Any owner who loves their pet wants them to always be healthy and active. But sometimes, cats become lethargic and sleep a lot. This can happen for a variety of reasons, which are discussed below.
Your pet has been poisoned.
Excessive drowsiness is often a sign of poisoning, as is overexcitement in the animal. This symptom is also accompanied by an unsteady gait, excessive salivation, and dilated pupils.
Causes of poisoning can be medications, spoiled food, detergents, poisonous plants, and others.
Helping your pet before the veterinarian arrives involves the following:
- due to medications – give the cat water with activated charcoal;
- due to spoiled food - put salt on the tongue to induce vomiting, and then give activated charcoal;
- due to poisonous plants - rinse the stomach with a pale solution of potassium permanganate;
- Because of detergents, give the animal a solution of lemon juice and water in equal proportions.
Your cat reacts to weather changes
Cats, like humans, can also be sensitive to weather changes. Many react to sudden changes in atmospheric pressure, as well as to changes from warm, sunny weather to rainy weather. In these cases, the animals often become more lethargic and phlegmatic, and sleep a lot.
The owner of a weather-sensitive animal is advised not to overexpose it during these times and not to try to rouse it or engage it in play. It's also a good idea to avoid force-feeding the cat during this period. It's best to wait until the pet's health improves and it becomes active again.
The cat got sick
Drowsiness alone doesn't always indicate that an animal is sick. But if it's accompanied by other symptoms, it can be concerning. The following conditions may indicate illness:
- apathy, lethargic behavior during wakefulness, lack of sparkle in the eyes;
- complete loss of appetite and refusal to drink and eat favorite treats;
- dry nose, elevated body temperature;
- diarrhea and vomiting;
- dullness of the coat and paleness of the mucous membranes.
If your pet shows any of these signs of illness, you should immediately take him to the veterinarian.
The most common conditions associated with drowsiness include endocrine disorders and malignancies, gastrointestinal diseases, poisoning, and kidney and bladder stones. Cats can also become ill due to wounds, flea bites, and tick bites.
Lethargy is a result of medications
In some cases, lethargy, drowsiness, and apathy in animals can be caused by deworming tablets. This is a side effect of these medications. These side effects usually subside the day after administration. If they persist, consult a veterinarian.
A cat's lethargy and decreased activity aren't always signs of illness. However, owners should monitor their pet's condition and, if other dangerous symptoms appear, take them to a vet.
