Cat Health Problems
Cat
Health Problems - not in this case. This is a gorgeous photograph of a
cat at a vets. It is the best I have seen (of this subject matter)
under Creative Commons on Flickr and there are some 65 million photos
under CC. It is © copyright Tom
Poes
(Willem-Jan van den Eijkhof). The cat is a Ragdoll
kitten and I believe
that she is in for a checkup. Tom Poes takes excellent photographs of
Ragdolls and he has great subject matter.
Contents
Introduction
The method
employed in drafting this.
The Most Common Illnesses
The method
employed in listing them and the list.
URI
Upper
Respiratory Infection - colds, flu etc.
FLUTD
Feline Lower
Urinary Tract Disease - wide spectrum of lower urinary
tract diseases.
Diabetes
Feline
diabetes is on the rise and could be due to the increase in dry
cat food.
Distemper
This is a
very serious disease that makes you cat very ill and can be
fatal.
FIP
Feline
Infectious Peritonitis - Another serious illness with
high fatality rate.
FIV
Feline
Immunodeficiency Virus - causes immune deficiency and kills like HIV.
FLV
Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) - A devastating feline
infectious disease.
Hyperthyroidism
In older
cats, average age of 13 years, causes increased metabolism.
Miscellaneous
A short discussion on a range of health issues with links.
Genetically Linked Diseases
This
looks at diseases that are inherited with certain cat breeds.
[Note: these cat health problems are not transferable to humans]
Introduction
Can
a person who is not a vet talk about cat health problems? Yes, provided
you keep within tight limits and research well. The Internet is awash
with non-medically trained people talking about animal health
and, in some cases, passing on their first hand experience. This is
good. It widens the
information pool and can even add to a vet's knowledge as some of the
information comes from cat breeders who, in any event, do a fair bit of
medical work themselves.
The key is to discuss and not diagnose nor attempt cures. Articles such
as this one can help people to spot an illness earlier and take steps
quicker. I am not a vet but this information is carefully researched
and
sourced and people can have their say if they want to.
There appears to be 2 general groups of cat health problems. Those that
are illnesses common
to all cats brought about by, for example, a viral
infection and those that are more often seen in certain cat breeds and
which are genetically
based. A point worth making is that some breeds may have a
predisposition to illnesses common to all cats. This may be because of
the nature of breeding purebred cats. The process involves fixing the
appearance of the cat through selective breeding. In doing so, the
immune system may be compromised.

This is a Serval,
a wildcat
(probably tamed and domesticated in this instance but
I am not sure) on the operating table at a veterinarians. Photograph is
© Sean94110
I am confining myself to
common illnesses (the most frequently encountered cat health problems)
as the subject is too wide and to complex for a person who is not
formally trained. Recognizing these illnesses allows us to
better assess the most likely illness and take prompt and accurate
action.
There is no substitute of course for professional advice. It possible,
however, for the layperson to get an indication of illness by checking
your cat's pulse.
One problem with using the Internet to find out the most common
illnesses is that most if not all the authors of the cat websites will
have used the Internet to research cat health problems, so it becomes
very
incestuous and circuitous (circular).
However, having followed that circuitous route, I qualified the results
with a visit to a respected website on cat and animal health, the Cornell University College of
Veterinarian Medicine and also by reference to these
books, Veterinary
Notes For Cat Owner by Trevor Turner DVM, The Veterinarian's Guide to Your
Cat's Symptoms by Garvey DVM, Houpt
DVM, Wallace DVM, Hohenhaus DVM, Pinkney DVM, Randolph and Your Cat by
Elizabeth Hodgkins DVM). When I put together information from these
sources I conclude that the following are probably the most common
illnesses:
- URI -
Upper Respiratory Infection - colds to
you and me - an infectious
disease - viral infection - but URI includes
an infection by a specialized bacteria, Chlamydia and secondary
bacterial infections
- FLUTD -
a medical disorder. The disorder is Feline Lower
Urinary Tract Disease or FUS (Feline Urologic Syndrome)
- Diabetes -
a medical
disorder that some think
is in part due to a cat's diet
- Feline Distemper - Feline
Panleukopenia - an
infectious disease
- FIP -
Feline Infectious Peritonitis - an
infectious disease
- FIV -
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
- an
infectious disease
- FLV -
Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)
- an
infectious disease
- Hyperthyroidism
(in older cats) - a medical
disorder
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Cat
Health Problems - Cat
at Vets - Love this picture
photo © foreversouls
- under Creative Commons
URI
These infections are caused by one of 4 viruses
(2 mild and 2 severe). The viruses are:-
- calicivirus (severe)
- rhinotracheitis (RHV) (severe) - feline herpes
- pneumonitis (mild)
- reovirus (mild)
What are the signs of this infection? They are sneezing, runny eyes and
nose (like a human cold). Of the two mild viruses the lesser is
pneumonitis. Reovirus may lead to a mild fever. Antibiotics are given
as protection against secondary (bacterial) infection. Eye drops are
also given.
