Cats get heartworms by being bitten by a mosquito.

An internal parasite is anything that lives inside of you, such as intestinal parasites, heartworms, tick-borne diseases, blood-borne diseases, and fungal diseases.

A cat heartworm is the same as dog heartworms. They are parasites that live inside a host, regardless of who they bite or where they live.

Skin tumors can become painful for cats. When they are small, they may not be very uncomfortable. However, skin tumors can grow aggressively, ulcerate, and grow into tissue spaces, which can become uncomfortable for the cat.

A skin cancer diagnosis in cats is not necessarily a death sentence. However, it's important to be mindful of any lesions on your cat's skin, especially on the face. If you notice a lesion, nodule, or an ulcerative area, it's crucial to get your cat checked by a vet as soon as possible. Cats don't get cancer as easily as dogs, but when they do, it's far more likely to be malignant. Catching skin cancer early can open up more treatment options and potentially even cure it when it's smaller.

Specific studies would need to be consulted to determine if a particular cat breed is more at risk. Generally, skin cancer is more common in cats with lighter hair. White cats, in particular, are overrepresented in having skin cancer.

While there may be very little that you can do to prevent skin cancer in cats, there is a correlation between ultraviolet radiation or sun exposure, and cats getting squamous cell carcinomas and melanomas. Cats with lighter haired faces or non-haired areas of their body are more at risk, so limiting their sun exposure can help prevent skin cancer.

Cats can get varying types of skin cancer. The most common type of skin cancer in cats is called squamous cell carcinoma or SCC. This is often seen around their faces, noses, eyelids, and tips of their ears. Other types of skin cancer in cats include basal cell carcinoma, melanomas, mast cell tumors, and fibrosarcomas.

The microchip in your cat is a unique identifier number. Initially, the microchip links back to the shelter, rescue, or veterinary hospital that purchased the microchips. Once it's inserted into your cat, it's crucial to register it in a microchip database with your details. This way, if your cat is lost and then found, a scan will reveal your contact details. Remember to keep your database details up-to-date to ensure your cat can be returned to you if lost. It can be disheartening to find a microchipped cat and not be able to contact the owner due to outdated contact information.