Hairballs
Cat owners are all too familiar with that distinctive sound that cats making when trying to expel a hairball, often in the middle of the night. However, did you know that coughing up hairballs is crucial to your cat? The inability to do so can result in a deadly intestinal blockage. Anatomy of a Hairball Cats’
Heart Problems
A cat’s apricot-sized heart is susceptible to several problems. Some develop in young kittens while others may strike at any age. Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Cardiomyopathy results from a structural abnormality of the tissue around one or more of the heart’s chambers. It disrupts the heart’s normal
Heartworms
While more common in dogs, cats also suffer from deadly heartworm infestation. Heartworms, spaghetti-like white creatures, can measure 1-foot long and cause an inflammatory response in your pet’s heart and lungs. Heartworms are especially prevalent in hot, humid parts of the country, especially in
Zoonosis
Zoonosis refers to diseases that can be transmitted to humans from animals. In particular, they occur when an infected animal passes on bacteria, parasites, fungi or viruses to humans through scratches, saliva, feces and urine. Vectors (e.g., organisms like fleas and ticks) can also carry zoonotic diseases
Common Feline Skin Conditions: Protect Your Feline
Cats can suffer from a variety of different skin disorders, including feline acne, allergic dermatitis, mites and ringworm. If your cat is frequently itching, scratching, licking his skin beyond normal grooming, or suffering unexplained hair loss, a skin condition may be the cause. The first step to
Feline Leukemia Virus: What You Need to Know
Feline leukemia (FeLV) is a virus that weakens your cat’s immune system. Unfortunately, when the immune system does not function properly, your cat may be more likely to develop other diseases, such as cancer and blood disorders. How Cats Contract Feline Leukemia Cats get feline leukemia from other cats.
Feline Stomatitis: Treatments
Cats rarely display their pain, but cats with feline stomatitis are often the exception. If your cat appears to have mouth pain, is reluctant to eat, doesn’t want to groom, is drooling, and doesn’t want you to open its mouth, it may be suffering from this debilitating, degenerative oral condition, and
Vestibular Problems
In order to understand how vestibular problems exist, one must first look at the vestibular system, which consists of the parts of the inner ear (vestibular apparatus) and brain (medulla) that help regulate balance and eye movements. The vestibular apparatus involves a number of fluid-filled chambers,
Urinary Conditions
A cat’s urinary system can be negatively affected due to a variety of reasons, including suffering from an endocrine disease, such as diabetes mellitus and hyperthyroidism. More often, however, the cause of a urinary problem is a feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). When problems with the urinary
Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a parasite named Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). This parasite is very common and shows up in pets, people and nearly all other warm-blooded mammals. In spite of this, the parasite does not usually cause any real problems in cats. Life Cycle of the Toxoplasmosis Parasite T.