Cat health issues can be alleviated by using preventative measures. This includes routine veterinary care and grooming on a regular basis. Just like we make sure to clean our teeth, hair and skin daily for health and hygiene, it is important that our cats get the same type of care.

To make sure you cat stays both happy and healthy always watch for any changes in their condition. An excellent time to monitor for cat health is during grooming sessions.

Flea allergy is a common problem for cats. A cat’s sensitivity to fleabites will increase as they age. Food allergies can also have similar symptoms to fleabite allergies including dermatitis and severe itching, vomiting or diarrhea. Learn to check your cat for fleas on a regular basis during grooming sessions.

Hairballs are a persistent cause of vomiting in cats. You can reduce this issue by maintaining a regular schedule of coat brushing. Even with shorthair cats, they can get hairballs if you don’t keep them down with routine brushing. You should take your cat into a veterinarian if they have persistent vomiting since this can also be a sign of thyroid or kidney problems.

Cat Health According To Life Stages

The best way to keep on top of your cat’s health is by understanding the life stages and common health issues in each stage. This way you can easily recognize whether there is a problem with your cat’s health and seek medical attention.

The first life stage is from birth of sixteen weeks. During this stage your cat is just starting to learn about the world around them. Cats in this stage are often playful but still shy around humans. Their health is also extremely important in this stage so that they can grow up to be healthy throughout the rest of their life. Remmeber that they are growing and much of their nutritional needs are given by their mother. However, you should also be aware of physical injuries as well during this stage. Kittens are inexperienced in detecting danger and protecting themselves and their fragile bones!

The next stage is from sixteen weeks to one year. During this period, cats are often still very playful and growing. To maintain your cat’s health at this stage, you should make sure you cat is spayed or neutered at about six months old unless you are planning on using them as a breeding cat.

Next comes the one to eight year period, which are the prime years for cat health awarness. During this stage of your cat’s life, it is very important to have yearly visits to the veterinarian. Check into common health problems that might occur for your breed of cat during this stage in their lives.

Finally, there is the eight to twelve year stage of a cats life. This is when pre-geriatric cat health comes into play. Your cat will often slow down but their behavior will remain the same.

For the geriatric cat, health issues might start when they turn twelve. At this age, you will start to notice health problems in your cat and they will often become worse as they age. Cats will often move very slowly since their joints will start to become stiff. Elderly cats may also be very irritated.

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