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Cat Illnesses Symptoms

Updated on January 15, 2015

Cat Illnesses Symptoms For Fleas and Kidney Disease

Fleas are external parasites that bite into a cat’s skin and suck his blood. A serious flea infestation can make an adult cat anemic and could be deadly to a kitten.

In addition to draining blood, fleas can also infect your cat with tapeworms. Although fleas are common on pets, their presence should not be dismissed lightly. In six months, fleas can lay thousands of eggs on your pet and in your home.

To see if your cat has fleas, part his fur and look for something that resembles black flecks of pepper. You might even see the fleas crawling on him. If your cat has fleas, take him to the vet and she will recommend the best treatment.

Today, there are many remedies available, including flea shampoos, dips, and spot on treatments. Do not treat the fleas yourself without consulting with a vet. Some flea preventives may be too strong for kittens than 12 weeks of age. Never use a flea product designed for dogs on a cat because it could be fatal.

An untreated flea infestation can make an adult cat anemic and could be fatal to a tiny kitten.

What are the can illness symptoms for kidney disease? The kidneys filter the blood and help excrete waste. If they are not functioning properly, deadly toxins build up in the blood and can lead to a coma or death. In essence, the cat is poisoned by a buildup waste and toxins in the blood, a condition called chronic renal failure.

Kidney problems are common in older cats, so ask your vet to check your senior’s kidney function during the annual exam. Causes of kidney disease include tumors, kidney injury, kidney stones or diabetes. Symptoms include loss of appetite, weight loss, lethargy, high blood pressure, vomiting, and increased thirst or urination.

Cat Illnesses Symptoms For Feline Leukemia Virus Or FeLV

FeLV is a highly contagious, deadly disease that attacks the immune system and makes it susceptible to disease.

FeLV is passed from a cat to a cat through direct contact via saliva, urine, feces, and blood. A cat who drinks from the same bowl as an infected animal can become a carrier for the disease.

FeLV is extremely deadly to kittens, and about a third who contract it die. Kittens can contract FeLV if they nurse from an infected mother or come into contact with an infected kitten or cat. Vets give vaccinations against FeLV depending on the cat’s risk of exposure (higher risk cats are those who were strays or who came from a shelter, cats who go outside, and cats who live in multiple cat households) and his general health and age. Symptoms include excessive drinking, colds, lethargy, anemia, diarrhea, blood in the stool, loss of appetite and weight loss.

If you are already have a cat and get another one, always get the newcomer checked for FeLV before you bring him home. Do not accidentally risk exposing a healthy car or kitten to FeLV. Some animal rescue organizations place FeLV positive cats and kittens together in FeLV positive cat households. These cats can live together comfortably for the rest of their lives.

Feline Panleukopenia Virus or FPV is also known as feline distemper. This disease attacks the nervous system, immune system, and bowels. Ask your vet to immunize your cat or kitten against FPV.

A healthy cat can contract FPV from a sick cat or from infected fleas. If you handle a cat with FPV and then pet your healthy cat, you could accidentally transmit FPV to him. As a precaution, always wash your hands after handling an unfamiliar or sick cat or after emptying the litter box. You do not want to unwittingly transmit a disease to your healthy pet.

Symptoms of FPV include lethargy, loss of appetite, and lack of balance. If your cat is displaying these symptoms, take him to the vet immediately.

Cat Illness Symptoms For Ticks, Toxoplasmosis And Colds

Ticks are small brown or black external parasites. These bloodsuckers drain the cat of blood and spread disease. If your pet is not allowed outside, ho should not come into contact with ticks.

If he does go outside, part his fur in various places and check him. Ticks often hide in the ears and on the neck.

If you find a tick on your cat, grasp the body with tweezers and pull it out slowly. Do not use matches, alcohol, salt, or other home remedies to try to remove the tick because you could seriously harm your pet. If your cat has a lot of ticks, or if you feel uncomfortable pulling them off, take him to the vet and have them professionally removed.

What is toxoplasmosis? This protozoan infects the intestines. Signs of toxoplasmosis include blood or mucus in the stool, diarrhea, and vomiting. If you suspect that your cat has toxoplasmosis, take him to the vet at once. Small kittens can die from a severe case of this infection.

What are upper respiratory infections? While upper respiratory infections or colds are not a major concern for adult cats, they can be troublesome to a small kitten. Kittens should be vaccinated against the most common cold viruses (feline calicivirus and feline herpes-virus) as soon as possible.

An infected kitten can spread the illness to other animals in the household, so if yours has a cold, keep him isolated from other pets for 7 to 14 days. Symptoms of a feline cold are lack of appetite, lack of energy, sneezing, a runny nose and watery eyes.

If you are interested in alternative therapies or holistic treatments for your cat, consult a holistic vet. Holistic medicine focuses on helping the body and mind restore itself to a normal, balanced state so that it can fight off illness.

