[?] Subscribe To This Site

Cat Breeds A-Z

More Cats & Facts

Fun and Cats

Top 5 Breeds

PoC Admin +

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.

Go to:

contents of this page

links to many pages on cat health

links to see visitors' submissions

form to make you own submission

reference material and methods

Contents - Cat Health Problems

There is information on this page and elswhere; the page evolved. Please go to a list of links to cat health problems. Continue for onsite information.

Introduction
The method employed in drafting this.
The Most Common Illnesses
The method employed in listing them and the list. A pet insurance

opens in new window - company sets out their list of the most common cat illnesses

. It is slightly different (opens a new page).
URI
Upper Respiratory Infection - colds, flu etc. including Feline Herpes Virus

FLUTD
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease - wide spectrum of lower urinary tract diseases.
Feline IBD
Probably caused more often than not by unnatural commercial cat food.
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 your cat very ill and can be fatal. If the cat is pregnant, tt can be transmitted to the foetus when it can cause damage to the cerebellum of the brain resulting in Feline Cerebellar Hypoplasia (uncoordinated cat).
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. See also on a separate page: Adoptable FeLV Cats. Please spread the word.
Hyperthyroidism
In older cats, average age of 13 years, causes increased metabolism.
Miscellaneous
A short discussion on a range of health issues with links.

Later additions to cat health problems:- The following are pages that have been added over time and extend this discussion on cat health problems

= new window:

Cancer

Cat Health Cancer - A brief overview on this subject.
Cats Cancer and Passive Smoking - We can get cancer by passive smoking, so can cats, of course.
Feline Leukemia Symptoms - This really means the symptoms of the feline leukemia virus (FeLV).
Feline Fibrosarcoma - A cancer of the skin that is made notable by its association with cat vaccinations resulting in cat vaccination recommendations.

Things We Do or are Involved In

Cat Hoarding - an illness or cat love combined with low standards.
Cat Temperature - what is it and how to take it.
Microchipping for pets - Are there health problems associated with this procedure?
Neutering cats - I'm pleased with this page. It covers the terms, the operation and some religion.....
Feline Pain Relief - Rarely if ever should we administer it without a vet's advice.
Melamine in Cat Food - cat poisoning - There was a huge pet food recall in the USA in 2007. It was put down to melamine in cat food (and dog food). Read more about this.
Cat Poison - this is about car engine antifreeze. Some people use it deliberately
Cat Pregnancy - Not a health problem normally but health related, hence listed (opens a new page)
Cat Scratch Disease - This is a human condition rarely caused by a cat but is listed here nonetheless. Also Cat Scratch fever symtoms and Cat Bites Signs of Infection.
Dental Gel for Cats - We should try and clean outr cat's teeth, but can we?
Declawing Cats - a most important subject - this is an umbrella page with lots of links to more articles and thoughts - more to come though....

American Veterinarians are Unethical Towards the Cat - the same as the above but slightly different angle. The same form available as above.
Declawing: A Physical Therapist Assistant's Perspective***This is a very informative article indeed and it covers areas that are rarely dicussed by the vets who declaw.

Tenectomy or tendonectomy on cats - more unethical behaviour by the illustrious American veterinary surgeon.
Clogged Tear Duct of a Cat - this is not automatically our fault but often is. That is why it is under this heading.
Flea Treatments Can Kill - yes, true and a major reason is because we failed to read the instructions on the box.
Outdoor Cat Problems - there is a divide. The cat keepers sometimes upset the cat haters. The cat is in between.
Kitten Development
Cat Aggression - a lot of this is to do with us.
Cat Vaccinations - these are sometimes over prescribed and can be dangerous.
Adoptable FeLV Cats. Visitors can advertise cats on this linked page.
Humans Transmitting Disease to Cats - concerns H1N1 virus.
Cat Biting Tail - are we in part to blame?

