The tabby cat health problems of common occurrence are listed in this article. Owners should take proper care of their cats in order to prevent any of the diseases mentioned below.
The tabby cat is not a separate feline breed but differentiated from other cats on the basis of skin coat patterns. These cats are known for their characteristic coat with dots, stripes and other swirly patterns. Pointing out specific health problems that only tabby cats suffer from is therefore, quite difficult. Still, there are few health problems that are common in tabby cats. Let us find more about the health problems of tabby cats.
Common Health Problems With Tabby Cats
The tabby or domestic cat suffers from many health problems like obesity, diabetes, conjunctivitis, urine problems, kidney failure, etc. Most of the problems can be treated if diagnosed in a timely manner.
Worms
The problem of worms is of common occurrence in cats. Different types of worms that affect cats are the roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms. Weight loss is one of the notable symptoms observed in cats with this problem. Presence of white specks in the stools and flea infection are other symptoms of worm infestation. In serious cases, cats are also infected by heartworms. Monitoring the health of your cat should help in citing the problem quickly. Worms can be treated with medications but if neglected, it leads to a fatal condition.
Obesity
It is one of the common cat health problems. Overeating is the cause of obesity in tabby cats. Owners of these cats need to monitor their diet. They should keep the food intake of cats to a certain level. Providing the cat with food at fixed timings of the day should solve this problem to some extent.
Diabetes
Cats suffer from diabetes mellitus when the insulin level in their body is unable to control glucose levels. Male cats are more prone to this disease. Laboratory tests for blood samples are conducted by veterinary doctors in the process of diagnosis. Diabetes is treated by giving insulin shots to the cats. Once again, the diet factor plays an important role in preventing problems like diabetes. A balanced diet should help in keeping you cat fit and fine.
Conjunctivitis
Inflammation of eye membranes is the main symptom of conjunctivitis. Swelling of eyes and redness are the other symptoms. Herpes virus infection is the main cause of conjunctivitis. Amino acid, l-lysine is used in the treatment of conjunctivitis. Willard Water is another treatment measure used for this disease. Long term treatment of conjunctivitis is carried out by means of antioxidants, herbal medicines and homeopathic medications.
Kidney Problem
Failure of kidney is one of the common tabby cat health problems and it mostly occurs in older cats. Signs of kidney disease are observed in the form of increase in thirst. One of the reasons behind kidney failure in cats is the intake of dry foods. The kidney disease cannot be treated when it turns chronic. Veterinarians prescribe medications to manage the problem to some extent. Providing your cat with wet foods proves to be helpful in preventing kidney problems.
Urine Problems
Bladder infection and kidney stone are the urinary problems occurring in cats. The cats peeing out of their litter box is the sign of urinary tract infection. Veterinary doctors make use of antibiotics for treatment of these infections. Inability of the cat to pee is the sign of kidney stone. The cat is also observed straining over the litter box due to urinary problems.
Diet plays an important role in maintaining the health of cats. Even if you care for your pet, never overfeed it; also try and monitor its health regularly. Consult a veterinary doctor immediately if you observe any health problem or change in the normal behavior. Important health problems of cats listed in the article should give you an idea of action to be taken in dealing with them.
