Cat Health Problems
You may have heard a phrase about cats that they have nine lives, but it is not valid. Animals, especially cats, are self-sufficient, but they get sick also. Pets are dependent on their owners; they as pets are more vulnerable and fragile than wild animals. Cat owners must know that cats can entirely hide their illness and remain unnoticed.
Being a pet owner, you must track and record of habits of your cat if you notice any sudden changes be cautions. Getting a regular check-up is help-full, but it is essential to get notices of signs and symptoms of common illness so that you can get professional help at the right time. So in this regard, we are going to provide you detail about common cat problems and their symptoms which every pet owner must know:
Signs and symptoms:
Before studying the diseases in details let's have a look on signs and seaports which alarm that your cat is sick:
1: Change in appetite.
2: Weight changes.
3: Lethargy.
4: Urinary changes.
5: Abnormal breathing.
6: Eyes or nose discharge.
7: Ear debris or discharge.
8: Skin irritation
9: Hair loss.
10: Behavioural changes.
11: Swelling.
12: Bad breath-sign of dental problems.
Common Cat health problems:
1: Vomiting:
If you've been a cat owner for a long period, then you must know that vomiting is one of the most occurring and common problems of cats. Vomiting is not a problem but a symptom of any other illness. There may be several reasons for vomiting like eating anything unusual or poisonous; cats often chew some in-edible things like toys or strings, infections like urinary tract infection or stomach infection, or sometimes diabetes. https://pawsandme.co/collections/bowls-and-feeders/products/explosive-cat-double-bowl-cat-bowl-dog-bowl-transparent-as-material-non-slip-food-bowl-with-protection-cervical-transparent-cat
Some cats may experience some additional symptoms like heaviness in the abdomen and drooling (uncontrolled salvia drawing out of the mouth). This other problem associated with vomiting is dehydration. If vomiting is unstoppable, it causes severe dehydration before getting this more serious, immediately call any veterinary doctor or take your kitty to a centenary hospital to get better treatment.
2: Diarrhea:
Another issue that is associated with vomiting is diarrhea. Diarrhea can occur due to several reasons like spoiled food, food allergies, and parasites in intestine, infection, liver issues, and cancer.
Diarrhea is mostly a watery, liquid, or loose stool, and depending on the situation, it may last from days to months until the issue diarrhea recovers completely. If diarrhea is persistent and causes vomiting, black and bloody stool, or if it remains longer than a day, then waste any time further to take your cat to the doctor.
Take good care of your cats who are suffering from diarrhea. Give them plenty of water, cleansed, or boiled to prevent dehydration. Treatment at veterinary involves also inclined by giving plenty of fluids, and no food should be given to the cat until 12-24 hour pass. Then start giving a bland diet like boiled rice, boiled potato, boneless cooked chicken, bread, etc.
3: Feline Lower Urinary Tract Diseases (FLUTD):
FLUTD is a lower urinary tract infection, as the name indicates. According to a survey, about 3% of cats see their vet doctor due to this issue. These are actually due to multiple causes and occur in most obese or cats that prefer dry food. This disease can worsen by stress and any slight change in the environment.
Symptoms include majorly straining to urinate, blood in urine, vomiting, crying, feeling pain while urination, excessive licking of genitals, dehydration lack of sleep, depression, crying, and urinating in different unusual places.
If you do see any of these symptoms, especially straining to urinate or can't urinate at all, go to your vet without wasting any time because it can be a sign of blockage and which can be fatal.
The treatment starts with identifying the leading causes, which can be infections, bladder stones, urinary blockage, and sometimes even cancer. The procedure begins with medication like antibiotics and removing the blockage. The vet also does some dietary changes and changes in water intake.
4: Cancer:
Cancer is a disease caused by uncontrolled cell division, and this uncontrolled division spreads towards other parts of the body and causes illness. Like humans, cats are also suffering from this deadly disease and killing them too. It can be specific (remain in only one area) or spread throughout the body.
Cats mostly suffer from cancer of the lymph system known as Lymph sarcoma. This type of cancer is caused by the most persistent virus found in cats known as the feline leukemia virus. The virus is mostly present in the stomach and chest of the cat. Another type of cancer that is most revealing in white cats is squamous cell carcinoma.
