Expert Q&A for How to Treat Anemia in Cats

Fleas suck blood and so if the cat had a heavy enough flea burden, they will become anemic. This is because the cat will be losing blood to the fleas faster than the bone marrow can manufacture replacement cells. Such a heavy infestation doesn't happen overnight, hence regular flea treatments should be enough to prevent such a serious complication.

The key to recovering from anemia is to identify and treat the disease process causing the anemia. For example, blood parasites such as haemobartonella will trigger the immune system to destroy red blood cells and hence cause anemia. Treat the parasite and the trigger is removed, allowing the body to regenerate and replace the lost red blood cells.

Sadly, yes, if the anemia is severe enough cats can die from it. Anemia refers to a lack of oxygen-carrying red blood cells, which in turn deprives the cells and vital organs of oxygen. However, many older cats live with low-grade anemia which doesn't hugely impact their quality of life.

There are many causes of anemia which are grouped according to whether they are an anemia of destruction (such as autoimmune disease or blood parasites), blood loss (such as hemorrhage or a bleeding disorder), or lack of production (a bone marrow problem). Contributing factors also include iron deficiency (relatively rare in cats) and renal disease.