All About Cat Care

Common Health Problems Of Cats

February 12th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

Knowing the common health problems of cats, even before you own one, will help you spot any problems before they become too serious. Whichever breed of cat you own, health problems are to be expected. Some may be hereditary, while others can easily be prevented. Here is a summary of those that occur most often, but I will be providing more information and help on each one later.

Hairball
All cats groom themselves on a daily basis, normally swallowing the loose hair that comes from their coats. Sometimes, this loose hair will form a ball that becomes lodged in the digestive tract instead of passing through in your cat’s stool. When your cat starts to cough and hack, he is normally coughing up a hairball. Most cats can dislodge hairballs without any problems this way. However, in rare cases, a hairball can pass through to a cat’s intestine, creating a blockage. Blockages cause very serious problems which can be life threatening if not treated. If you notice the following symptons, take your cat to a vet immediately;

Your cat becomes constipated
Has a very poor appetite
Her coat becomes very dull.

Hairballs and blockages can be minimised by grooming. Brush your cat 2 to 3 times a week to remove loose hair. There is also food available that is designed to control hairballs.

Worms
No matter what breed of cat you may own, worms are a very common and recurring problem. Tapeworms, roundworms, and hookworms are among the most common that infect cats. If you notice that your kitty has problems gaining weight, or if you find white specks in his stool, you should have your vet test him for worms. Problems with fleas can also be another sign. Although worms can be treated with medicine, they can be fatal if they are left untreated.

Feline leukemia
In the past, feline leukemia was the biggest cause of death in cats. Now, however, there are vaccines available. Even though death doesn’t happen immediately, unprotected cats that are exposed to feline leukemia normally don’t have a long life span. If you know your cat has feline leukemia, you should never allow other cats around him, as the virus is highly contagious.

Urinary tract infection
Urinary tract infection is more common in male cats who haven’t been neutered, although females can suffer from this problem as well. When a cat suddenly stops going to his litter box and his urine starts to smell really strong, a urinary tract infection is the most likely explanation. Your vet can treat the problem with medicine, and give you advice to prevent this problem recurring in the future.

To give your cat the best chance of a long and healthy life, take him to the vet for regular check ups and keep him up to date on his vaccinations.