What are the diseases in cats: symptoms and treatment, photo

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Acquisition of a cat is a truly happy event. After all, now you have a real purring friend. But animals, like people, can get sick. And not always an inexperienced owner can understand that it is time to take the pet to the doctor. Therefore, it is important to learn to identify the symptoms in advance in order to be able to help your pet at the right time. Consider in the article what diseases cats have and what treatment is used.

How to tell if a cat is sick

Furry pet owners know how their pets behave when they are he althy. After all, each animal has its own individual traits in behavior, in which the owner is sure that the pet is normal. But regardless of this, there are signs, with the appearance of which one can suspect a disease in a cat. Among them are the following points:

• appetite problems: complete or partial refusal of food;
• cat loses weight or vice versa sharply gaining it;
• apathy, excessive sleepiness;
• cat became too aggressive;
• high or lowtemperature;
• presence of blood in feces or urine;
• pet can't go to the toilet;
• nausea and vomiting;
• diarrhea;
• discharge from eyes or nose;
• appearance of bald patches, redness and peeling on the cat's skin.

Important to know

The body temperature of feline representatives is higher than that of humans. The normal indicator is the figure on the thermometer - 37, 5-39 °. It depends on the age of the animal: the older, the lower.

A cat's normal heart rate is between 100 and 130 beats per minute.

Respiratory rate also depends on age:

• kitten - about 60 breaths per minute;
• young cat - 22-24 breaths;
• adult - from 17 to 23.

How often does a cat go to the toilet

"Little by little" is considered the norm:

• kittens up to 3 months - 1 time per day;
• kittens after three months - 2-3 times a day;
• adult cats, depending on gender, go to the tray up to three times, but cats - 3-4 times.

"For the most part" the norm is:

• kittens can visit the tray up to twice a day (this is due to increased metabolism);
• adult cats go to the toilet once a day;
• older animals can go to the tray once every 2-3 days.

These norms are average, because the cat's diet has a direct impact on the frequency of visits to the toilet.

Skin and coat diseases

Here, diseases can be divided into severalsubgroups: the presence of parasites in the animal, fungal diseases and allergic reactions.

Cat parasites include fleas, ticks and withers. Any pet can become infected, regardless of whether he goes out for a walk. Yes, it is mostly free-range animals that are susceptible to parasite infestation. But the owner can easily bring infection on shoes and clothes. In addition, fleas and ticks can live in the house, even after the pet is completely cured. Therefore, in addition to treating the cat, it is worth treating the apartment as well.

It is easy to determine if a pet has fleas: the animal constantly itches, feels anxious, black specks can be found on its fur - these are traces of flea activity. The disease is treated with sprays, ointments and shampoos.

In the presence of an ear mite, a dark brown coating can be found in the cat's ears, in addition, the animal will scratch its ears vigorously and often shake its head. It is important to know that ear mites are not transmitted to humans. For treatment, solutions are used for instillation into the auricles, as well as special drops on the withers, which, by the way, are also prescribed for fleas. The veterinarian may also prescribe tick injections.

To fungal diseases, mainly include lichen. Bald spots and grayish scabs can be found on the body of the animal. Infection occurs mainly from an already sick individual. This skin disease of a cat is transmitted to humans, so you need to be careful when treating it. It is advisable to protect the animal from communication with other pets and people. Be sure to wash your hands after every touch. For treatmentinjections and ointments prescribed by the veterinarian are used.

Allergic reactions are not limited to humans. Cats are also susceptible to this pathology. Unfortunately, it is difficult to self-diagnose, as the symptoms are similar to other diseases: itching, redness of the skin and its peeling. Only a doctor can help here.

Urolithiasis in cats

In another way, this disease is called urolithiasis. It is considered one of the most dangerous pathologies in cats. Basically, males suffer from it, due to the structural features of the body. KSD is also found in females, but much less frequently.

An attack of urolithiasis can start unexpectedly - yesterday the pet was actively running and playing, and today it suffers while sitting on the tray. If you do not see a doctor in time, the consequences can be very sad, up to the death of the animal.

Causes of urolithiasis in cats:

• unbalanced diet;
• obesity;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• neutered cats are at higher risk (after surgery they become less active and quickly gain weight);
• insufficient fluid intake;
• heredity;
• hormonal disorders;
• features of anatomy.

Symptoms of cat illness are hard to miss:

• cat often sits on the tray, urinates in small portions, while being nervous, perhaps screaming;
• urine darkens, sometimes there is blood in it;
• cat becomes lethargic, may refuse to eat;
• inin severe cases, the abdomen swells (this is due to the fact that urine does not leave the body);
• vomit;
• fever.

The treatment of urolithiasis is complex and long. A catheter is inserted through the ducts into the cat's bladder to allow the urine to exit the body freely. In addition, drugs are prescribed for intensive treatment: anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibiotics, immunostimulants. A strict diet is prescribed.

Infectious diseases

Depending on the type of pathogen, these feline diseases can also be divided into subgroups: viral, fungal and bacterial infections.

Viral diseases include: panleukopenia (distemper), calcevirus, rabies and others. These are dangerous diseases that can lead to the death of the animal. The success of treatment depends on the stage of development of the disease at which the owner consults a doctor. The main symptoms are: vomiting, lack of appetite, diarrhea, apathy of the animal, fever and fever. Viral diseases develop very quickly, so when signs appear, you need to urgently run to the veterinary clinic.

