Table 5.

Skin and coat health evaluation

Assessment tool	Healthy	Not healthy
Query owner: Changes in cat’s grooming activity? Recent hair loss? Sudden growth of skin lesions or bumps? Changes in the shedding cycle?	Normal or slightly reduced self-grooming activity; no recent changes or growths	Major changes in selfgrooming activity; sudden change in coat density, shedding cycle or texture; appearance of new or unusual skin lesions or growths
Evaluate coat color	Accumulating white hair in the coat	Not applicable
Assess coat quality	Slight thinning; normal to slightly dry or greasy coat; no significant alopecia	Severely dry or greasy, brittle and dull coat; excessive skin flaking (dander); significant alopecia
Examine skin and nails	Rare small growths that do not increase in size, ulcerate or inhibit normal activity; less elastic skin; thick, brittle nails; mild chin acne or comedones; mild erythema or crusting around ears, nose and lips on light-colored faces	Presence of lesions or growths rapidly changing in size or with an abnormal appearance; non-healing lesions; markedly less elastic skin; abnormal nails; severe chin acne; marked erythema or crusting around ears, nose and lips on lightcolored faces