The Most Common Health Issues for Cats with Symptoms and Treatments

If your cat ever gets sick chances are that the disease will be treatable but this will only happen if you take your cat to a vet as soon as you notice any symptoms. That is why it is important for cat parents to know the basics of the most common cat diseases as it may just save their life.

Lower Urinary Tract Disease

Your cat strains to urinate and may vocalize as they try. You may see blood in their urine and notice that they are obsessively licking their bum.

Upper Respiratory Infections

They’ll have a runny nose, congestion, sneezing and a cough. They’ll also drool and gag. They won’t have much appetite and will be feverish.

Worms

Look for diarrhea, bloody stool, vomiting, constipation, a bloated abdomen and weight loss. Your cat may also cough.

Feline Hyperthyroidism

As hard as they may try to hide their condition, you’ll notice weight loss and an increased appetite. Their fur will be greasy and matted. They’ll drink more water, have diarrhea and vomiting. They may also become restless and more active.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

Look for fever, weight loss, a poor appetite and a messy coat of fur. Your baby will also have diarrhea and you’ll notice that their eyes are inflamed. When your vet examines them, he’ll note enlarged lymph nodes and anemia.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)

With the effusive form of this illness, your cat will have accumulated fluid in their abdomen. They may have fluid in their chest, although this happens less often. In its early stage, they’ll lose their appetite, lose weight and become lethargic.

Feline Leukemia Virus Infection (FeLV)

You’ll notice something’s wrong when your cat loses weight and has less desire to eat. They’ll be feverish. Their coat is in bad condition and you’ll see them developing several infections (respiratory, bladder or skin). They’ll become progressively weaker and more lethargic.

Diabetes

You’ll realize that your cat is thirstier than usual and that they are using the litter box to urinate more frequently. Their appetite will change and they’ll lose weight. Their walking gait will change. They won’t be as active; they’ll be depressed and weak. They may vomit.

Chronic Kidney Disease

Look for increased urination and thirst. They’ll leak urine, especially during the night. Lack of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. They’ll be weak, depressed and anemic.

Rabies

Your cat may become more aggressive and restless. They may be lethargic. They’ll meow more, lose weight, become weak and disoriented. They’ll become paralyzed, develop seizures and die.