Most Common Cat Diseases

If you have a cat, then you know that they are very good at self-maintenance. However, even the most fastidious of cats can’t prevent some of the more common cat diseases and health issues.

Vomiting

One of the most common problems with cats is vomiting. The causes of cats vomiting range from infection, eating something poisonous or inedible (like plastic) to urinary tract problems and diabetes.

Symptoms are fairly obvious, they generally include drooling and some abdominal heaving. When cats vomit, usually it only happens once, however if your cat continues to vomit you will want to contact your vet because this can leave them dehydrated as well as possibly being a symptom of a more serious issue.

Lower urinary tract disease

Somewhere around fifteen percent of all cats that are brought into the veterinarians office have feline lower urinary tract disease, or FLUTD. This is really a group of various feline diseases that have myriad causes.  Both male and female felines may get FLUTD, and it often happens to cats that are unfit, eat dry food or are overweight. If your cat is under stress, or lives in a household with multiple cats this can raise your cat’s risk of contracting this disease. Treatment of feline lower urinary tract disease depends on what kind your individual cat has. FLUTD symptoms may include:

• Difficulty Urinating
• Blood in urine
• Unusual urination places
• Whining when urinating
• Depression
• Dehydration
• No appetite
• Vomiting

This is not something to wait on, it is always to be considered to be an emergency if your cat cannot urinate. Call your veterinarian immediately.

Fleas

External issues can affect your cat’s health as well. Fleas are a common problem, but one that can easily be treated. Flea symptoms may include:

• Flea dirt on skin
• Scratching
• Frequent licking
• Irritated skin
• Hair loss
• Skin infections

Fleas are long lived, they can survive up to a year, so it is important to quickly treat an infestation your cat risks anemia with a bad flea infection, so preventing infestations can be key to your cats continued health. You can discuss with your veterinarian which type of flea control would be ideal for your cat since there are powders, oral medications and topical medications.

Tapeworms

Another common health problem that may affect your cat are tapeworms. A tapeworm can grow up to two feet inside your cat’s small intestine. Symptoms of this disease can go unnoticed since they are subtle. They may include weight loss and vomiting, but the easiest way to tell if your cat has a tapeworm is to check their feces. If you see small white worms or something that looks like a grain of rice, they are likely infested with tapeworms.

Treatments for tapeworm can be in injection form, oral medications or topical medications. Cats almost always get tapeworms from swallowing fleas, so controlling their flea problem before treating the tapeworm is vital.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea in cats has many causes; some of which include spoiled food, allergies, liver diseases and hairballs. The symptoms are immediately evident, with loose watery stools. Finding the cause is important because untreated it can last from a day to weeks and months. Be sure to keep plenty of fresh clean water available to your cat to make sure it stays properly hydrated. If your cat seems fatigued, has blood in their stool or won’t eat, then you should immediately contact your vet.

Eye problems

Cats can suffer from a range of eye problems to rival humans. Conjunctivitis, glaucoma, retinal diseases and various traumas among others can all affect cats. Symptoms that may indicate a problem with your cat’s eyes include watery eyes, cloudiness, red or white eyelids and gunk in the eyes. If your cat has any of these, or is pawing at the eye, you should contact your vet, since there is not much you can do for them. Wipe your cat’s eyes with a damp cotton ball and make an appointment.