Anaemia in cats – signs and vet treatment

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: International Cat Care (iCatCare)

Contact a vet today

Contact your vet today if you think your cat has this – it can become serious. Anaemia means having fewer red blood cells circulating in the blood.

What to do now

What you can do now

  1. Contact your vet today.
  2. Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
  3. Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
  4. Keep fresh water available.
  5. Let your cat rest somewhere calm.

Don't

  • Do not give any human medicine.
  • Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it is

Anaemia means there are reduced numbers of red blood cells in the circulation, and these cells carry oxygen from the lungs to tissues around the body.[1] Untreated anaemia can make cats very ill and, in severe cases, can be life-threatening.[1]

Signs

  • Paleness
  • Weakness
  • Heart and breathing changes
  • Pica
  • Jaundice

Causes and risk factors

  • Feline leukaemia virus infection
  • Mycoplasma haemofelis infection
  • Immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia
  • Toxins such as onions or paracetamol
  • Increased fragility of red blood cells
  • Low blood phosphate levels
  • Trauma
  • Iron deficiency

How a vet finds out

  • Blood tests
  • X-rays
  • Ultrasound

How vets treat it

  • Antibiotics
  • Steroids
  • Hospitalisation
  • Blood transfusion

Breeds prone to this

Veterinary charities list these breeds as more likely than others to get this condition. Each breed page lists the inherited conditions documented in the breed.

AbyssinianSomali

What the experts say

“Treatment depends on the underlying cause but can include antibiotics for some infectious conditions, immunosuppressive drugs (such as corticosteroids) for cats with immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia and iron supplements for iron deficiency anaemia.”

— International Cat Care (iCatCare) [1]
If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

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Common questions

What is anaemia in cats?

Anaemia is the term used for reduced numbers of red blood cells circulating in the blood.[1]

What signs can anaemia cause in cats?

Signs can include paleness, weakness, heart and breathing changes, pica and jaundice.[1]

How will a vet find out if a cat has anaemia?

A vet diagnoses anaemia with a blood test, and further tests may be needed to find the specific cause.[1]

Sources

  1. International Cat Care (iCatCare)

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

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