Fungal infections include: aspergillosis (affects the nose, lungs and intestines of the cat), cryptococcosis (develops in the nose and digestive tract), candidiasis (affects the mucous membranes). In fact, there are a lot of fungal infections. An accurate diagnosis can only be made by a veterinarian after taking tests from the animal. Infection can occur through a wound, with food or by inhalation. Treatment is with antibiotics.

Kbacterial infections include salmonellosis and infectious anemia. These are the most common diseases, of course, there are others. Infectious anemia is accompanied by fever, cat apathy and food refusal. Salmonellosis has the same symptoms, but vomiting and a runny nose are also added. Infection occurs through blood, food and close contact with an already sick animal. Treatment is prescribed by a veterinarian.

Eye diseases

Eye diseases in cats are divided into inflammatory and non-inflammatory. The most common are conjunctivitis, cataracts, glaucoma, and inflammation and damage to the cornea. The signs of these diseases are easy to detect. These include:

• redness and swelling of the eyelids;
• purulent discharge from the eyes;
• clouding of the lens;
• prolapse of the eyeball.

In some cases, for example, with conjunctivitis, you can do it yourself with drops for cats. You can choose them at any veterinary store. In case of damage and the occurrence of various types of tumors, you need to seek help from a doctor. All diseases have their own course of treatment. It can be both medical and surgical, depending on the complexity of the cat's disease. The photo below shows conjunctivitis.

Ear diseases of cats. Symptoms and treatment

A photo of one of the diseases is shown below.

However, cats can be disturbed not only by parasites in the ears, which have already been mentioned above. To commondiseases include: otitis, ear plugs, various types of fungi, hematomas and eczema.

Ear disease in cats is considered very dangerous - otitis media. The cause of its occurrence is hypothermia, infections, injuries and foreign bodies. A sign of otitis media is bloody-purulent discharge from the auricles. The cat reacts aggressively to an attempt to touch a sore spot. Treatment is prescribed by a veterinarian, most often a course of antibiotics.

Symptoms and Treatment of Cat Ear Diseases:

• constant scratching;
• anxiety;
• presence of discharge in the ears;
• soreness;
• bad smell.

Hematomas appear due to damage to the ear. Anti-inflammatory ointments are most often used as a treatment. In advanced cases, surgery is prescribed as a treatment.

Ear plugs are not a serious problem for a cat, but can sometimes cause inflammation. Therefore, it is recommended to clean the ears of your pets.

Eczema and fungi are also treated with ointments.

Liver disease

This group of diseases includes: hepatitis, lipidosis, liver failure and others. The main symptoms of the disease in a cat are:

• sluggish state of the animal;
• loss of appetite;
• diarrhea;
• vomit;
• the liver increases significantly in size, which can be determined by touch;
• in some cases - jaundice.

There are many factors leading to liver disease:

• malnutrition,poisoning;
• drug use;
• lack of vitamins.

Based on the tests, the veterinarian makes a diagnosis and prescribes a course of treatment. Usually, this is a diet and a course of restorative drugs.

Kidney disease

The most common kidney pathologies are nephritis, chronic renal failure, polycystic, renal pyelonephritis, nephrosclerosis.

Kidney disease is characterized by the following symptoms:

• increased thirst;
• frequent or, conversely, rare urination, possibly painful;
• dehydration;
• high blood protein;
• darkening the color of urine;
• blood in urine;
• lethargy and drowsiness of the animal;
• poor appetite or complete refusal to eat;
• vomiting and diarrhea;
• retinal detachment in some cases;
• cats love to sleep on cold surfaces with kidney disease.

If you find these signs, you should immediately consult a doctor. Treatment is carried out with the help of a special diet and selected medications. Unfortunately, the kidney tissue is not restored, and the later the owner turns, the less chance of recovery. With late diagnosis, it is more likely that the disease will turn into chronic renal failure, which is not treated.

Heart disease

The most common heart disease is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This is a pathology in which the heart muscle thickens, as a result of whichheart failure develops.

Owners do not always notice the signs of this disease. These include pet fatigue, shortness of breath, respiratory distress, lethargy, and poor appetite.

The disease is dangerous, there is no cure. Doctors prescribe maintenance therapy to help prolong the life of the animal.

Diseases of the stomach and intestines

These pathologies include inflammation of the colon, constipation, intestinal obstruction, gastritis, ulcers. Basically, these are diseases of domestic cats of an inflammatory nature. Symptoms are similar to many other diseases, among them are weight loss, lethargy, lack of appetite. Therefore, a doctor should make a diagnosis based on tests. The most common treatment is diet. But it is also possible that the veterinarian will prescribe drugs.

Oncology

Few people know that cats, just like people, are prone to cancer. And, unfortunately, they are becoming more common. Diagnosis of oncology is hampered by the fact that in the early stages the signs are invisible. The owners notice the disease most often already in the later stages. Signs include poor appetite, lethargy, deterioration in coat quality, skin spots, difficulty breathing, and tumors that have appeared on the body. In each case, everything is individual. Treatment is through chemotherapy and surgery.

Disease prevention is the best way to keep pets he althy. Therefore, it is necessary to provide the cat from the moment it appears in the house with good food, a comfortable place to live andsupport his immunity. Even if the pet is constantly in the apartment and does not walk, it is worth thinking about vaccination. She can save a pet from many troubles. And if the cat is still sick, do not think that the sore will pass by itself. It is best to contact professionals as soon as possible.