Know The Health Problems Your Cat Could Face

Cats make great pets and that’s why there are so many people that have at least one pet cat. Cats probably have more personality than any other pet, and there are many different types of cats to choose from. They love attention and interaction while at the same time remaining fearsly independent. If you own a cat then you should know the health problems your cat could face.

Some of the health issues cats face are easy to prevent, while others can be more serious. It’s important for you to be able to recognize these health risks. You should always seek the assistance of your veterinary if your cat appears to be ill.

Cats develop hairballs quite regularly. That’s because they spend hours grooming themselves and they are always swallowing loose hair that gets stuck on their tongue. Normally the hair passes through the digestive tract without any problems but sometimes it forms a ball and gets stuck in the digestive tract.

If your cat has a hairball they will be coughing and making a choking sound. Normally cats are able to dislodge the ball themselves but sometimes they can work their way into the digestive tract and cause medical problems. It’s a good idea to use preventative treatments so that they don’t form. You can buy hairball treatments at your local pet store or online. Brushing your cat often also helps to remove loose fur.

Worms are a problem you should use preventative treatments for because untreated they can actually kill your cat. There are several types of worms – roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, and heartworms. Signs that your cat may have worms included grains that look like rice in the stool, your cat has fleas, and they are not able to gain weight. You should take your cat to the vet for testing.

Un-neutered male cats commonly get urinary tract infections, although female cats can also develop this problem. Signs that your cat may have a UTI are strong urinary smell and the cat stops using the litter box. Some cat foods help prevent infection. If you believe your cat has a UTI then see you’re veterinary.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis, FIP for short, is the mutated corona virus. The corona virus is actually common to cats and most live without the virus causing any troubles, but in a few cats it mutates to FIP. Symptoms of FIP include sneezing, watery eyes, nasal discharge, and a mild upper respiratory infection. You cat may also become lethargic and loose weight. Most cats recover but it can be lethal for a small percentage. Make sure you call your vet if you suspect your cat has FIP.

Feline Immunodeficiency, FIV for short, attacks the cat’s immune system and its ability to fight infection. Cats can remain symptom free for many years. It’s when a cat develops another type of illness during the chronic stage of FIV that most cases are diagnosed.

FLV or feline leukemia virus use to be the most common fatal cat disease. But now that the vaccine is available the deaths have been substantially reduced. This disease is entirely preventable if you vaccinate your cat.

The risk of Lyme Disease increases the more time your cat spends outside. You should check your cat on a daily basis for tick who are the carriers of this disease. Using flea and tick medications is also advisable.

Symptoms of this disease can be vague. Lethargy, acting as if they are in pain, or other symptoms that you would expect from an old cat. If your cat is not elderly have your veterinary test.

For the most part cats lead healthy life. We can reduce their risk of health issues by ensuring they have all their vaccinations, receive regular checkups, use preventative treatments for fleas and worms, and feed them a high quality cat food such as Iams.

Deon Melchior is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit ArticleClick.com. Article Click is a free content article directory. This means that as a publisher you may reprint the articles that are included in our site, as long as the article is unedited and the author box is included with it's live hyperlinks.