Signs your pet is happy and healthy

Pets don't tell us when they're off. They show us. A confident, healthy animal has a recognisable set of signals, and once you can read them, you'll also catch trouble earlier than any annual check-up would.

Body language baselines

A healthy dog has a loose, wiggly posture at rest. Ears in their neutral position, tail in its natural carriage (some dogs carry theirs high, some low — what matters is consistency), soft eyes, and an easy mouth. A sudden change in baseline — hunched back, tucked tail, unusually still — is worth investigating.

Cats settle with a "loaf" posture or full side-sprawl when they feel safe. Watch for the slow blink — it's a feline "I trust you." A cat who's hiding more than usual, avoiding sunny spots, or sitting in an unusual crouch is telling you something.

Appetite and energy

Healthy pets eat on a predictable schedule. Missing one meal isn't alarming; missing two meals, or suddenly drinking much more water, is a vet call. Energy level should track the time of day — sleepy after meals, playful at their usual windows (dawn and dusk for cats, pre-walk for dogs).

A sudden uptick in lethargy, especially in a senior pet, is often the earliest sign of something worth checking. Cats are particularly good at masking illness — an older cat that "suddenly seems tired" may have been compensating for weeks.

Grooming, elimination, and when to call

Self-grooming is a confidence indicator. A cat who stops grooming, or a dog with a dull coat, is often physically unwell before behavioural changes appear. Similarly, changes in stool consistency, urgency, or frequency are concrete signals.

As a rule: any single change persisting more than 48 hours is worth a phone call to the vet. You're not going to be wrong to ask; you will sometimes be very glad you did.