health and diseases of the cat

cats health

A healthy cat has a supple and elastic skin just as smooth and shiny hair. Unusual and persisting tiredness or exhaustion must be seriously considered. Just as recurrent diarrhoea, vomitings, weight loss, loss of appetite, fever that are alarming signs. So, do not hesitate to refer to your vet for cats generally don’t complain.

Serious diseases :

The coryza

It is a very contagious disease associating various viruses and bacteries. The general signs are respiratory problems( sneezing, cough ), running nose and eyes, a loss of appetite, fever and sometimes ulcers in the mouth.
Generally, a good treatment based on antibiotics can save adult cats ( it is more difficult to save kittens and old cats ). The best way to avoid it remains vaccination.

The typhus fever

This disease is considered as the most serious of feline virus diseases. Fever often leads diarrhoeas and vomitings. The cat is prostrate, loses his appetite, becomes dehydrated and can reach a comatose state. As the disease quickly evolves, an immediate treatment is obvious but still remains unpredictable and depends on the general state of the animal. Here again it is better to think ahead vaccinating the animal.

The feline leukaemia

This disease is transmitted from one cat to another one by mere contact. Once infected, the cat can live several months even years showing no signs of infection but he carries the virus. Immunodeficiency can be observed increasing susceptibility to various infections. It can lead to cancers and leukaemias and remains fatal. There is no efficient treatment, so, it is prevented via a vaccine once a test carried out.

The feline rabies

This disease is essentially transmitted by infected animals biting other ones. The virus reaches the nerve centre then, all the body especially the salivary glands. The disease can be “furious rabies” with a sudden change of behaviour. There’s a lack of appetite, the voice changes, paralysis comes little by little with an important irritability and hypersalivation. Then, death occurs…It is the same for the silent rabies, the cat also salivates a lot with a paralysis of the jaw muscles. Once the cat begins to show symptoms, there is no treatment. The best way to prevent the disease is to have your cat vaccinated. It is efficient and required by law in some countries and counties.

The feline infectious peritonitis or FIP

It is a very serious viral disease most often fatal despite a palliative treatment that can be proposed. It mainly affects young cats living in groups and kept together. The disease evolves in two main forms : the effusive form (wet ) with accumulation of fluid in the abdomen or chest or the non-effusive form (dry) that can infect any organ with variable clinical expression according to the organ infected. The diagnosis is quite difficult for the signs associated with the disease are often non-specific ones. From general symptoms, the health condition turns bad little by little and the disease spreads often with anaemia and dehydration.

The FIV or feline immunodeficiency virus

It is a serious viral disease only infecting cats making him vulnerable to infections. It is generallly transmitted via bites during fights. ( It can sometimes be transmitted via blood or sexual way ). General symptoms appear such as fever, weight loss, enlarged lymph nodes, chronic diarrhoeas, mouth and eye infections, skin abscesses, respiratory, nervous disorders….
There is no vaccine available in Europe and no efficient treatment. However you can carry out a test on your cat to detect the disease.

Tumors and cancers

Cats are also affected by tumors and cancers. They can appear anywhere in the body. Skin tumors seem to be the most frequent ones before mammary tumors often affecting the females. It is the same for the felime leukaemia that can lead to lymphosarcoma ( malignant tumor of the lymphoid tissues)
When it is possible, surgical resection is generally resorted to and sometimes completed with chemotherapy .

Do not hesitate and consult your vet. Some symptoms seeming identical ones are not necessarily linked to a serious disease. Your vet can diagnose, examining your cat and eventually testing him.
Do not forget that vaccination gives cats lasting immunity fighting some diseases. Just vaccinate cats to avoid major health problems and pain !