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Cat Health Problems

Cat at Vet

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.

cat and pet insurance

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

Things We Do or are Involved In


Skin - Hair - Parasites - Allergies

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

Other

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





[Note: these cat health problems are not transferable to humans]

Does cat breed health affect your choice of breed?
   Yes - a lot
   Yes - quite a lot
   Yes - slightly
   Not sure
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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.


Serval cat at vets under an operation
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 at Vets
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 at vet kidney failure
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 a vets in a sink
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 (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 at a Vet's Surgery
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 (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 ) .


Vet's Surgery
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 - 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.

Vet's Surgery
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}


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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.




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