Skin - Hair - Parasites - Allergies

Cat Hair Loss - Causes discussed in some detail.
Cat Hairballs - I say this is a domestic cat problem. Lists all the remedies.
Cat Skin Rashes - Possible causes discussed.
Cat Parasites - An overview page pulling the various posts together.
Cat Parasite - the revolting tick.
Cat Skin Problems - wide ranging list of possible causes.
Feline Dandruff - A bit like human dandruff, I say, with some differences.
Feline Mange - This short post focuses on head mange a relatively rare condition.
Lungworm in Cats - When it's wet and warm there are more infections, the life cycle is fascinating.....
Cat Ear Mites - Dark gungy wax is the evidence plus irritation.
Cat Heartworm - What is it?
Feline Allergies - Allergies from food, fleas and inhaled allergens are discussed and more
Feline Asthma - This may be caused by a range of allergens including food and is usually manageable.
Tapeworms in Felines - These horrible things clamp onto the inside wall of the small intestine - fleas play a role sometimes.
Hypoallergenic Cat Food - probably best to make your own.

Head - Brain - Upper Respiratory - Heart

Cat Heart Murmur Symptoms - a pretty full discussion on this.
Cat Dementia - On the increase? Maybe it is, as cats like humans are living longer. We should recognize the signs and be gentle.
Cat Drooling - usual causes discussed.
Cat cough - All but the simplest causes and shortest durations of cat cough should be dealt with by your veterinarian.
Signs of Cat Mouth Disease - we should pick this up fairly early on.
Deaf cat - A cat has great senses and can cope well even when deaf.
Feline Endocrine Alopecia - This is rare and can be confused with excessive grooming due to behavioral problems.
Siamese Cat Health Problems (click on this link) - A discussion relating to this cat breed focusing on the Modern Siamese cat.
Feline Stroke - We know about human strokes, the feline version is similar with different symptoms.
Feline Hyperesthesia - An unusual disease and one that my cat might suffer from in a very mild form.
Feline sneezing - Sneezing can be unimportant and transient or important and long lasting requiring a visit to the veterinarian.
Feline Eye Disease - A long compact list in summary form of eye diseases
Cat Gum Disease - A cat's teeth are a potential weak spot and we should be ever vigilant.
Conjunctivitis in a Kitten - a submission from a visitor on a very ill kitten.

Body Fluids etc.

Cat Vomiting - A discussion on the various causes of cat vomiting and what we might do. This is pretty comprehensive I think.
Cat Constipation - Here is a comprehensive look at a quite commonly encountered problem. It covers home treatments. We all need to know the consistency of our cat's feces....!
Treating Cat Diarrhea - We can treat to a certain degree. The limits are spelled out here plus more.
Feline Chronic Dehydration - This condition can be due to prolonged vomiting and/or prolonged diarrhea.
Cat Anemia - a visitor askes about their cat and I answer by researching the causes.
Feline IBD - caused by horrible modern cat food?

Pancreas - Kidney - Liver

Symptoms of Feline Diabetes - Just the symptoms.
Feline Kidney Stones - Kidney stones are rare but crystalline stones in the urinary tract are less so.
Feline Pancreatitis - A rare condition it can be a killer but the symptoms are indistinct and diagnosis hard.
Feline Fatty Liver Disease - The cause is unknown but the remedy is, but it needs commitment and dedication from the cat keeper.
Feline Kidney Disease - Chronic renal disease can be managed but what is the best way and what is the best diet? The conventional and modern is discussed on this page. You might also like to read about the very prevalent (most common..) Feline Polycystic Kidney Disease
Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC) - The information provided is about prevention of cat cystitis.
Low Magnesium Cat Food

Other

Feline Weight Loss - Undereating - why? - undernourished - a different thing.
Feline Anemia - The main reason not enough blood being produced - why?
Cushings Disease in Cats - This is an endocrine disorder -- an inbalance of hormones.
Cat Rabies Symptoms - Cat rabies is present in most countries (not UK) and in Asia more so due to low levels of vaccination. Eating cat meat can mean getting rabies.
Fading Kitten Syndrome - This is similar to is similar to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SID).
Elderly Cat Health Problems - illness specific to old age plus general issues are discussed.

Injury

Feline Hypothermia Treatment - What do we do when our cat gets very cold?
Cat Wounds - Some stuff on dealing with them.
Cat Abscess - Cat fights are a typical source of injury, infection and cat abscess.

