3 Common Cat Ailments and How to Deal With Them

Cats are susceptible to many health conditions ranging from accidental injuries to infectious and chronic diseases. While this article doesn’t cover every possible ailment such as obesity, renal disease, or urinary tract problems, it focuses on three common and important conditions every cat owner should know: abscesses, fur balls, and fleas.

1. Understanding and Treating Abscesses in Cats

What is an abscess? An abscess is a painful, pus-filled swelling usually caused by a bite wound from another cat. Cats with outdoor access or living in multi-cat households, especially where territorial disputes occur, are more prone to developing abscesses. These often appear on the face or rump depending on the context of the fight. Cat bite wounds quickly become infected due to the bacteria present in their mouths.

How to recognise and manage abscesses: Prompt veterinary attention is crucial. While some abscesses burst naturally, professional treatment with antibiotics and pain relief is necessary to prevent infection spreading. In some cases, surgical drainage under sedation or anaesthesia is needed. The fur around the wound will be clipped to aid cleaning, and the wound will be left open or have a drain inserted to allow continuous drainage.

Home care for your cat during recovery:

• Your cat may need to wear an Elizabethan collar to avoid touching the wound.
• Keep your cat indoors to minimise infection risks and prevent accidents caused by impaired vision and collar entanglement.
• Follow your vet’s advice on wound cleaning; a gentle salt water bath can aid healing if your cat tolerates it.

Early and appropriate care typically results in a quick recovery, reducing your cat’s distress and risk of complications.

2. Fur Balls: Causes, Symptoms and Prevention

All cats groom themselves regularly and may swallow loose hair, which usually passes harmlessly through the digestive system. However, excessive hair ingestion can form fur balls (medical term: trichobezoars) in the stomach, which your cat will often vomit up.

Who is most affected? Long-haired cats and those with skin allergies leading to excessive grooming are more prone to fur balls. Persistent vomiting, retching, inappetence, lethargy, and diarrhoea may indicate a problematic fur ball or an intestinal obstruction which requires urgent veterinary attention.

Managing fur balls at home:

• Regular grooming, regardless of coat length, helps remove loose fur before it is ingested.
• If your cat is over-grooming, discuss with your vet possible underlying causes such as allergies or stress.
• There are commercial supplements like lubricants that aid hair passage through the gut, but be mindful some contain high vitamin A or laxative ingredients not suitable for long-term use.
• Increasing dietary fibre may help, and alternative protein or carbohydrate diets may be recommended if food allergies are suspected.

3. Fleas: Identification, Impact and Safe Treatment Options

Fleas are a common pest that cause irritation and allergic skin disease in cats. Severe infestations may lead to anaemia, especially in kittens or older cats, and fleas can also carry tapeworm.

They are tricky to detect on dark-coated cats and a small number on your pet can hide a larger infestation in your home environment, including carpets, furniture, and outbuildings.

How to check for fleas: Use a flea comb and watch for flea dirt, which appears as reddish-brown specks on white or dampened paper (due to digested blood). Flea eggs are tiny, pearly white, and don’t stick to fur long, so searching the environment as well as the cat is important.

Effective flea control:

• Treat your cat with vet-recommended, safe, and species-appropriate flea products.
• Simultaneously treat your home environment with household sprays or insecticides safe for pets, taking care if you have fish tanks.
• Remember to treat any outbuildings your cat accesses, as fleas can survive there year-round.
• Regular flea prevention is recommended even indoors due to environmental factors like central heating.

Additional Important Considerations

Early recognition and treatment of these common ailments improve your cat’s quality of life and recovery speed. Regular check-ups with your vet can help catch problems early and maintain your cat’s health. Responsible pet ownership includes keeping cats indoors or supervised outdoors to reduce risks of fights and infections and ensuring up-to-date flea prevention, grooming, and diet management.

If your cat shows any concerning symptoms such as persistent vomiting, changes in appetite or behaviour, swelling, or signs of pain, please seek veterinary advice promptly to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.

By understanding these three common conditions — abscesses, fur balls, and fleas — and how to deal with them effectively, you can help keep your feline friend healthy and happy throughout the year.