What is feline Infectious Anemia?
Feline Infectious Anemia (FIA) is a relatively uncommon infection of cat red blood cells by a microscopic parasite. The destruction of the infected red blood cells results in anemia. Anemia is a medical term referring to a reduction in the numbers of red blood cells (erythrocytes) or in the quantity of the blood pigment, and oxygen-carrying protein, called hemoglobin, in the blood. What causes feline infectious anemia (FIA)? FIA is caused by a tiny, microscopic parasite that attaches itself to the surface of the cat’s red blood. The parasite is called Hemobartonella felis and is a member of the Protozoa. The infected blood cells may die directly or be treated as “foreign” by the cat’s immune system and destroyed. If enough cells are infected and destroyed the result is anemia. What are the signs of FIA? The anemia may be mild, at least early in the infection, and not cause any obvious signs. Many cases of Hemobartonella infection in cats go undetected. Some of these subclinical cases r