Miscellaneous

Genetically Linked Diseases opens in new window
This looks at diseases that are inherited with certain cat breeds. (opens in new page). This is quite a comprehensive list. See also:
Persian Cat Health Problems [link]
Siamese Cat Health Problems [link]
Maine Coon Cat Health
See cat illness symptoms - a list of symptoms linked to a description of the possible illness.
See cat illness prevention - some thoughts about minimizing the occurrences of common and expensive cat illnesses.

This page tells you briefly the about the reference material and methods.

[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.
Cat Health Problems - Photograph is � Sean94110

Most Common Illnesses

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 is possible, however, for the layperson to get an indication of illness by checking your cat's pulse (opens in new window

). (Update: as this wesbite grows I have added one or two other cat health problems to the list of contents above).

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

Update: Since drafting this page I have added various posts on cat health issues on a subdomain Blogger site. These health issues are common and based on searched for topics. A list of these can be seen here.
{return to contents}

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 (see Feline Herpes Virus for more on this) - (link opens in new window )
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 (opens in new window

) . 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

{return to contents}

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 (opens in new window

) 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

{go to contents}
{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 diabetes (this deals with the subject in some detail)
low carbohydrate cat food
dry food and obesity

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 (see a full page dedicated to feline distemper symptoms)

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

{go to contents}

FIP

This disease is caused by the feline coronavirus. It is not highly contagious (one vet says it is simply not 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 inflammatory 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 controversial vaccine.

See more on Feline FIP (opens in new window

)

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). It is the cat equivalent of human AIDS.

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. See more on Feline Aids (opens in new window

) .

Cat Health Problems - Vet's surgery photo � Hayley Bouchard

{go to contents}

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 - I discuss the symptoms (opens in new window

) in more detail). 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

{go to contents}

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 (opens in new window

) 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 (opens in new window

) . Some cat food manufacturers promote dry cat food as good for cleaning your cat's teeth. Is this correct? (opens in new window

) . 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 (opens in new window

) .

Cat skin rashes (opens in new window

) 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 (opens in new window

) .

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 (opens in new window

) . 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.

{go to contents}

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. They 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.

{go to contents}

Please share you knowledge......

We'd love to hear from you on cat health issues. What you say may help a cat somewhere.

Yes, people all over the world have knowledge through first hand experience of cat health. We hope you can find time to share it. Please scroll down to see submissions

Enter Your Title

Tell Us Your Story! [ ? ]

Upload A Picture (optional) [ ? ]

Add Picture Caption (optional)

Author Information (optional)

To receive credit as the author, enter your information below.

Your Name	(first or full name)
Your Location	(ex. City, State, Country)

Submit Your Contribution

Check box to agree to these submission guidelines.

(You can preview and edit on the next page)

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Bad Vets?
This is a short story by a visitor about a bad vet or at least on this occasion he or she was bad, and oh, my, is this poor.

...cat taken to vet. I ...

My Cat Won't Eat
My cat is 3 years old and has been healthy. Now, he has lost considerable weight and will not eat.

He will rarely drink water, then lays down by the ...

Anyone Have Any Views On Vaccinosis?
I have heard a few stories as of late about cats dying after being given booster injections. Just wondered if anyone else has any comments about this?

I ...

Cat Walking With Toes Bent Under
Can anyone please tell me why my cat starting walking with her toes bent under. She never used to do this.

Her walking got progressively worse until ...

My Cat Was Bit By Another Cat
My cat was bit by another cat and his foot is all swollen up and some bleeding. He is not walking on this foot today. We just noticed it yesterday and ...

We Lost 4 Cats In One Week by Mothball Poisoning
I�m writing this account of what happened to two of the most beautiful cats I�ve ever owned with the hope no one has to repeat this experience. Whiskers ...

Cat jumping on bed and causing injury due to sharp claws!
My cat is nearly 18 and due to not seeing very well, when she jumps up on me in the night, she digs her claws firmly in to stop falling off, often getting ...

Cat Swine Flu
People search for cat swine flu because there is a bit of talk about cats getting swine flu. It means swine flu in cats . I'll call it "cat swine flu"...

Bad Breath in Cats
Bad breath in cats is a sign of mouth disease. The most common causes are Stomatitis, Gingivitis, tooth decay and tartar. Stomatitis is a sore mouth....

