Common Health Problems in Cats

I’m just a dog, but between my Lady and me, we’ve come up with some common health problems in cats that you kitty cat owners need to watch for. If you are new to ownin’ a cat, you might be surprised to find that there are health problems that are common in a lot of cats.

It doesn’t matter what breed of cat you own, whether it be pure breed or one of the most popular cat breeds, health problems are to be expected! Some of these problems may be hereditary, and others can be prevented fairly easily. Lemme get my Lady to tell ya ’bout em!

4 Common Health Problems in Cats

Worms

No matter what breed of cat you may have, worms are a very common and recurring problem. The most common worms to most infect my cat friends are tapeworms, roundworms, and hookworms. If you have a cat that has problems gaining weight, problems with fleas, or if you find white specks in his stool, you should have your vet test em for worms. Worms can be treated. You need to see your vet! These worms can prove to be fatal if they are left untreated!

Hairballs

Hairballs are the most common health problem for cats. Cats are always a grooming and licking themselves. They do it everyday and all the time! When they do this, they are swallowing the loose hair that comes from their coats. Sometimes this loose hair will form a ball. This ball of hair can get stuck in the digestive tract, instead of passing through in your cats poop. If your cat is coughing and a gagging, maybe he is a trying to cough up a hairball. It can be a little disgusting, but most cats can dislodge these hairballs without any problems 🙂

Sometimes, and in rare cases, a hairball can pass through to a cats intestine, creating a blockage. Blockages are a very serious problems, and can be life threatening if they aren’t treated. If you notice your cat becoming constipated, isn’t eating right, or has a very dull coat, he could have a blockage. If you notice any of these signs or symptoms, you need to take him to the vet immediately!

You can help prevent these hairballs, and blockages, by brushing your cat 2 or 3 times a week. This helps to remove the loose hair. They also make some special food that helps to control hairballs!

Urinary Tract Infection

A lot of cats get urinary tract infections. Urinary tract infections are more common with male cats that haven’t been neutered, but females can suffer from this problem too. If your cat suddenly stops goin’ to the litter box, this just might be the problem. Another symptom is if your cats urine starts to smell really strong. If ya think your cat might have urinary tract infection, you should take him to the vet. Vet’s can treat the problem with medicine, and make recommendations to help avoid the problem in the future.

Feline Leukemia

Feline leukemia use to be the biggest cause of death in cats. These days, they have vaccines that can treat the disease. In order to treat the disease, your cat needs to be given the shot before they are ever exposed to it. Even though death doesn’t 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! The feline leukemia virus is highly contagious to other cats, but not to people!

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. The simple act of keeping your cat inside will protect him from a lot of these common health problems in cats. But, if your cat is an outdoor cat, regular visits to the vet will help keep him healthy.

Has your kitty ever had any of these common health problems?