Humans cannot catch flu from cats. The more severe infections result in
high fever, extremely thick eye and nasal discharges. There may be open
sores and ulcers on the mouth. RHV can cause the cornea (front of the
eyes) to become ulcerated. The sense of smell is diminished, which when
combined with the ulcers leads to under eating and becoming thin. This
leads to dehydration and weakness and becoming more ill. It can be
fatal especially in the young. This is not like the common cold, being
far more serious. Another sign is the swelling of the lymph nodes under
the chin. The severe infections can be carried after recovery and be
spread.
Secondary infections can occur. It is useful to reminder ourselves as
to the difference between cat
colds and bacterial infections. An infection by Chlamydia can
be
mistaken for cat flu as it causes conjunctivitis. A Chlamydia infection
is a URI and it causes pneumonitis.
Cats can be immunized against these infections.
Cat
health problems - Cat at vets I believe for kidney failure. I
think his name was
Dexter and he died not too long after this photograph was
taken by his
human companion who misses him badly. This photograph is
reproduced under
creative commons so permission is granted (as are
all the photographs on this page).
.
Photograph © pilipala9
I
dedicate this page to this little adorable boy cat
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FLUTD
This covers a wide range of lower urinary tract disorders (diseases)
from mild Cystitis to total blockage and is a very common cat health
problem. A common disorder is a blockage
in the urinary system (urethra or bladder) which may cause a bacterial
infection
(UTI - Urinary Tract Infection or Inflammation) due to the immobile
urine being a good medium for bacteria to multiply. The blockage is
often caused by the formation of crystals and stones. The infection can
be presented as Cystitis (bladder
inflammation). The infection can also lead to kidney failure and be
fatal.
The most common cause of the blockage is not certain. Elizabeth
Hodgkins DVM believes it is due to diet (see below). The crystals are
magnesium. Magnesium crystals are formed in an alkaline solution (low
pH). The
pet food manufacturers added acid (high pH) to the food and lowered
the magnesium content to reduce crystal formation. Elizabeth
says that this misses the point.
She says that it is dry cat food that results in
alkaline urine and crystal formation. Since the introduction of dry cat
food there has been an increase in UTI a modern cat health problem. She
recommends wet cat food.
Dry cat food also requires the cat to drink more and they often don't.
I have personal experience with my cat of this, which caused Cystitis.
Once fed watery fish the problem disappeared.
Cat health problems - Cat in
surgery sink relaxing - No problem! Photo © iCAS
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{go to most common
illnesses list}
Diabetes
This is one of the cat health problems that is on the increase and a
disease occurs in about one quarter of one percent
of cats, quite a high figure.
The symptoms are similar to those of humans. 5-20% of cats, with
diabetes, have type-1 diabetes and the remainder have type-2. Type 1
needs treatment with insulin.
In type-2 diabetes prompt treatment can cure the condition. The most
obvious symptom is excessive thirst and urination. You will notice
this. The appetite is either very good or absent. My cat had early
signs of diabetes caused by eating a dry food diet recommended by a
vet. The diet also caused cystitis (or contributed to it).
Elizabeth Hodgkins DVM in her book Your
Cat says
that a dry cat food diet, which is high in carbohydrates is a major
cause of diabetes in cats. She also says that dry cat food can cause
other cat health problems such as obesity. She recommends wet cat food.
Of course raw
home made cat food with proper supplements such as Taurine is perhaps
best.
