Cat Diseases

When you introduce a member of the feline species to your family, you should be well aware of the diseases that it is vulnerable to. This helps you to take the very best care of your friend. Cats are susceptible to many diseases, including respiratory virus that induces common cold, urinary infection (this includes urinary stones), digestive disorders, wounds, hairballs, and diabetes.

Cats are also prone to dental diseases. They may include periodontitis, gingivitis, periapical abscesses, fractured teeth or mandible, mouth ulcers, bleeding gums, tooth loss, and bad breath. To maintain the pearly whites of your kitty, the best home care that you can follow is brushing its teeth daily. There are quite a number of dental products available for pets in the market. Besides this, it is important to get your cat's teeth, gums and mouth examined by a vet every three or six months.

One of the common diseases in cats is that of the heart - hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). In this disorder, the heart muscles are unable to pump blood efficiently, blood circulation is hampered; as a result, supply of oxygen as well as nutrients gets affected in the cat's body. In breeds like American Short Hair and Maine Coon, this disease is inherited.

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a progressive disease of cats. It may lead to death. A mutated coronavirus is the cause of this fatal disease. Cats usually get infected from a benign form of this virus initially. But, in certain cats, the virus mutates with time and becomes pathologic.

The other serious health issues include cancer and tumors. There is cancer of bone, liver, trachea, sinus, and other parts. Cat poisonings are common too. This usually happens when owners administer medication on their own, or if cats swallow dropped tablets and get intoxicated. You need to be careful while handling medicines. Take care not to spill tonics or drop tablets on the floor. Also, you must consult the vet before giving any kind of medicine to the pet.

Cats may also suffer from reproduction disorders such as miscarriages, abortions, difficulty in pregnancy, and certain other diseases. If your cat goes out too often, she may get stomach and digestive problems like diarrhea, vomiting, and so on. And yes, hormone imbalance is not to be left behind. Cats too, are inflicted by the 'ebbs and tides' of hormones.

Know about AIDS? Everyone does. Now, it's time you knew about feline AIDS. Relax; it's not contagious to humans, but spreads within cats through scratch wounds and biting.

You give the best food to your cat and maintain a healthy exercise regime, yet still, it can fall sick. One of the most pestering problems of pets is worms and parasites. Roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms can create a series of problems for your beloved kitty. These worms reside in your cat's intestines. They happily feed on the nutrients that your cat takes from food and sucks on its blood supply. Now, you can well imagine what would happen to your poor little pussy with these nasty wriggling creatures flourishing in its intestine!

If you already have a cat in the house, you might have noticed it shaking its head or scratching it vigorously. The poor thing is bugged by ear mites. Almost 90 percent of household cats get these pests on their bodies. A word of caution! These are contagious. Your cat may get mites from the neighboring cat and vice versa.

Excessive scratching may lead to skin rashes. In addition to this, the ears and eyes of your cat are exposed to infection too. You need to check them regularly to ensure everything's well in these parts of the body. Also, watch out for ringworm infection.