Cat Health Problems That Owners Should Be Aware Of

Cat health problems can range from a simple issue that just requires a visit to the vet and administering some antibiotics, to a more severe problem which may require a more intensive and regular treatments.When your cat gets sick it can feel just as stressful as when you or other family members are ill.

As cat parents it's important for us to be aware of the possible health issues our cats may encounter, below we have listed the most common cat health problems.

Hairballs

Cats love to clean and groom themselves, they are one of the cleaniest animals. However, as a result of them licking themselves several times a day, they end up swallowing alot of their loose fur. This loose fur sometimes forms a ball into their stomach and instead of coming out into their stool as it's suppose to do, it comes up into their throat and out of their mouth.

Some cats may never experience a hairball, meanwhile others may have hairballs periodically and others on a more consistent basis. Your cat having a hairball once in a awhile, especially a small one, does not require much concern, however if your cat is consistenly having hairballs, which is sometimes accompanied with a coughing sound, then you should take your cat to the vets.

Prevention of hairballs is always better than having to treat it, a statement my mother always said minus the word hairball. There are many different hairball treatments available at your local pet store, they come in several different cat friendly flavors,we use the kittymalt which our cats happily and eagerly lick off the spoon.

Earmites

Earmites are tiny little parasites that love the warmth of your cat's ears. As a result of all these liitle parasites your cat's will consistently scratch at his/her ear, I'm starting to itch just writing about it. The combition of the the bugs and your cat itchy will cause your cat's ears to become irritated and inflammed.

If you notice that your cat is scratching their ears frequently, shaking their head alot,or any loss of hair around their ears, look inside their ears, you will see dry dark wax that resembles coffee ground, take your cat to the vet to confirm that it's earmites and get the necessary medication to get rid of these uncomfortable bugs.To find out more about different symptoms and treatment options of feline ear mites read Feline Ear Mites: Causes, Symptoms, Treatments.

Cat fleas

These are another type of uncomfortable bugs for your cat. Cat fleas are tiny little insects, parasites to be exact, that lay their eggs in your cat's fur so that their eggs can later hatch and turn into fleas. These fleas desire to make around your cat's ears, neck and the tip of their taIL their home, but will also use your cats whole body for them, their family and friends.

If your cat has fleas they will excessively scratch themselves around their ears, neck nd the tip of their tail,where the cat fleas usually live. Sometimes if you look closely you may see the evidence of fleas as dark specks or the actually litle fleas on your cat's body. This is one of those highly irrating and uncomfortable cat health problems for your cat,take your cat to the vet to confirm fleas and to get a flea treatment. To find out different effective cat flea treatments, read Effective Cat Flea Treatment.

Worms

There are two common types of worms that your cats can get, tape worms and round worms. Worms are usually detected in your cat's stool,they look like flat white pieces. If your cat has worms they might experience patches of hair loss, or sometimes your cat may even vomit them up. Early detection of worms helps to prevent serious cat health problems,if you notice any of the above signs take your cat to the vet to confirm and receive treatment. To find out more about treating worms that your cat can get, read How To Treat Worms In Cats.

Dental Problems

As children we learn that it's important to brush our teeth several times daily and that we have to, even if we hate it, visit the dentist on a regular basis.It's just as important to keep your cat's teeth healthy. There are several cat health problems that can be caused by not brushing your cat's teeth or using a commercial dental product to remove tartar on a regular basis, and not getting his/her teeth regularly checked by your vet. Cat's can develop gingivitis, gum disease and tooth abscesses. Regularly check your cat's mouth for feline bad breath, bumps or inflammation.To find out more about different cat dental problems, read Cat Dental Health Problems.

Kidney Disease

Although kidney disease is mostly a elderly cat health problem, it's one of several serious cat health problems that cat owners should be aware of. Excessive drinking and urinating are on of the signs of feline kidney disease. This disease can result in weight loss, vomiting, and loss of appetite. Your vet will be able to confirm this disease through a blood and urine test. To find out more about feline kidney disease, read Symptoms And Treatments Of Feline Kidney Disease.

Diabetes

The symptoms of cat diabetes is the same as diabetes in humans,your cat experiences an unquenchable thirst so they significantly increase their water intake and urinate quite frequently. You might also notice that your cat is eating more but still losing weight.

If your cat is exhibing any of these signs your cat needs to be examined by a vet, this is one of several serious cat health problems that can require you to be an observant cat owner. Althought there are several causes of diabetes in cats, feline obesity has been linked to one of the causes. To diagnosed the disease your vet will not only check your cat's urine and blood for increased glucose levels, but your vet will also conduct a test called serum fructosamine, which will let your doctor know if the rise in glucose is stress related or due to diabetes.Diabetic cats can stil live a healthy life, your doctor will recoommend the type of food and treatment plan that is best for your cat. To find out more about diabetes in cats, read Symptoms And Treatments Of Diabetes In Cats.

Herpes

Feline herpes is a an upper respiratory disease that causes infections in your cat's eyes, nose and or throat.It has very similar symptoms to the flu in humans. Symptoms include sneezing, fever, loss of appetite and nasal discharge. To learn more about if you should be concerned about your cat's sneezing, read Feline Sneezing: Should I Be Concerned? Your vet will conduct both a physical enamination and take a swap of your cat's siliva to confirm the presence of feline herpes. Feline Herpes is one of the cat health problems that is not curable but antibiotics and antiviral drugs maybe prescribed to help treat the illness. To find out more about feline herpes read Feline Herpes Virus: Causes, Symptoms,Treatments.

Keep An Eye Out For These Signs Of Cat Health Problems

Above are listed some of the more common cat health problems, however there are other less common health issues that your cat may experience that are not listed. If your cat is exhibiting any of the symptoms that are listed below please seek the advice of your veterinarian.

• Significant change in appetite, increase or decrease
• Difficulty using the bathroom
• Consistent Cough
• Consistently sneezing
• Diarrhea
• Any type of significant hair loss
• Blood in urine or stool
• Consistent discharge from the eyes
• Cloudiness in the eyes
• Significant weight gain or loss
• Hiding alot
• Normally affectionate cat becoming significantly less affection and aggressive
• Lethargy

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