The most common cancer symptoms are swelling, skin infection, skin soreness, lumps, lethargy, weight loss, difficulty breathing, urinating, and dedicating. Treatment options for cancer are immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy if the area is susceptible to operation. Visit your pet's oncologist for better treatment.
5: Heartworm:
Heartworm is caused by infected mosquitoes, although the cat is not a typical host but is causing deaths in cats. As the name refers, it looks like it affects the heart but damages the cat's lungs. Common signs are vomiting, coughing, and respiratory problems.
The bad news is there is no safe and useful treatment for heartworm, but the good news is that cats' immune systems may fight for this own. Thus take care to boost the immune system of your cats. Medication to reduce inflammation is mostly. To prevent this issue, make sure to make the cat living space free of mosquitoes and take more preventive measures by the vet's instructions.
6: Fleas:
Fleas are the most common cat problems but can be treated with great ease. It is also the most prevalent feline health issue that can be faced by most of the cats. The most occurring signs and symptoms are licking, constant scratching, and fleas, like black dots on the skin, red or irritated skin, hair loss, and frequent skin infection.
Fleas are not fatal, but if they live more than a year in your cat, your cat may become anemic, and this becomes a severe issue. So it is necessary to solve the problem as soon as possible and try to prevent it. Ask your vet doctor to take good care of your cat and preventive measures to avoid the issue. Topical medications are best to use; other treatment options are oral medication, powders, and foams.
7: Tapeworms:
Some of the feline health concerns which occur most of the time are tapeworm. They live inside the body of the cat, and if they grow, they can grow up to 2 feet long. The tapeworm breaks and comes outside the body in fragments, so the tapeworm can't be seen. So if you notice any unusual thing in the poop of your cat doesn't ignore it.
The signs and symptoms of a tapeworm include vomiting and rapid weight loss of your cat, the easy way is to track the presence of flea, if you feel any changes in the feces and to bleed in the anus or if you see anything coming out of your cat as the size of grain or seed, this can be a tapeworm.
The treatment goes from oral to topical medication towards injections. Most of the time, the issue occurs if your cat swallows a flea, so both problems go hand-in-hand to check on the flea issue to get rid of tapeworm.
8: Kidney Disease:
Kidney disease is a very serious issue among cats. It affects the cat's daily activities and if un-diagnostic causes even death. Kidney disease is more prevalent in older cats and cats who are allowed to visit outdoors. Kidney disease becomes alarming when the kidney fails to perform at least 75% of its function of filtering the blood, and the body toxins accumulate inside the body.
Kidney diseases are not only prevalent diseases in humans but also in cats as well. Kidney disease in cats causes difficulty in urinating, which leads to building toxins inside the body, and this becomes toxic. Kidney diseases can be linked with other conditions like toxin build-up, kidney stone, age factor, and high blood pressure. Kidney disease is more common in older ages and obese cats.
Symptoms of kidney disease are sudden weight loss, lethargy, decreased appetite, and diarrhea, but most of the cats show no signs as the disease occurs and remains un-diagnostic. Kidney disease starts with treating the cause's first place. Sometimes if the kidney is damaged, transplant is the obvious solution.
9: Dental Disease:
Gum diseases or periodontal disease the common issue faced by cats as well; this starts with the plague growing on teeth. If this plaque is not cleaned, it turns into a yellow or brown deposit known as tartar, which is very difficult to remove. Dental problems will also cause some severe infections in cats' teeth or some time cats lose a tooth.
Signs and symptoms of the disease are bad breath, difficult breathing, and difficulty in chewing foods. Bad breath is associated with gum disease or digestive issues. Some other major signs are swollen gums, discolored teeth, loose teeth, ulcers on the tongue and gums, drooling, or pawing around the mouth.
The diet is the primary factor in this regard, so always provide mixed foods and dry foods mostly so that the teeth remain healthy.
If your cat is diagnosed as the dental issue, take your cat to the vet dentist. The dentist will help you to take care of oral and provide you guidelines on brushing teeth of your cat. They will provide you with the best products to take care of your pet teeth. Also, provide your cat with chewing toys that will help to make gums strong.
10: Fractures
As cats love to be active and, smaller cats tend to jump more here, and there are more probable chances of getting fractures. Cats are very fragile, and even a tiny fall can lead to bone damage. In small falls, they don't get time to adjust their bodies, and they end up getting injured.
