Cats are susceptible to a variety of parasitic infestations, including external pests such as mites and fleas, as well as internal creatures such as heartworm and coccidia. While external parasites usually live on the skin, internal ones can inhabit the heart, bowels or intestinal tract. Some parasites are easy to diagnose, treat and cure; others, such as heartworm, can become fatal if not recognized and treated as soon as possible. Cats will exhibit many symptoms when infested with parasites, most of which are the same regardless of the type of infestation.
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Itching and Scratching
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Mites, fleas and lice can all cause a cat severe itching, which often leads to aggressive scratching of the skin around the infested areas. Fleas can be seen and diagnosed as the problem by looking in areas such as the groin or around the nose, where they like to congregate. Mites may be harder to identify, because not all cats react the same way to them. Some have little to no itching, while others are more sensitive to mite saliva and will scratch vigorously to relieve the itch.
Hair Issues
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Fleas, hookworms and lice are all associated with hair problems. Fleas often cause allergic reactions in the cat's skin, leading to hair loss and a scaliness to the flesh. An infestation of lice can also cause hair loss, as well as dry, brittle strands of the hair remaining. A common symptom of a hookworm problem is an overall look and feel to the hair that show it is in poor health.
Eating and Digestive Problems
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Many of the internal parasites will cause digestive problems in infested cats. Heartworm, hookworm and coccidia all lead to weight loss. With hookworm, the cat will often lose its appetite and experience vomiting and diarrhea. This is also true of coccidia, which often causes mild or severe diarrhea (that may include blood or mucous), and leads to vomiting and dehydration.
Blood-Related Issues
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Both internal and external parasites can cause blood-related issues. Because lice feed on blood, a large enough infestation, left untreated, can lead to anemia in cats. Hookworms will also cause anemia, due to their habit of feeding off of internal tissues, which can eventually lead to internal bleeding.
Other Symptoms
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Mites often accumulate in the ears of cats and stimulate the wax-producing glands. This causes the ears to produce too much wax, forming a build-up. This often causes a visible inflammation of the ears. Cuterebra are flies that lay their eggs in the tissues of cats, and a good indicator they have done so is a lump under the skin near the head or neck. These lumps can be accompanied by lesions. Heartworm often causes breathing problems, including coughing, wheezing and trouble drawing breath.
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