Cat owners are slowly embracing the concept of holistic veterinary medicine by combining it with more conventional veterinary treatments. According to a recent survey, nine percent of cat owners use homeopathic or holistic remedies on their pets.

If you would like to learn more about alternative or holistic treatments, the best place to start is with a holistic vet.

Cat Care & Sick Cats : Cat Illnesses

The Health Problems In Older Cats.

As with any animal, as your pet cat approaches old age, there will be lots of old cat health problems that you need to get ready for. You have to see to it that you give them special attention and care and all the love during these times when they mostly need you. After all, these precious animals give as much love as you give them, right? So, it's just fair enough that you give them all the very best especially during their times of need.

So, how are you going to do about it once your precious and lovable tabby has gone to her own over-the-hill age? Well, first of all, you need to give special attention to their diet and some of the foods that she's eating in the past may not be good for her anymore.

Take for example, fishes. Cats love fish and even though the fishes that she ate before has full of fish-bone, it's practically okay. Younger cat's digestive system is strong enough to withstand the toughest of all the toughest fish bones in the world. But as they grow older, their immune system, their digestive system and all of their other body systems are getting weaker. You also need to give full 100% attention for her health as well. Many things contribute to the health of your elderly cat, but with proper tender loving care, you can expect your cat to live a little longer, around sixteen to 18 years old.

So, you have to watch out for its diet and of course, don't forget to let her take some food supplements if time and budget permits. You can go to your vet and ask what kind of the best vitamins and supplements that is ideal for your cat. Bear in mind, all cats are not created equal. You might have heard from someone you know who's a fellow cat lover about a certain kind of vitamins she's giving to her nice little old tabby but it doesn't guarantee that it's also appropriate for your own hairball. So, go and ask your vet about it.

In relation to their diet, you have to remember that some cats lose their sense of taste and smell causing them to lose appetite as well, then, eventually lose a lot of weight. Teeth also deteriorate with age. Bear in mind that older cats tend to drink less water and urinate less in effect. So, now you know what to do when you see your little furball is not getting sufficient water.

Now, when it comes to feeding and you have the factors mentioned above in mind, they need soft food than ever before. Other owners tend to forget the importance of proper diet. How can you expect them to show this kind of concern for their pet when they can't even put it into action on themselves? The thing is, if you are health-conscious, your pet can also enjoy good healthy lifestyle. Remember, if you want changes, it has to come from the inside out, just like the ripples in a lake when you throw a stone on the center of it.

Aside from a healthy diet and some good pointers for elderly care, older cats need some interaction, too. An old cat doesn't necessarily mean a lonely old cat. Take your cat for a walk or better yet, do the walking yourself while you wrap your arms around her and at the same time, you're "wrapping your heart" around her. It's the most precious thing you can do for her. Take some time to, say, sit around in a park or something with her by your side. A neighbor got the idea of bringing the birdcage down, putting it in a table where her cat could see the bird and would look at it for hours. Amazingly, the cat didn't even attempt to try to catch the bird or something like that. The thing is you have to find something that entertain and amuse your elderly cat.

For sure, some of the tips here on how to deal with old cat health problems surely help you a lot. You can also go to your vet for some more detailed and professional advice on how to take care of your loving pet. Or better yet, you can get some good advice in a jiffy when you go to some kind of virtual or online pet store shop or virtual vet clinic.

Massage Therapy And Alternatives Medicines For Cats

Massage therapy reduces stiffness in joints, muscles, and tendons. The light touch helps to restore mobility and flexibility to muscles and joints.

Massage stimulates lymph and blood circulation, lowers blood pressure, lessens anxiety and stress, and boosts the immune system. It is also a great way to bond with your cat. Some cats love to be massages, while others do not.

Several books are available that show how to do cat massage at home, or your vet can show you the basics. If you do your own massage, keep the sessions to five to ten minutes and stop if your cat becomes agitated.

So not force your cat to have any alternative therapy or treatment that he does not want. Doing so will only make him distrust you, stress him, and may worsen the ailment or problem.

Always get references and recommendations before employing the services of any alternative therapist or holistic vet. Be sure that the person is certified and experienced in working with cats.

Also, ask a lot of questions before agreeing to any type of alternative therapy. Find out how many sessions are required, the costs involved, how you can tell if the therapy is working, and what your cat will be experiencing at each session.

You are your cat’s best friend, and you owe it to him to take good care of him for the rest of his life. Giving him the proper care that he needs to stay healthy is easy. Regular veterinary checkups, vaccinations and lots of love will keep your feline companion in good health for many years to come.

Your cat depends on you to provide him with the best care possible for his entire life.

Alternative Medicine for Cats

Do you feed any vitamin supplements to your cat?

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