Can Fleas Cause Weight Loss in Cats?
WouterA common question is: Can fleas cause weight loss in cats? Fleas can affect your cat’s weight, especially if they’re inside. The parasites feed off the blood from capillaries in your cat’s skin, so your cat may not get enough blood to grow and maintain normal weight. This can lead to anemia, which results in weakness and poor oxygen supply to organs. In severe cases, it can even lead to organ failure and death.
It’s not always easy to determine whether your cat has fleas. If your cat has recently had flea bites, the first thing to do is to inspect their fur for flea droppings. Look for little black specks near the base of the hair. These droppings dissolve and become a reddish-brown colour on cotton wool.
Besides fleas, other parasitic infections can lead to thin cats. These infections can be acquired through eating wildlife, drinking from an infected mother’s milk, or eating the stools of an infected animal. Other symptoms of parasitic infection include vomiting, bloody stools, and diarrhea. Your cat may also have a dull coat or drag its bottom on the floor.
Other common causes of weight loss in cats are food allergies, infections, and inflammatory bowel disease. If your cat suddenly begins drooling and pawing at its mouth, this may indicate a gastrointestinal problem. Your veterinarian will likely do a full physical exam and run blood and urinalysis tests to determine the cause of the weight loss in your cat.
