Kittens and Cats- The Dangers of Pulmonary Diseases to Your Cat or Kitten

Cats are ideal pets. They will curl up beside you and have fun playing with you. The best way to spend many memorable years with your cat is by being aware of the various diseases that may put its life in danger such as those that may affect its pulmonary system.

One of the most common, especially when your cat has just been brought home from the pet store or given by a friend, is called URI or upper respiratory disease. A symptom is if the cat sneezes frequently, has teary eyes and a crusty nose.Several organisms have been known to cause this. The first is called a Rhinotracheitis which is a virus associated with herpes. It is also possible that this came from the Chlamydia psittaci and the Calicivirus.

Kittens Cats

There are other threats aside from those mentioned. The good news is that this illness cannot be contracted by humans and is not that serious because it will go away in a few weeks after the cat has adjusted to the new environment. Despite that, you should still be concerned because you do not know yet the type of virus that is causing the symptoms. Bordetella or mycoplasma could be the culprit and this may spread to those who have dogs at home too so caution must be exercised.

Kittens and Cats- The Dangers of Pulmonary Diseases to Your Cat or Kitten

The new addition to the family should be given plenty of fluids. Although cats in general love milk, they should be given water instead. Some vets also recommend giving it some multivitamins. Eye ointment can help clear the eyes and mouth enabling it to see and breathe properly.

A small number of cats that have this type of pulmonary disease will lapse into a chronic state. This means it could happen again the future since this will stay for the remainder of the cat's life. The cat owner should be ready when this happens. The use of anti-viral drugs like those that have acyclovir, lysine, tetracycline and Vitamin A are proven to be effective.

Veterinarians at one point recommended that cats should be vaccinated annually to prevent this disease from occurring. Recent studies have shown that it is safe to be give this every two or three years instead.

The cat may also suffer from asthma. This can happen if the kitten is sensitive to its surroundings like those coming from pollen, dust, molds and other pollutants. Vets will be able to confirm this through a blood test and a chest radiograph. The chest radiograph is like an x-ray because it gives a picture of how the lungs are doing.

There was a time that antihistamines and bronchodilators were used to treat this problem. But the best way is to give the cat some steroids orally or injecting this into the feline's bloodstream.

The pulmonary diseases mentioned are irreversible. This will continue as long as the cat lives so pet owners have to do what is necessary to catch it before things get worse.

Kittens and Cats- The Dangers of Pulmonary Diseases to Your Cat or Kitten

Understanding the Dangers of Intestinal Parasites in Cats and Kittens

Okay, so here is one of the topics of cat care that no one likes to talk about, but still needs to be covered, internal parasites. There are many different types of internal parasites that could potentially cause medical problems in your cat, some of the more common being hookworms, roundworms, coccidiosis, toxoplasmosis, and tape worms.

Even if you have had your cat wormed, she could still get roundworms or hookworms. What is even worse, your cat can pass these parasites on to her kittens. These nasty little bugs can cause diarrhea or other types of symptoms in a kitten, but most of the time they leave no trace that a kitten is infested. If you have children in the home, these little kittens can pass these worms onto them, which is one reason why it is so important to have new kittens seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Your vet will likely send you home with a prescription worm medication for the mother cat and the kittens, just in case. Laboratory tests are not one hundred percent accurate in detecting this type of parasite, particularly in young kittens, so it is better to treat them all, just to be on the safe side.

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Another silent internal parasite that often preys on tiny kittens is coccidian, which like to party in the kittens intestinal lining, often causing no noticeable symptoms at all, and luckily, no harm to the kitten or anyone else in the family. In some cases, your kitten may have diarrhea, but usually the vet will not prescribe any medication, and will let nature handle the problem.

Understanding the Dangers of Intestinal Parasites in Cats and Kittens

Just about every woman who has even been pregnant before knows or has heard about cats and toxoplasmosis, as it can be extremely dangerous for anyone who comes into contact with infected litter, particularly a pregnant woman. Your cat can suffer from this deadly parasite at any age, and since it can also be passed to humans, it is extremely important that any pregnant woman avoid changing a litter box or coming in contact with cat litter boxes. These organisms can cause severe birth defects and other problems for an unborn child.

If at all possible, a pregnant woman who owns a house cat should have someone else empty and clean the cat litter box for her. If this is not possible, then extra care must be taken when the litter box must be changed and cleaned. Using disposable gloves to avoid skin contact with contaminated particles along with a dust mask to protect against inhaling airborne contaminants may reduce the risk; however it is well advised that a pregnant woman never change a litter box. Having your cat stay with a family member until after the baby is born is another way to help protect the unborn child.

Cats are exposed to toxoplasmosis when they eat any type of raw meat, whether it is from a rodent they have caught or from raw butcher scraps. These raw scraps could be from any type of meat, so it is best to avoid all table scraps for your kitty.

Your cat should be seen regularly by a veterinarian for health checkups. It should be noted however that you are the first line of defense for your beloved cat, and by reporting any changes in your cat's behavior, you may catch an infestation before it becomes life threatening for your kitty.

Understanding the Dangers of Intestinal Parasites in Cats and Kittens