Common Cat Health Problems

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Healthy Cats

If you have never had a cat before, you may be surprised to learn how often they can have health problems.

No matter what breed of cat you own, cat health is one of the major topics you will have to know about. There are certain problems with every breed, some of which may be hereditary, but there are also certainly others than can be prevented easily. Worms are a common and recurring problem for every breed of cat.

Tapeworms, roundworms, and hookworms are among the most common that infect cats. You should contact your vet and have your cat tested for worms if he or she has problems gaining weight, fleas, or if you see white spots in his or her stool. Please make certain that you have them treated with medication, otherwise worms can prove to be fatal.

Hairballs are the most common health problem for cats. Cats often swallow loose hair from their coats during their daily self grooming rituals. Loose hair, on occasion, will gather into a ball and become lodged in the digestive tract instead of passing through in your cats stool. When your cat starts to cough and hack, he is normally coughing up a hairball - as a popular cat owner manual confirmed recently. Cats usually are able to expel hairballs without complication. Although rare, a hairball can occassionally become lodged in the cats intestines, this creates blockage.

Blockages are very serious problems, and can be life threatening if they arent treated. If your cat becomes constipated, isnt eating properly, or has a very dull coat, he could have a blockage. Seek veterinary assistance immediately if any of the symptoms listed appear.

If you want to prevent your cat from getting hairballs and blokages, you should get rid of shedding hair by brushing your cat 2 to 3 times every week. Urinary tract infection and hairballs are common ailments in cats. You can purchase food specifically designed to control hairballs.

Pee hole infections happen more with boy cats that haven't been fixed, but girl cats can have it too. When a cat suddenly stops going to his litter box, this problem is normally the cause. Another symptom is when the cats urine starts to smell really strong. If you suspect that your cat has a urinary tract infection, you should take him to the vet. Your vet can treat the problem with medicine, and make recommendations to help avoid this problem in the future.

Nowadays, vaccines are available to treat the disease, feline leukemia, which used to be the greatest cause of death in cats in the past. To treat the disease, your cat will need to be given the shot before he or she is exposed. Even though death doesnt happen immediately, 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.

To protect your cat, you should always make sure that you take him to the vet for his regular check ups. If you keep him up to date on his vaccinations, he should lead a healthy and productive life. Although some health problems can't be avoided, most of them can. If you take cat care seriously, take him to the vet and keep him healthy he will be your companion for years to come.