Help ensure a healthy life for your cat by learning to identify and understand a variety of feline illnesses and their warning signs. Fortunately, most cat diseases are not life-threatening and may need only a veterinary visit to treat the problem. This information is not intended to replace your cat's annual visit to the veterinarian or to substitute for veterinary care.
Also called panleukopenia, feline distemper is a deadly disease that mostly affects kittens. It's a highly contagious viral disease that spreads through the air, by contact with infected animals or even contact with places where infected animals have been. Distemper afflicts the intestinal tract and causes diarrhea, vomiting and severe dehydration, along with fever and depression.
Minimize the risk of disease by following a vaccination schedule. Consult your veterinarian for the appropriate treatment.
Feline Leukemia Virus Associated Disease (FeLV)
FeLV can be associated with many disorders. Cats may even be infected with FeLV and show no symptoms for many years. Symptoms vary from case to case.
Solution: A blood test can detect FeLV and a vaccine is available for kittens as young as 10 weeks of age. Avoid contact with infected cats. Check with your veterinarian for treatment.
Lower Urinary Tract Disease (LUTD)
LUTD is a group of diseases that involves irritation of the urinary system, leading to bleeding, pain or increased attempts to urinate. Symptoms include frequent urination, straining or inability to urinate, bloody urine and, at times, depression, decreased appetite, vomiting or dehydration, and death.
Treatment will vary with the type of LUTD. If you suspect LUTD, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Many cats suffer from the endocrine disorder known popularly as "sugar diabetes." While this disorder frequently occurs in obese animals, the symptoms are easy to spot even if you don't have a fat cat. If you suspect your cat is suffering from diabetes, look for many of the same symptoms displayed by humans with the disease.
A significant increase in water intake, a voracious appetite and yet a tendency to lose weight in spite of increased intake are all symptoms of feline diabetes. If you have any indication that your cat may have diabetes, your veterinarian can perform a simple blood or urine test to confirm the presence of diabetes. If diabetes is detected it can usually be controlled with insulin or other medications.
Rabies is a fatal infection of the central nervous system. Symptoms include excitability and possible paralysis.
Rabies is preventable. When your cat is between three and six months old, it should have a rabies vaccination shot and subsequent boosters according to type of vaccination. Check with your veterinarian.
A term for numerous viral infections characterized by flu-like or "cold" symptoms. Symptoms include sneezing, runny nose and eyes, fever, ulcers in the eyes, mouth, on the tongue or in the throat.
Follow a vaccination schedule to minimize the risk of disease. Consult your veterinarian for the appropriate treatment.
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