My senior cat has anemia & pale gums. Can iron or homemade food help?

Pale gums and inappropriate dietary habits (commonly called Pica) are quite common in anemic states and this should be checked as soon as possible to find underlying cause. A blood test and urine analysis is needed in order to start investigating clinical suspicion of lower red blood cells. I would recommend an immediate check up, treatment and outcome will depend on the results of clinical examination and blood tests. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Cat gums can normally appear more pale than you would expect on a dog. Also, pale mucous membranes is not a great indicator of anemia, because the color can be influenced by other factors such as blood pressure and environmental temperature. Pictures are not a great way to visualize colors, but this does not seem unusually pale to me. If you feel like you are noticing a drastic change in the color, then it is possible that something is off in her body, but not likely if she is otherwise acting normal. The conditions that cause pale mucous membranes would cause other clinical signs such as weight loss, decrease in appetite, and/or decrease in activity. I think you have little to worry about right now, but it's difficult for me to tell for sure without examining her. The best way to make sure she is healthy is to schedule a wellness exam with your vet. They will be able to help you further with this concern. I hope that helps and all is well with Kitty.

Hi! So sorry to hear that Paris is not feeling well. It sounds like Paris is anemic based on the color of her gums and the fact that she does not feel well which means that she is clinically affected. I recommend that you have Paris evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible to figure out what is wrong and start therapy for it. At the very least, she could have bloodwork done to see if she truly is anemic and go from there. Keeping my fingers crossed that evrything goes well!!

Hi there. Unfortunately, it's not likely that liver or any other food will make much difference in his red blood cell count. Anemia in chronic kidney disease is due to the body not producing erythropoietin, which is the hormone that drives the production of new red blood cells. This type of anemia can be treated with erythropoeitin injections, so I would recommend talking to your veterinarian about this option. I have had several kitties with chronic kidney problems and anemia who responded well to this treatment.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Mellow. This would only help if the anemia is due to an iron deficiency. This is not that common though. Most cases are due to an immune mediated disease. Kittens though can be affected with parasites leading to anemia. It is best to work with his veterinarian to determine the source of the anemia so that most appropriate treatment can be started. I hope this information helps!

Felv is most commonly seen in kittens and young cats. She could have FIV but I expect she was already tested for it. This could be due to cancer or an autoimmune disease. It also may not be clinically important. I would continue with feeding canned food and have a follow up blood panel and have them check her teeth then. She may need a dental cleaning or antibiotics for the gingivitis. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Gazou.

The best diet for a cat with chronic renal failure is a canned-only, low-protein diet - this won't help with the anemia, specifically, but is the best option to help slow the progression of her kidney disease in general. You can try supplementing her with an iron supplement designed for cats such as Pet-Tinic - this can be ordered online without a prescription, and has dosing instructions on the label based on your kitty's weight.