Read more about:
Feline
Distemper
This is a serious viral disease. The virus in very
contagious. The virus can be carrried by humans on their feet for
example. The condition is most common in kittens prior to vaccination.
The cat will be very ill. The symptoms are: gastrointestinal symptoms,
diarrhea, dehydration, high fever, severe depression and vomiting. The
white blood cell count will be low.
Bacterial invasion can take place and without proper white blood cell
protection the bacterial infection can spread and infect the
bloodstream leading to death. Cats can be immunized against this
disease.
Cat
Health Problems? - Nice picture, hope he or she is OK - photo
© Mirandala
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FIP
This disease is caused by the feline coronavirus. It is
not highly contagious. It is thought that cats with FIP are infected
early in life and the virus lies dormant for months to years. It is
futher believed that a combination of the virus and cat's antibodies
cause an unflammatory reaction damaging tissue.
A range of conditions result. In young kittens effusive or "wet" FIP is
the more common condition. The lining of the chest and abdominal
cavities
become inflamed and a watery fluid builds up accompanied by fever,
vomiting, anorexia and diarrhea. It is usually fatal.
In older cats the more common form of FIP is "dry". In this from
chronic granulomatous
inflammation destroys an organ that has been infected. A wide range of
symptoms are present including jaundice, bain swelling and more.
Visible symptoms could be breathing problems, lameness and fading
kitten syndrome.
The prognosis is poor as there are no specific therapies. This a one of
the cat health problems for which there is a
vaccine.
FIV
This is a cat retrovirus
that
is contagious (but not highly contagious) to cats but not dogs. The
common form of transmission is through bites in cat fight, usually male
cats. There is a long incubation period before symptoms are seen. FIV
will kill most cats eventually. It causes serious immune deficiency and
bone marrow suppression (white blood cell production).
There is no vaccine and no specific treatment. There is though some
discussion about the benefits of colloidal
silver treatment. A new cat should not be
introduced into a household without testing for FIV in the existing
cats.
Cat
Health Problems - Vet's surgery photo © Hayley Bouchard
FLV - FeLV
This is a very serious illness. The virus is a retrovirus,
the same type that causes HIV in humans. Neither dogs nor humans can
catch it. It is not highly contagious but cats living together can
transmit the disease.
There is a long time between infection and symptoms (years sometimes).
Infection results in a range of "syndromes". These include leukemia,
which is cancerous lymphocytes
in the bloodstream and lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes).
The virus also results in immune deficiency leading to an inability to
protect the body and bone marrow supression (white blood cell and
platelet production is compromised), which has the same effect.
As treatment is poor the best action is prevention of this cat health
problem. FLV can be detected
by a sensitive test. New cats shouldn't be introduced into a new
household before the other cats are tested. There is a controversial
vaccine. Read more about adoptable
FeLV cats here.
Hyperthyroidism
This is a disorder of the endocrine
system. The organ concerned is the thyroid gland. It produces
too much thyroxine and tri-oidothyronine in an uregulated
manner.
The reason is the presence of a tumor in the gland. 98% of the tumors
are benign (non-cancerous).
This cat health problem arises on average at 13 years of age. No case
has been
diagnosed in a cat under 6 years of age.
The cat's meatabolism increases. The cat suffers weight loss and
increased appetite. The cat grooms less and looks messy. Other symptoms
could be, hyperactivity, nervousness, panting, vomiting and diarrhea.
Increased thirst and urination can be present. This condition can be
confused with renal disease. Another disorder of the endocrine system
is Cushing's
Disease in cats.
Cat
Health Problems are resolved here - Vet's
surgey - photo © caterina
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Miscellaneous
Some cat health problems can be assessed initially by the keeper. As I
have mentioned a cat owner can take a cat's
pulse
to ascertain if your cat is possibly feeling unwell. In the section
about diabetes I referred to the importance of cat food to promote
health. The convenience of dry cat food keeps it on the shelves but it
could be argued that it also has a negative impact on a cat's teeth causing
cat teeth neck lesions. Some cat food manufacturers promote
dry cat food as good for cleaning your cat's teeth. Is
this correct?
If you feel it necessary to try and clean your cat's teeth and vets
seem to be saying we should (although I don't really see it as
practical) you could try cat
dental gel. This is another post on the subject of cleaning
a cat's teeth.