If your cat is injured, you may seem her inactive or not moving the arm and leg. If you see your cat falling, take your cat as soon as possible to the veterinarian to avoid any fatal injury.
11: Eye Problems
Cat-eye problems may be the reason for several different issues like trauma, virus, conjunctivitis, cataracts, corneal ulcer, glaucoma, retinal diseases, inflammation, and various illnesses.
If your cat has some symptoms like watery eyes, cloudiness, tear-stained eyes, or white eyelids, then it is surely a sign of cat problem. If you notice any of the symptoms, the time is to visit the doctor. Eye problems can be severe and can't be ignored.
12: Infectious:
Cats often become victims of infectious diseases. The most common infection that is exposed to is a respiratory infection. Respiratory systems include tears in eyes, cough, fever, sore month, cough, cold, temperature, and the most apparent runny nose.
Most of the respiratory infections are viral. Proper vaccination can be helped to reduce the occurrence, but if it occurs, adequate medication can cure the illness completely.
Panleukopenia is another most common type of infectious disease. This is a contagious viral problem that is caused by the feline parvovirus. There is no cure or medication to treat the issue, so the treatment involves boosting the immune system of the cat so the immune system can fight it back.
13: Obesity:
Obesity has become common among pet cats as they are not very active and eat a lot of other foods. They get their food without any effort, which is making them lazy. Obesity itself is not a big issue, fat cats look cuter, but obesity is related to other diseases like diabetes, joint pain, difficulty in moving, and joint pain.
To track the good healthy weight, you must feel the cat's bones without putting much pressure, and the lower ribs part should not be so heavy. While observing your cat from the side, the tummy must be between hips and lower ribs.
To make the cat engage in physical activity, provide your cat with different round balls so your cat can run after it or play with your cat as well. Also, do not offer the same food to your cat each day; pet owners must notice to change the snacks and try to make a habit of eating less food. https://pawsandme.co/collections/toys/products/funny-cat-interactive-pet-cat-toys-automatic-rotating-cat-play-teaser-plate-mice-catch-toy-electric-playing-exercise-toys
14: Diabetes
Today cats are also suffering from diabetes. If a cat gets diabetes
Then after every meal, her blood sugar level increases, and the cat remains hyperglycemic, which can be dangerous.
Symptoms of diabetes are gain and loss of weight, changes in eating habits, appetite is increased or decreased, excessive urination, urinary tract infection, dehydration, and sweet breath.
Treatment of diabetes varies from cat to cat, depending upon the situation and severity of diabetes. It also depends on the signs and symptoms a cat is showing. Giving a high fiber diet is helpful, but in some cases, insulin injections are necessary. With the guide of your vet, you can provide insulin to your pet at home. To prevent diabetes, make sure that your cat is active and eating healthy, fiber-rich foods.
15: Rabies:
Rabies is a fatal viral disease that directly affects the spinal cord and brain of the animal. Rabies mostly occurs through direct contact or bite of infected animals; it also passes through saliva or mucus. So if your cat remains indoors, there is less or no chance of rabies. This is most prevalent in the cats that roam outdoors and meet with other animals.
The main issue is that the cat does not show any immediate sign, but significant signs and Symptoms of Rabies include loss of appetite, increased vocalization. Weakness, sudden behavioural changes like lethargy, restlessness, and anger, seizures, paralysis, and sudden death
Prevention is better than treating the disease. The most important thing is vaccination; vacation not only protects you from the disease itself but also helps someone bit your cat.
While interacting with your pet, use gloves and avoid direct contact. Immediately call local animal control to make sure the affected animal is taken care of and the animal that is also getting treatment. If your cat acts strangely, do not try to handle it with yourself, maintain the distance.
Tips to keep your cat healthy:
Most of the health diseases show late signs and symptoms and can be controlled only by regular check-ups and proper vaccination. Taking good care of your pet is very important; thus, always take care of the good hygiene of your cat.
After your cat turns seven, go for regular check-ups, urine, and blood testing, and also make sure to discuss healthy diet options with your vet so make sure your cat not get obese or overweight, try to engage your cat in different physical activities. Keep your cat inside your home so that your cat won't get sick.
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