Cat Health Problems, Diseases And Illnesses

Animals have their share of common diseases and afflictions. Cats are no different. Rest assured that many of these afflictions are not fatal and easily treated by your local veterinarian. However, there are some diseases that have no cure and can be terminal. Such diseases are often hereditary or passed from other infected animals.

First on the list of common illnesses a cat may acquire are hairballs. Hairballs occur as the result of cats performing their everyday grooming routine. Dirt and hair can accumulate in abundance on the cats' tongue and will get ingested into the digestive system. When there, these elements become lodged and eventually form a round ball of mucus.

Typically, a cat can dislodge the hairball by coughing, but on occasion one may become lodged in the intestines creating a serious and sometimes life threatening situation. Regular grooming, specialty cat food and cat treats along with visits to the veterinarian are all great ways to both prevent and treat this common ailment.

Similar to mankind, cats are susceptible to urinary tract infections too. Infections and the food that is low in quality can be the reason. The good news is this ailment is treatable with medication prescribed by a veterinarian. It is also preventable by providing specially formulated cat food created to prevent this infection from occurring.

If a urinary tract infection is present, common symptoms are that your cat may show signs of infrequent urination, fowl smelling urine, and urinating in places other than the litter box. Males cats that have not been spayed are usually the ones that are most easily affected; however, female cats can be affected as well.

Common Cat Viruses - The three common viruses that felines are prone to suffer from; Feline Leukemia, Feline Infectious Peritonitis and Feline Immune Deficiency Virus. FIP or Feline Infectious Peritonitis is a very dangerous illness as it is related to the Corona Virus. Testing for FIP is also a problem as the results are not completely reliable. A positive test result has the possibility for being false as the same results appear for the Corona Virus. There is a vaccination available for FIP; however, many veterinarians and scientists believe its results to be inconclusive. With no known cure, it is extremely beneficial that this disease is not as easily contracted as some other diseases may be.

The feline version of the AIDS Virus known as FIV has not yet proved to be fatal. However, unfortunately it has left owners of these cats fearful that they too will contract the disease. This belief is false and truly unwarranted.

Feline Leukemia Virus is another disease that is preventable. A vaccine is available from a veterinarian's office and must be acquired before exposure to other infected cats has occurred. If you own a cat with FLV it is highly recommended that you do not expose him to other cats. The life expectancy of a cat with FLV is very short.

Common Cat Worm Problems - Other than the common issues related to hairballs, a cat can also suffer from worms. Problems such as roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms are all issues for concern. Although heartworms are not commonly found in cats, they can be a source of problems.

Veterinarians will give medication that will help prevent nasty parasites from invading and finding a host in your cat. Signs of worm infestation cam come with flea infestation or as tiny white specs appearing in the stool, almost resembling a grain of rice. Loss of weight or inability to gain weight is also signs of a worm infestation. This illness is fortunately one that comes with a treatment and it is usually an affordable one. However, if this infestation goes without treatment, the results are most commonly fatal.

Fleas and ticks are another form of common diseases, cats that spend time outdoors are known for contracting. The tick however brings another illness to the table, Lyme disease. If a tick has been found on your cat's body, symptoms of possible Lyme disease include lethargy, sluggish movement and acting as if in constant pain. This disease is also able to be transmitted to humans by ticks as well. If you suspect your cat has this disease or have found a tick on his body, a visit to the veterinarian will result in removal of the tick and treatment with medication.

Last, but certainly not least is feline obesity. The disease can afflict the other parts of the cat's body and it is a potentially fatal illness. It is also the number one cause for feline Diabetes. Prevention is the most important key in battling these diseases. Providing a proper diet in combination with exercise is essential in the fight to keep your cat healthy. Luckily, cats with diabetes do live, but need to be put on a special dietary supplement as well as medication.

The most important thing you can do to defend your cat against common illnesses and disease is to remember that prevention is the key.