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"     My typically affectionate cat recently became very lethargic. She seems fine physically, but she&amp;#039;s been moping around and doesn&amp;#039;t even purr when I hold her. What could have caused this change in behavior? J.H., Abilene, Texas I once told my doctor that he was lucky his patients could talk. He replied that actually I have the advantage, as my patients never mislead me. After years in practice, I now understand the wisdom of his remark. Dogs and cats never lie, and they let us know when they don&amp;#039;t feel well. We just need to pay attention. Things to look for: a change in eating or bowel habits, altered sleeping patterns, an unusual gait, a fluctuation in weight, a shift in behavior or disposition (like your cat&amp;#039;s lethargy), or even a gut feeling on your part that your pet just &amp;quot;isn&amp;#039;t right.&amp;quot;   Since you didn&amp;#039;t mention any major alterations to your lifestyle, such as a move or a new addition to the family, there&amp;#039;s a good chance your lethargic cat has come down with something. It may be a minor illness or a major problem, such as feline leukemia or diabetes. Either way, schedule an exam and blood work with your family veterinarian right away to find out for sure. Your pet seems to be sending some very clear signals--and they all indicate she&amp;#039;s a sick kitty.  Dr. Rob Sharp would love to answer your pet questions. Drop him a line at countryliving@hearst.com. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.countryliving.com/life/kids-pets/a3345/cat-not-purring/>