Hymalayan Cat With Heavy Breathing
Hello all. I have a 15 yr old Hymalayan that has enjoyed good health all his life but now his breathing has gotten heavy. He hasn't changed his daily routine ...

Two Elderly Passive Smoking Cats
According to Michael's article 'Passive Smoking Affects Pets' I am completely unfit for keeping cats. Actually as a smoker I am in the same league as people ...

Cat Passing Blood
We have a female cat that has been spayed and it is about one years old. Every morning it has a wee in the bath but is also passing blood. Is it a healthy ...

Cat Bites Signs of Infection
Before I talk about cat bites signs of infection I would like to put cat bites into perspective. A cat that is adequately socialised (raised to behave ...

I am Losing My Maine Coon Cat Max
Max was born on October 5th, 2000. He is a purebred Maine Coon and was de-clawed and neutered prior to my adopting him. He was a big cat at maturity,...

My Friend's Cat Licks Unframed Photos
My friend's cat licks unframed photos why is she doing this?... thanks for the question . This might sound a bit weird but I think it is not. It is probably ...

Nine Year Old Silver Persian Loses Weight
My silver persan who is nine years old lost has around 1.5 kg weight in the last weeks. He does not eat any food or at just a bit. He drinks water and ...

Kitten with Severe Anemia and Low Temp
Hi,I just today had to put my 5 month old kitten to sleep. He had been tested early on for HIV and leukemia and came back negative; also negative for parasites....

Large Cat Gains Weight Then Loses It Slowly
Our cat, Paw, was a big, gregarious, ridiculously happy cat, but not very bright. In November, about two months before his ninth birthday, I added canned ...

Ragdoll Cat Skin Scabs
My 5 year-old Ragdoll cat has developed skin scabs that appear all over, especially the neck area. They get better when flea treatment is applied, but ...

A victim of FIP
Last year I lost my Ivanhoe, who succumbed to FIP (feline infectious peritonitis) just 11 months old. He was a purebred somali that I had high expectations ...

Claw Caps Not Really Any Better Than Declawing...
The picture is snipped from a recent article in the periodical issued by the Danish cat shelter "Inges Kattehjem". I hope they don't mind me borrowing ...

Conjunctivitis in a Kitten
I took in a pregnant outdoor cat. She had her litter in my Fla. room. They were all beautiful and seemingly healthy and active. They are now 6 wks. old ...

My Cat has Dilated Pupils
I have a beautiful long haired tabby/ tortoiseshell cross 1 year old but her right eye pupil is wide open and does not dilate, the left eye is similar ...

Cat Diarrhea
Please help with any advice possible on cat diarrhea. I have a one year Persian, who since I bought him, has had loose stools. At first, I thought it could ...

Can My Cat Catch Swine Flu?
Can My Cat Catch Swine Flu? The answer is almost certainly, no. The feeling I get from listening and reading is that the experts are not completely sure....

Irradiated Cat Food
You know, I had never heard or given a moments thought to irradiated cat food . I had never heard of it until I bumped into it on the internet and ...

Cat Food Recall List
This cat food recall list is current as at April 2009. It concerns the USA and the source is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The list is long ...

My Cat was Bitten by a Snake
My cat, (I call him Turkey) was bitten by a copperhead snake last summer and barely made it thru. He really was starting to put on some weight and be healthy....

Cat Headache?
My lovely little year old kitten has suddenly gone off her usual food -likes new stuff- but the weird thing is the way she rests her head... she places ...

Successful Cat Pill Story
My 15 year old tortoiseshell, Sadie, has hyperthyroidism and requires 1/2 pill each morning. After trying liquid form, medicated treats and even pills ...

A Ragdoll Cat with Sensitive Stomach (gluten intolerance)
My female Ragdoll cat developed a very sensitive stomach (was this Celiac Disease ?) as soon as she was put on the Science Diet Adult cat food. She ...

My Cat Eats Too Much
Persian Kitten Matata will be 8 months on 29-11-2009 and he is a "Eating Machine". Matata copies each and every behaviour of his dam Matahari including ...

Cat Suffering From Stress?
Lola Belle is 3 yrs old and for the past few days she hasn`t been herself. She is anxious and nervy, has messed in the house more than once, if she has ...

