Top Five Most Common Cat Illnesses

[palehorse]

Here is a listing of the top 5 most common cat illnesses and their symptoms.

1. Urinary Tract Infection
2. Upper Respiratory Infection
3. Feline Panleukopenia (feline distemper)
4. Chronic Kidney Failure
5. Diabetes

1. Urinary Tract Infection
Cats often times get urinary tract infections, it is not limited to humans. Symptoms of this vary from cat to cat. Many cats will cry out or whine in pain while using the litter box and there is a possibility of seeing blood in the urine. You may also notice more frequent house breaking accidents, even if the cat is fully housebroken. Also you may notice frequent attempts to urinate unsuccessfully.

Urinary Tract Infection may vary in severity, and you may be totally unaware of the problem. Sometimes the most mild cases will clear up on it's own without you becoming aware there was a problem. Since the symptoms can be hard to spot, when you finally do spot it, the time to take your feline friend to the Veterinarian.

Antibiotics is the common first treatment for urinary tract infection. This has a high rate of success when caught early. Your Veterinarian will likely want a series of tests to figure out the origin of the problem, and to determine proper treatment. In rare cases the infection can spread to the kidney, complicating the problem. Your cat might suffer a lot of pain. At the first sign of symptoms you should make an appointment ASAP. If there is anything preventing your cat from either getting to the litter box or going outside, this can be life threatening.

2. Upper Respiratory Infection
Very similar to the common cold in people. Most indoor cats will not contract this infection. It is, however, contagious an it is passed from one cat to the other. Outdoor cats are the most vulnerable to this illness.

A cat with upper respiratory infection will cough, sneeze, develop a runny nose have a "raspy" sounding meow and may have a fever. In most cases cats shake this off in a similar manner that humans shake off the common cold, in fact that's what most people think it is, "My cat has a cold..." If your cat shows a lack of energy and will not eat or drink while suffering from this, then it's time to quit trying to let nature take it's course and bring it to the Veterinarian.

Upper respiratory infection, (known as URI) is generally caused by a virus and caught from another animal. It is not clear if they can catch it from a human, but humans don't seem to "catch a cold" from their cats.

Antibiotics are the routine treatment given to cats with URI. This is not to treat the virus, but rather to avoid any secondary bacterial problems that may occur.

3. Feline Panleukopenia (feline distemper)
Known widely as "feline distemper", this is caused by a virus. Even though full grown cats can contract this illness, kittens are the most susceptible to it. Feline Distemper is very contagious among cats and kittens, and is commonly spread through litter boxes, food and water that has been shared or contaminated.

The symptoms of feline distemper are relatively easy to spot. Your cat will show a lack of energy, and become listless. Their skin will dry out due to dehydration, and their hair may fallout somewhat and their eyes will look dull and lifeless.

If you suspect feline distemper, take your cat to the Veterinarian immediately. A simple blood test to determine the white blood cell count will be needed. There is, unfortunately, no medicine to fight this virus, but antibiotics are recommended to stave off any secondary infections. Your cat will also need it's dehydration addressed immediately.

Feline distemper is HARD to fight, and many beloved felines have died from this because the infection spreads very quickly. The good news in all of this, is that there IS a vaccine. It is wise to make sure your cat is vaccinated as a kitten. Ask your Veterinarian if this is part of their vaccination routine.

4. Chronic Kidney Failure
Kidney failure is more common in our senior citizens of the cat world. This is considered as part of the natural aging process. As the kidneys age, they deteriorate and fail to effectively remove waste from the blood stream.

Symptoms of kidney failure are lack of appetite, no energy, some nausea or vomiting. As the cat's kidneys begin to fail, your cat will require more and more water to process the toxins. As time passes the cat will not be able to take in as much water as is needed, and the toxins in the blood stream will start effecting the cat. A veterinarian can do a urine and blood test to see if your cat really does of chronic kidney failure.

There is no cure for kidney failure but there ARE things that can be done to treat your cat to enhance the quality of life, and extend it a little. Common treatments include an IV drip for dehydration, and or kidney dialysis. They DO have dialysis machines for pets, but this is very expensive.

5. Diabetes
Cats can get diabetes just like humans can. The disease is virtually the same thing; The body does not produce enough insulin to maintain the correct blood sugar levels. If diabetes is not diagnosed or treated, it can severely shorten your cat's life span.

The initial symptoms of diabetes in your cat include increased appetite, yet no weight gain, possibly even weight loss, drinking and urinating more frequently, loss of energy, and their coat may start to loose it's shine.
Later as the disease progresses the cat will suffer from weakness, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea and labored breathing. Also dehydration will be obvious.

Your cat's Veterinarian will want blood and urine tests to screen for diabetes. There are a number of possible treatments available, depending on how severe it is in your cat. You may be required to give your cat insulin shots once or twice daily, and there will likely be a special diet involved. A cat that is further along will need to be treated for dehydration.


This concludes my entry on top five common health issues. I got this information from reading various web sites on the subject, then condensing it for you here. Feel free to link to this page. I will be working on a top five for dogs shortly.

As always, contact your own licensed veterinarian for advice.