Common Health problems in kittens

The common health issues your kitten may face are infectious diseases and aggression related problems. They may also develop heart conditions which may go undetected as they are adept at hiding their illness. As prevention is cheaper and better than cure, regular check ups with the vet is strongly recommended. Ensure that your pet gets his booster doses to ward off illness. Cats also have the tendency to put on weight after getting spayed or neutered. You need to consult your vet on your pet’s weight management.

Here are a few common health issues at this stage:

• Vomiting: Your cat can vomit for multiple reasons ranging from eating something poisonous or inedible, infection, urinary tract disease, diabetes to hairballs. He will drool and have abdominal heaving just before vomiting. Contact your vet if your feline pal continues to vomit as it will leave him dehydrated.    
• Feline Lower Urinary Tract diseases: This disease is commonly seen in cats that are overweight and unfit and among those who eat dry food and limit their water intake. Stress, a multi cat household and reduced water intake increases the risk of your cat succumbing to the disease. The symptoms of feline lower urinary tract disease include; straining to urinate, bloody urine, frequent urination, painful urination, licking around the urinal area, dehydration, loss of appetite and vomiting. Call your vet immediately if your cat experiences the above symptoms.  
• Fleas:  Fleas are a very common problem in cats. The signs that you have to look out for are; flea dirt on his skin that look like black dirt, regular scratching, frequent licking, red skin, hair loss, skin infections or hot spots. If it is left untreated, it increases the risk of causing anemia in your pet. Talk to your vet about the best way to control the fleas. Treatment may include oral medication, powders, foams and medication.   
• Tapeworms:  Tapeworms survive in your cat’s small intestine and grow as long as 2 feet. If your pet vomits or is having weight loss then it could be a sign of a tapeworm. The easiest way to spot a tapeworm is to look at his feces and around his anus. If you see small worms or something which looks like rice grains or sesame seeds then your cat has tapeworms. Treatment for this includes injection and medication. SInce cats are likely to get tapeworm problem when the swallow a flea, it was always advisable to first resolve the flea problem before looking into the tapeworm problem.     
• Diarrhea:  Diarrhea can be caused by eating spoilt food, allergies, infection, liver disease or cancer. Diarrhea is classified by loose and watery stool. It can last for a day, weeks or months. If your cat has diarrhea, then give him plenty of water to prevent dehydration. Do not feed him for a day. Take him to the vet immediately if he vomits, passes dark or bloody stools, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite or if he is straining to pass motion.
• Eye problems:  Eye problems can be caused by the presence of problems like conjunctivitis, cataracts, glaucoma, trauma, viruses, inflammation and retinal disease. If your cat has watery eyes, cloudiness, tear stained fur, red or white eyelid linings, discharge in the corners of the eye or squinting, then it signifies the presence of an eye problem, Call your vet immediately to start the treatment, until then you can wipe away the discharge in a damp cotton ball.