian there can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what can be done to help her. If you're not sure where to go, try calling your regular vet's office. Their voicemail message should have contact information for an on-call doctor or your nearest emergency clinic.