Anemic Cat

As a cat owner, your primary responsibility is to keep your pet healthy. However, even with a balanced diet and a healthy dose of love and attention, cats can still get sick. Learn more about the most common diseases that affect cats so you can try to prevent or cure them quickly with medical treatment when symptoms first place.

Fleas

Although cats and dogs can live with fleas, flea infestations should be controlled for several reasons. The most common flea, the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) may carry tapeworm larvae Dipylidium caninum. If cats eat fleas during grooming, they may be infested with these tapeworms.

Fleas can also transmit other infectious agents to you and your pet. If kittens are exposed to fleas, they can become anemic. Cats can also develop an allergy to flea bites, causing too scratched or perhaps the skin disease. Finally, humans are also susceptable to itchy flea bites, usually on the ankles.

You may think your cat has fleas, he seems particularly itchy or you see bites on human members of your household. To check if your cat has fleas, groom on a sheet of white paper. Look for a few fleas caught in the teeth of the comb or flea dirt on the paper. Flea dirt is actually excrement of undigested cat blood, and appears black and comma-shaped to the naked eye. If you place it on wet cotton, the flea dirt dissolves into bloody streaks.

To control fleas, adult fleas must be killed and reinfestation prevented. Many commercial products are available both to kill adult fleas and remove fleas from the environment. Ask your veterinarian for specific recommendations. Make sure that you use to kill fleas both mature adults and the eggs left behind, usually on carpet and bedding. There is nothing worse than thinking you've conquered the problem until several months later to have your family and pets attacked by blood hungry new-born new.

Hairballs

When cats can not digest hair and food debris, they regurgitate hairballs. Hairballs are formed either on the back of the throat or in the small intestine. Hairballs, not only his disgusting while your cat is producing them for you, but they also make an unsightly mess on your carpets and floors. Any cat owner who has had the opportunity to see their pet suffer through the process of hacking hairballs will be highly motivated to prevent the formation of new ones.

The simplest method of hairball prevention is grooming your cat to remove excess hair. The next step is to many products already on the market to prevent the accumulation of hairballs, such as oils, treats, and diets. If your cat vomits frequently and the problem is not resolved with regular brushings, you should consult your veterinarian to be sure that the biggest problem is not the case.

Overactive Thyroid

Overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism, is a condition where the thyroid gland becomes enlarged and produces excessive amounts of thyroid hormones. This disorder is often caused by a benign tumor on one or both lobes of the thyroid gland. The good news is that thyroid tumors have only a 2-5% chance of malignancy.

Symptoms of an overactive thyroid include: increased appetite or thirst, unexplained weight loss (particularly muscle mass), nervousness or irritability, frequent vomiting, lethargy and weakness, diarrhea, or a coat that resembles non packed. A cat with the condition may not present all the symptoms, but the presence of two or more should prompt a visit to the vet.

At the vet, your cat will be given a physical examination. If she notices glands, a CBC (blood type) and a test of thyroid specific diagnosis can be more conclusive. There are three treatments that offer a good opportunity for your cat.