Living indoors continuously as some do and with other pets can be
stressful. One cause of stress is being separated for long periods from
the human keeper. This may cause cat
separation anxiety. Dr. Bachs Holly remedy can help. It can
also help deal with a cat's
anger and jealousy.
Cat
skin rashes
can be due to a defective immune system or environmental factors.
Sometimes your cat may be allergic to an ingredient in her food. This
can be analysed by the use of hypoallergenic
cat food.
Taurine is an essential amino acid and a supplement in cat food. It has
been argued that rice in cat food can impair
the metabolism of the Taurine. Rice is frequently added to
cat food.
Cat parasites are never far away. A common one affecting dogs more than
cats is the tick.
Although not a worm, cat
ringworm is not uncommon and it can be transferred to humans
(zoonotic). It is a fungal infection of dead skin. Cat
sneezing can be caused by various conditions.
Another fairly common condition is ear
infections.It may be possible to alleviate the condition in a
natural way.
Genetically
linked diseases
Genetic disorders are Important cat health problems.I have divided this
section into two. The first part deals with cat
breeds that are breeds due to a genetic mutation and the mutation has
accompanying cat health problems. In the second part I deal with
"normal" cat
breeds that to the best of my knowledge have a propensity to a
genetically linked disorder. Breeders always strive to minimize and
eventually eliminate these disorders. Both are in summary form with
links. This list is not
complete and will be updated as and when required.
Cat
breeds due to genetic mutation
- Scottish
Fold - The genetic mutation that causes the ear pinna
(flaps) to fold over also results in an arthritic condition at
the joints, tail flexibility and thickness, lack of mobility
or hardening of the cartilage. Click
here to read about this breed.
- Dwarf
cats - The dwarfism gene that produces short legs
can also bring health
issues such inward curvature of the spine - the spine drops
down around the shoulder blades) and pectus excavatum (funnel chest -
flattened ribcage). Flat
chest kitten may be present.
- Devon
Rex - The mutated gene that produces the soft curly coat
may bring abnormal blood clotting and muscle weakness. Read
more. The "Rex" gene also produces a curly coat in the other
Rex cats (Selkirk
and Cornish)
and the LaPerm.
I don't know if the same problem affects these breeds.
"Normal"
cat breeds
- Persian
- This breed has a number of health problems one of which
is genetically based, Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). Click
here for all the problems and PKD
information. Progressive
retinal atrophy (PRA) affects Persians. It is an early onset type for
Persians.
- All breeds,
Maine Coon and Bengal
- Heart disease hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy (HCM).
Read about this in reference to the Maine
Coon and Bengal.
- Bengal
- Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) -
mid-onset (more).
- Abyssinian - Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) - late-onset
- Somali - Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
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Some terms briefly explained in respect of cat health problems:
Virus - tiny
organisms consisting of a
genetic blueprint of DNA or RNA and a protein container. The depend of
getting into an animal's cells to multiply and make protein.
Infectious
Disease - a
disease caused by the presence of what is called a "pathogenic
microbial agent". These are viruses, bacteria and fungi for example.
Medical
Disorder - this
desribes a condition where the body does not function normally. This
term is interchangeable with "disease" and "illness".
Granulamatous
- inflammation consisting of localized nodular (nodes, lumps)
inflammation
Retrovirus - a
virus composed of
RNA but not DNA. This virus can integrate into the DNA of the host
cell. A human example is HIV in humans.
Lymphocytes -
these are small white blood cells which help to prtect the body from
disease.
Endocrine
System - a system of small organs that work togethe and which produce
hormones. Hormones alter the rate at which paticular reactions take
place.
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Sources:
- Your Cat by Elizabeth Hodgkins DVM
- The Veterinarians' Guide to Your Cat's Symptoms
by Garvey DVM, Houpt DVM, Wallace DVM, Hohenhaus DVM, Pinkney DVM,
Randolph.
- Veterinary Notes for Cat Owners by Trevor
Turner BVet Med, MRCVS and Jean Turner VN
- Wikipedia
- Various online medical dictionaries
- Cornell
University College of
Veterinarian Medicine website
- Pictures
of cats website
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