My Cat Has Hair Loss at End of Back and Beginning of Tail
I have a 3 yr. old Maine Coon female cat. I have noticed that she has lost the hair at the middle of her back down onto the beginning of her tail. She ...

Healthy Cat Weight
Generally, a healthy cat weight is between 9 and 12 pounds for a male cat and between 7 and 10 pounds for a female cat (book No 5� See: Methods and References ...

Why Does My Cat Keep On Wanting Food?
Hi, My cat is called Tom. He is 4 years old and he eats in the morning and in the evening. However, he is on a wet food diet only due to the fact he had ...

Hepatic Amyloidosis in Siamese & Oriental Cats
I was informed of Hepatic Amyloidosis in Siamese & Oriental Cats by a visitor (Lisa Lyons) to this website who lives with beautiful Oriental Shorthair ...

My Cat Got Burned Advice Please
My cat got burned when she jumped up on the kitchen counter. She's a right devil like that. I've told her but she won't listen. Well, it is more a scolding ...

Cat Biting Tail Not rated yet
The cat biting tail problem is not that unusual (and I am talking about a cat biting its own tail, by the way). It looks like the cat needs a psychiatrist....

Sphynx Cat with URI and FLUTD and Lameness Not rated yet
I have two Sphynxes. First I took my cat, Seth, to the vet because he had difficulty walking on his front leg. After X-rays and a full blood count the ...

Constipated Cat Please Help Not rated yet
Hi it's been very interesting to read all your input. I have a short hair black domestic cat who is constipated. Unfortunatley I am out of work and can'...

Cat Eye Crust Not rated yet
How do I remove the crust around the corners of my cat's eyes? which are commonly found on long-hair cats ...see pictures.

Hi, thanks for the question ...

My Cat Has Rapid Breathing Not rated yet
My normally very lively cat is nonreactive and groggy and her breathing is extremely rapid and her breaths are light.Also her head seems very heavy and ...

Ultrasound Testing for HCM and PKD at a Cat Show Not rated yet
Here is a short video of ultrasound testing for HCM and PKD at a cat show. The show was the April 2009 TICA Thunderkatz show near Oklahoma city. I must ...

Antidote to Paracetamol Poisoning in Cats Not rated yet
There is an antidote to paracetamol poisoning in cats. Some people take overdoses of paracetamol. An antidote has been developed and is available at (some?...

Two kittens one ill Not rated yet
My son brought me two kittens for Easter 6 weeks old concerned about the brother his eyes are watery they look like they are irritated he has sneezed a ...

Cats and Chocolate Not rated yet
It's Easter. Piles of chocolate. We love chocolate but cats and chocolate are a recipe for disaster. The same goes for dogs. Easter is a time for celebration ...

Strange Hairloss in Small Patches in Older Cat Not rated yet
Our Xena is twelve years old and developed this strange hairloss. I raised her by bottle since she was abandoned in Pisa Italy. She grew in to a beautiful ...

Refusal to Eat and Weight Loss Not rated yet
My 4 year old Persian male refused to eat as of 2 days ago and has lost some weight. He was very playful, now he is very quiet and his movements are slow....

Cat vomited a Lot of liquid and now is sneezing Not rated yet
My kitty girl is 14.5 years old. She was recently diagnosed with the beginning stages of renal failure. She was just fine this morning, up on the bed ...

Homeopathy for Cats Not rated yet
What is Homeopathy for cats ? Vets who practice it are probably few and far between. Homeopathy was devised and developed by Samuel Hahnemann (10 April ...

Cat Aggression Not rated yet
Cat Aggression See: Methods and References (new window) for the philosophy behind presenting medical information and references used. Any cat in ...

Cat Insulin Shots Not rated yet
Some people administer cat insulin shots . I am no vet but I do have a biology qualification and as far as I am aware the pancreas and the liver work ...

Feline Infectious Peritonitis Prevention Not rated yet
I am not sure is there is something in this but it seems that Feline Infectious Peritonitis prevention may be possible by eliminating external stresses....

Cat health problems - 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
Robinson's Genetics 4th Ed.

Cat Health Problems to Home Page