Cat Health

Home testing using "ear pricks" to measure the blood glucose level of a diabetic cat might sound difficult, and even painful for the cat. But with practice, testing your cat will become as routine...

Feline diabetes affects one in 400 cats and is one the highest diagnosed metabolic disorders in cats. Knowing that your cat's glucose level is in the normal range is important to the health and...

Weight loss in a kitten or failure to gain weight can be very frightening. Most of us know that weight gain is a sign of a healthy cat, so it can be rather disconcerting when your kitten is...

If your cat has been diagnosed with diabetes, learning how to measure your cat's blood glucose level at home has many benefits. Having this simple procedure conducted in the security of home...

A blood clot is a common occurrence in cat's with heart disease and is the result of the inadequate pumping of blood through the chambers of the heart. Blood clots travel through the blood stream...

Cats with non-regenerative anemia can't replace lost red blood cells with new ones. As treatment is based on the cause of the anemia, your cat's vet may run a blood serum analysis and a white...

Blood platelets are cells that a cat's body uses in coagulation. When coagulation occurs, platelets form a clot to stop unwanted bleeding. When platelet levels are low, coagulation is difficult....

The pH of the blood in the human body is normally maintained between 7.35 and 7.45. Acidosis is essentially a condition in which the blood is more acidic than this range. Metabolic acidosis occurs...

Hematocrit (Hct) is the ratio of red blood cells to a given volume of blood. The hematocrit is obtained through a blood test using a centrifuge method. The result is called the hematocrit value...

With good veterinary care, good nutrition, spay/neuter and indoor homes, cats are living longer lives. Because of this, high blood pressure, known medically as hypertension, is occurring in more...

Thrombocytopenia is the term for low platelet counts in felines. It is a condition in which the blood platelet levels, normally at 600,000 per microliter of blood, are below 40,000 platelets per...

There are two important factors to consider when discussing feline blood glucose levels: Cats that are stressed during veterinary visits will have an elevated blood glucose level, and home testing...

Any cat who has concentration levels of 40,000 platelets or less per microliter of blood is suffering from abnormally low levels of blood platelets. This condition is known as feline...

The intestines are long, tubular structures that connect the stomach to the anus and carry waste out of the body. There are many different intestinal diseases that can cause a variety of symptoms....

Platelets are cells in your cat's bloodstream that help blood clot or stop bleeding. When your cat has a low platelet count, which is sometimes called thrombocytopenia, it is at risk for...

Polycystic kidney disease is a condition, most common in Persian breeds, in which cysts form on the kidneys of a cat, causing weight loss, depression, vomiting, excessive urination and thirst....

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or an enlarged heart, is a disorder in which the left wall in he heart grows and becomes thickened. When your pet has a heart disease, this often is the problem.

Jaundice, also known as icterus, is a condition in which the tissues of the body begin to turn a shade of yellow. Causes of jaundice can be divided into three categories: pre-hepatic, hepatic and...

Cats with a low red blood cell count are diagnosed with feline anemia. This condition can act as an indicator for other diseases. Several symptoms will alert you if your cat has anemia.

Supportive care for cats with kidney disease is often a time-consuming process that must be performed at the veterinary clinic and at home. Understanding the disease and how the kidneys function...

The number of cases of feline diabetes reported by veterinarians has increased greatly in recent years. Although the condition is not a death sentence, it is essential that it be treated. If left...

Anemia in cats is caused by a reduction in the number of red blood cells, or a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin found in the red blood cells. Anemia is the most common disorder of the blood.

The presence of bright red blood in a cat's feces is called hematochezia. According to veterinarian Dr. Bari Spielman, something has entered the cat's lower intestines closest to the rectum and...

A healthy cat is a happy cat that will live a long time. Unfortunately, medical conditions that adversely affect the health and longevity of humans can also appear in felines. Low blood pressure,...

