Nine Lives... Or One Healthy, Happy One?
If you are a first time cat owner, you may find it beneficial to research cat information online or attend a class for new cat owners. When it comes to owning a cat, you should be aware of some common cat health problems: fleas, hair balls, infections, plant poisoning, and worms.
Fleas
 Fleas are an external parasite that are a common problem among cats. Fleas can cause different health issues like anemia and tapeworm if not treated. It is best to take precautionary measures by feeding your cat nutritious food and keeping a clean living environment for your cat. However, if you realize your cat has fleas there are several treatment options available. The treatments range from using flea powders, shampoo, sprays, and a flea collar. Not only do you need to treat your cat, you need to treat the cat's environment both indoors and outdoors. You can use a flea exterminator in your home and a yard spray outside.
Hair Balls
Another common problem among cats are hair balls. Cats develop hair balls when they acquire an excessive amount of hair in their stomach from grooming themselves. Usually cats are able to pass hair balls through its feces or vomiting. A precautionary measure you can take to help prevent your cat from getting them is to brush your cat daily to remove excess hair.
Infections
Cats can also suffer from serious infections such as FeLV (feline leukemia virus), FIE (feline infectious enteritis), FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus), FIP (feline infectious peritonitis), flu, and rabies. It is a good idea to get your cat vaccinated against these if possible. In the case of FeLV, there is no precautionary vaccine.
When it comes to taking the first step in caring for your cat's health, you should start with the common vaccinations. One such vaccination is against FIE, feline infectious enteritis, a highly contagious respiratory disorder. Another vaccination is against FeLV, feline leukemia virus. Both FIE and FeLV are not contagious to humans; however, rabies is a transmitable virus to humans.
Plant Poisoning
Cats love to chew on green plants. Therefore, you should check to be sure that the plants inside your home and outside your home are not poisonous to your cat. You should also be cautious about insectides that you put on your plants, these are harmful to cats as well.
Worms
Another parasite that can affect your cat's health is worms. The type of worms that can affect your cat are: hookworms, lungworms, ringworms, roundworms, and tapeworms. Some of these worms are transmittable to humans. If you suspect that your cat has one of these worms, it is wise to get your cat to the vet for treatment.
It is very important to be aware of your cat's normal behavior so that you will be able to recognize when your cat is experiencing a health problem. You should consult your veterinarian for care if your cat is exhibiting unusual behavior such as aggression, loss of appetite, seclusion, or vomiting.
|
