Common Cat Health Problems

If you're thinking about getting a cat for a new pet, you probably want to know what some of the most common cat health problems there are, so you'll know what to watch out for with your new found friend. And cats, like any pets, do have common health problems that can arise, but most of them are easily dealt with when they do crop up, and many can often be prevented to ensure your cat doesn't have any major health problems of it's own.

One of the most common cat health problems though, is hair balls. Cats spend a large amount of time grooming and cleaning themselves. They use their tongue to do this, and that tongue is quite rough. It has tiny little spikes on it which help the cat clean out dirt and debris from their hair.

If the cat has a lot of hair, or that hair easily breaks or pulls out, the cat will end up with a lot of hair in it's mouth. It swallows this hair and if it's not too much, then the cat may not have any health problems at all. If too much hair is swallowed though, the cat can get hair balls stuck in it's stomach, throat, or intestines. And this will make them cough or gag frequently. Sometimes the cat will start throwing up each time it tries to eat.

There are some common eye infections or diseases, and respiratory infections that can be health problems for cats too, but these are usually taken care of by getting them vaccinated at the proper times. Cats can get rabies as well, but guarding against this is part of their standard vaccinations too.

Fleas and ticks are another fairly common cat health problem. Cats can be mildly annoyed by these bugs, and scratch themselves a lot, but they can also develop more serious health problems and diseases from them too. So the best way to protect your cat against these types of health problems is to make sure they have a good flea and tick collar, or use shampoos, powders, or natural remedies which help keep the pests repelled.

One common cat health problem that many people aren't aware of is plant poisoning. Cats will often try to chew on house plants and flowers, but many of these everyday beauties can make cats quite sick. A popular house plant at Christmas time for instance, is the Poinsettia. If cats chew on this plant or swallow parts of it, they can start vomiting. The same applies to a popular medicinal plant known as Aloe Vera. This plant will also make a cat have health problems such as vomiting.

Some houseplants are more toxic to cats than others, so depending on what the cat may have eaten, they may need to be taken in to the vet for emergency medical care.

Cats may try to eat other things in your home that are toxic to their health as well though. So be sure to keep cleaning supplies, grooming products such as shampoo, automotive related materials like oil or antifreeze, and human medications such as laxatives and aspirin out of the cat's reach.