Cat health
Cats
Whether you’ve got a sleek Siamese, a pretty Persian or just a plain old moggie, you’ll want to keep your cat in tip top condition. That means recognising common cat health problems before they get more serious and harder for your vet to treat.
Read our experts’ top tips on the most common cat health problems.
General health
“What do we see as the biggest threats to cat health? It has to be a lack of preventative care such as worming and flea treatments and vaccinations. This is closely followed by dental disease and problems with underweight and overweight cats.”
Spokesperson, Cat’s Protection League
Obesity
“We frequently see cats with obesity-related diseases at our hospitals. Diabetes, heart disease and arthritis are some of the most common.”
Dick Voigt, director of veterinary services at The Blue Cross
“For overweight cats, short bursts of energy-filled activity should help them lose weight, such as chasing a ball of wool.”
Julian Peters, practising vet, Arthur Lodge Veterinary Group
Read more about Cat Obesity.
Overgrooming
“Excessive licking of fur is a common complaint in cats. It may be stress-related, or an allergy to fleas causing itchy skin.”
MORE TH>N vet, PetHealthCare.co.uk
Fleas
“Fleas are common in cats, especially in the warmer summer months. Vacuuming can help to reduce flea numbers as the vibration stimulates hatching of flea eggs, which are very resistant to most treatments. When treating, pay particular attention to dark crevices, such as down the sides of chair cushions and round skirting boards, as fleas crawl away from light to breed.”
Allaboutpets.co.uk
Eye infections
“You can help your cats to remove their eye discharge if you see they can't do it themselves, but be careful how you do it. Use moist cotton wool with warm water, and wipe gently around the eye area but not in the eye itself. If the crust is stubborn, simply hold the cotton wool over the eye for a few seconds to loosen it.”
Chamois Rose-Wood, pet columnist for the Independent
Cystisis
“Is your cat weeing in the bath? It could have cystis, a common problem in the cat. Stress can sometimes be a trigger, so if you have more than one cat, make sure they all have easy access to things like food and litter trays.”
Caroline Reay, chief veterinary surgeon at The Blue Cross animal hospital in Merton
Cat health symptoms you should never ignore
“Watch out for things like a sudden loss of appetite or increased appetite, increased drinking, or if they suddenly become quiet and subdued. Physical symptoms you shouldn’t ignore are vomiting, diarrhea, sneezing and poor coat condition.”
Spokesperson, Cat’s Protection League
Here at MORE TH>N we understand how important your pet is to you. Why not visit PetHealthCare.co.uk – our pet health and care site. Search the Pet Guide and Frequently Asked Questions section - we have answers to over 1,400 questions and if you can't find the answer you're looking for you can ask one of our experts or try the forum.
