Cat Facts

compiled by Nancy Kerr

E is for:

Ear Mites are microscopic parasites that usually take up residence in your cat’s ear canals or can spread to other areas such as the neck, rear end, and tail. The mites feed on ear wax, skin flakes, and oils. The most common species of ear mite affecting cats is Otodectes cynotis. Ear mites are especially common in kittens, although cats of any age can contract ear mites.

Elizabethan collar is a protective medical device worn by a cat to prevent the biting or licking at its body or scratching at its head or neck while wounds or injuries heal. It is shaped like a truncated cone and is named after the ruffed collars worn in the Elizabethan era.

Encephalitis is a life-threatening condition where the brain becomes inflamed and must be treated as quickly as possible. It is often caused by an infection (either directly to the brain or elsewhere in the body) that reaches the brain via the bloodstream or nervous system. As a result, the brain swells, causing pain that often extends to the neck and other parts of the body. Confusion, seizures, and loss of consciousness can occur as damage to the brain worsens. While encephalitis in cats is not very common, it is seen more often in older cats, and there are no specific breeds predisposed to this condition.

Eclampsia or “milk fever” may occur three to five weeks after the birth of kittens. The affected mother cat is usually nursing a large litter and the heavy demands of milk production can cause a sudden drop in the amount of calcium circulating in her bloodstream. The first signs of include restlessness, panting, muscle tremors, and incoordination. It can progress to tetanic (or rigid, stiff-legged) muscular spasms, followed by convulsions or coma.

Edema is a specific type of swelling that develops when an abnormal amount of fluid, mostly water, collects in the spaces between cells in a tissue. While edema can affect almost any tissue in the body, the most commonly types are cerebral edema which affects the brain, pulmonary edema which affects the lungs, and peripheral edema which may be seen in a cat’s legs.