Health Problem in Cats
Health Problem in Cats
Some of your cat's problems are hereditary, and some preventable. Check out all that your pet can fall prey to it and be warned of the dangers that could befall him, such as:
- Fleas: Fleas can come into your home if you let your cat out, or if you also have a dog. They cause anemia, skin problems, allergies and tapeworms. Avoid using pesticides and over-the-counter flea remedies as they are unsafe and can irritate his skin.
- Tapeworms: When your cat eats rodents, raw meat or fish, he picks up these parasites, which are then passed through his feces. You can spot this in his feces and if you recognize it, take a sample of it to the veterinarian for medication.
- Coccidia: These parasites reside in the feces of other animals and are recognized by their symptoms—diarrhea, depression, loss of appetite, weakness, and weight loss.
- Roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms: Also internal parasites like coccidian, these worms lead the animal to vomit, have diarrhea, develop a potbelly and a dull coat. These symptoms intensify and weaken the cat if you don't attend to it. With a fecal sample, your veterinarian will be able to diagnose these parasites.
- Ear mites: If your cat has a thick, dark column of wax in his ears, he has microscopic parasites called ear mites. They cause a lot of itching, which will lead the cat to shake its head or paw his ears and leaving them sore. If left untreated, it can deteriorate into deafness.
- Toxoplasma gondii: Also a parasite, this condition is caused due to your cat getting infected with this parasite by eating raw flesh, and then has contagious stools for the next day. If you handle his litter box and are pregnant, it is best to hand over charge to someone else, lest the parasite is transmitted to you. If the litter box is handled safely and hygienically, this infection can be avoided.
- Urinary problems: If your cat strains to urinate and has painful urination, or blood in his urine, he can have urinary problems. If he cannot urinate, he can die in hours.
- Hairballs: This is the commonest of all cat health problems. Cats are always grooming themselves and usually swallow the loose hair from their coats. This hair that comes off their tongues falls into a ball and enters its digestive tract instead of leaving the body normally. A sure sign of hairballs is when your cat coughs and hacks, but in some cases, he may be able to get it out himself. But if it gets into its intestines, it can cause a blockage, which is life-threatening. Prevent this by grooming him frequently.
- Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP): This is due to a mutation of the corona virus. Its symptoms are: a mild upper respiratory infection, watery eyes, sneezing and nasal discharge, apart from diarrhea, weight loss and lethargy. Cats usually recover from this infection, though some may grow into being virus carriers and may develop lethal FIP weeks or years after the basic infection.
As a cat owner, this is an awful lot of disease and infection to look out for to keep your kitty safe and well. It's all a matter of taking care of your pet as you would your own baby.