Cats Digestive Problems - The Common Causes

By Charlene Rennings

Like humans, our little friends at home - our beloved pets, go through occasional digestive problems too. If you're curious about what the usual causes of cat digestive problems are, this article can help out.

There are quite a few causes of digestive problems in cats. These include exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, hair balls, intestinal obstructions, pancreatitis, parasites, and parvovirus.

* Exocrine insufficiency

The pancreas is a small organ that is vital for humans and animals to survive. This organ supplies insulin for sugar absorption and secretes enzymes that aide digestion. When there is insufficient supply of these digestive enzymes, food will be absorbed without going through the proper process. This will result to weight loss, soft or poorly formed stools, and constant hunger. Failure to treat it could lead to worst conditions.

* Hair ball problem

Due to regular grooming rituals, cats always swallow a lot of their own hair. Since hair strands do not really get digested well, they get accumulated in the stomach until they get excreted back up again through the mouth when the cat throws up. The hair ball that does not get thrown up is the problem because it could block the intestines and eventually require surgery. Cats can cough them out naturally but if they show signs of struggle, better go to the vet fast.

* Obstructions in the intestines

Since dogs and cats are not really wise eaters, some indigestible stuffs end up in their stomachs. Gloves, small toys, corncobs, thread or strings, and a lot more wouldn't really get past their digestive tracts, which are relatively smaller in size than their mouths. You'll know when there's a problem when your cat tries to throw up but there's nothing coming out.

* Pancreatitis

The digestive enzymes get spilled into the pancreas and they digest the tissues like they're digesting food.

* Parasites

Hookworms, tapeworms, giardia, and other such parasites live in the digestive tracts. When the number gets out of hand, cats will begin to lose weight, have bloody stools, show fatigue, or become very weak.

These are some of the things to watch out for if you want to make sure you avoid having cat digestive problems.

Your cat can't tell you when it is sick. It is up to you to learn about the various cat health problems and what you can do about it before it's too late. Visit CatHealthProblems.org.