Anemia in Cats

Causes and Treatment

Cat owners have discovered that a number of different physical conditions can give rise to anemia, and can thus damage cat health. Cats who have a failing renal system frequently suffer with anemia. Intestinal parasites and fleas have been known to cause anemia in cats. Even extensive blood loss can rob a cat of so many red blood cells that it becomes anemic.

How Anemia Affects Cat Health:
Anemia results from the inability of the body to create an adequate number of red blood cells. The red blood cells are responsible for carrying the oxygen in the blood. An inadequate number of red blood cells in a cat deprive the cat's cells of important oxygen molecules. As a result, the cat demonstrates signs of poor cat health.

Sometimes such poor cat health is caused by regenerative anemia. In cats with this type of anemia the bone marrow makes red blood cells (rbcs), but the rate of rbc creation falls below the level needed to replace the old, worn-out rbcs. Some cats have non-regenerative anemia. In cats with this disease, the bone marrow fails to produce any red blood cells.

Signs that Anemia Has Affected Cat Health:
The cat owner must make note of any indicators of poor cat health. Such indicators include pale gums, and pale eyes and ears. Depressed appetite is also a sign of poor cat health, as is a marked increase in the animal's desire to sleep. All of the above health problems are symptoms of anemia.

If a cat appears to have a low energy level, that cat could have anemia. If a cat demonstrates frequent episodes of fast breathing, that cat could have anemia. If a cat owner notices that his or her cat has ceased to conduct a grooming routine, then that owner would have reason to seek the available treatment for anemic cats.

Treatments that Help to Restore Cat Health:
When the cat owner becomes concerned about the cat health of his or her pet feline, then that cat owner needs to take the animal to a veterinarian. If the cat owner suspects anemia, the doctor can check for a heart murmur. When thin blood, i.e. blood low in red blood cells, travels through the heart, it creates a heart murmur.