Symptoms of kidney disease in cats may at first appear to be simple behavioral problems, but renal disease can be a potentially life-threatening disorder. A veterinarian should immediately...

Feline kidney disease, or renal failure, is very common in older cats and is the second highest cause of feline death. Symptoms usually don't show until kidneys have lost 75 percent of their...

A high potassium level can be harmful to a cat, so if you suspect your cat may be suffering from excessively high potassium levels, make an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Cats experience chronic renal failure (CRF) when their kidneys have deteriorated and can no longer process waste products or electrolytes. The kidneys are also responsible for stimulating the...

Since cats often like to chew plants, owners should check to see if a particular herb is toxic to cats before purchasing it. Many herbs can cause all sorts of digestive and blood problems that can...

Cats are either born with heart problems (congenital) or develop them during their life (acquired), and most are the result of one of three types of cardiomyopathy, conditions in which the cat's...

Diabetes mellitus, also known as sugar diabetes, is an ongoing metabolic disorder caused by a lack of or resistance to insulin. Cats suffering from diabetes are unable to metabolize carbohydrates...

A complete blood count is a diagnostic tool veterinarians use for many suspected illnesses in cats. The blood work tells the doctor the number and types of blood cells circulating in the cat's...

An enlarged heart in a cat also is known as congestive heart failure. There can be many underlying causes for an enlarged heart, such as valve defects, tumors, heartworms, hyperthyroidism or heart...

When taking your cat to the vet for a checkup or health issue, many times a blood test will be ordered. The blood test is a great tool even for seemingly healthy cats, as it will bring to light...

A complete blood count (CBC) is one of the most commonly used blood tests in veterinary medicine. This test is designed to evaluate the red and white blood cells. Depending on the results of these...

If you've noticed your cat is thirsty all the time, has lost weight or has stopped grooming itself, it might be a problem common to more than half of all cats--diabetes. Most cats will develop...

The heart is a muscle that is responsible for circulating blood through the body. The heart consists of four chambers: the left and right ventricle and the left and right atrium. The heart pumps...

Just as with humans, cats can suffer from hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure. But unlike humans, cats don't get high blood pressure from smoking or from stressful time spent...

Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is a chronic disease of the heart which can lay dormant for months or years and strike suddenly in traumatic episodes which can waylay your cat in the most...

Kidney failure in a cat happens even when the owner does everything to take good care of his pet. Improvement in the quality of cat foods and more indoor cats has cut down on the number of cats...

Healthy blood pressure in cats ranges from 110 to 160 mm Hg (millimeters of Mercury). Your cat has low blood pressure, also known as hypotension, if his blood pressure is less than 80 to 90 mm Hg....

Cats are like all other animals, they can develop diabetes. Diabetes doesn't have to mean the end of the cat's life, it just means that blood glucose levels will need to be closely monitored to...

Hypercalcemia is an abnormally high level of calcium in the blood. The condition is more common in dogs than in cats, but the occurrence of hypercalcemia in cats without an obvious cause is...

Benazepril is a medication commonly prescribed to people with high blood pressure or congestive heart failure. Veterinarians also prescribe benazepril to slow the progression of chronic renal...

Benazepril, or Fortekor, is primarily used in humans for the prevention of heart failure or to control high blood pressure. Some veterinarians use it to treat chronic renal problems in cats....

There are several instances when your veterinarian may suggest performing blood tests on your cat. These may include testing for viral diseases; before surgery, to determine if your cat's organs...

High blood pressure, or hypertension, in cats is similar to high pressure in humans. It often occurs as cats age. High blood pressure can be caused for no known reason in felines, or it can be a...

For many veterinarians, glargine (brand names Lantus and Levemir) is the insulin of choice for diabetic cats. When used correctly in combination with a high-protein, low-carbohydrate, all-wet food...

The process of having a dog or cat spayed begins with a pre-surgery fast. At about 10 p.m. on the evening before surgery, begin withholding food from your pet. She should not eat again until after...