Cat Have Fleas? Health Problems It Will Have If You Do Not Take Care of It

If your cat has fleas, it is likely very miserable and scratching constantly. It is easy to treat fleas with many flea treatments on the market today. If you decide to not treat your cat or cannot afford flea treatment, it will result in worsened health problems. Below are two of these problems, so you will know what to look for:

Skin Infection

Constant scratching breaks the skin open, and once a sore appears, it can easily become infected. This is because your cat steps through their litter box and may step on their feces and urine, which contain a lot of dangerous bacteria. If they have this on their paws and then scratches at the sores, the bacteria enters the sores and infection sets in. Because fleas are all over the cat's body, there could be multiple infected sores.

If these infected sores are not cared for, the infection can get into your cat's bloodstream and this could lead to death. Pet your cat and lightly use your fingernails to go across their fur to see if you feel a lot of scabs. Part their fur and look at their skin for sores.

If you see these sores, then you need to take your cat to the vet for treatment. While there, you can purchase some flea treatment. Depending on what you buy, you will likely need to reapply the treatment monthly.

Anemia

If your cat has an infestation of fleas, it can cause a large amount of blood loss due to the sores. If not cared for, this blood loss can lead to anemia. Kittens are especially susceptible to this problem, but older cats can get it, too.

Besides the constant scratching, your cat may experience hair loss, pale gums, and weakness. If your cat has these symptoms, take it to a veterinarian. They will prescribe iron supplements to your cat. The doctor will likely ask you to come back periodically to keep a check on your cat's iron levels. The doctor may also give your cat a blood transfusion.

Even with treatment, some cats die from anemia if they have had it for some time before seeing a vet for treatment.

Visit an animal hospital or talk with your cat's veterinarian about these two health problems, and they can give you more information in better detail. They can also tell you other health problems your cat can have due to a flea infestation.

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