Cat Illnesses

Cat illnesses are often hard to diagnose just by looking at the cat.

Cats don’t often show their pain so you may be unaware your cat is in distress. Often when the cat shows symptoms, it is already quite ill. In nature, showing symptoms of an illness is a sign of weakness and a call to potential predators. Thus animals go the great lengths to appear healthy. As the cat is still very near its wild ancestry, this hiding of symptoms makes sense. When the cat shows symptoms, these may be a sign of several illnesses. It can be very hard to determine which illness the cat may have.

If you suspect your cat has an illness, but you are not sure of it (like when there is occasional vomiting or sneezing), write down any symptoms you have noticed– and contact your vet sooner rather than later. Some conditions require immediate veterinary care (like when the cat is unable to pee) because they are life threatening.

To avoid common infectious cat illnesses, have your cat vaccinated. When you get your kitten in the first place, ask your vet which shots it needs and when.

When you took your cat as your family member, you committed yourself to its wellbeing. And if you deal with any cat illnesses as soon as possible, there is a great likelihood your cat will make a speedy recovery. Should the situation be otherwise, you can make sure your beloved pet does not suffer unnecessarily.

Some chronic diseases can be treated with constant medication (like diabetes). Some of course can’t, and then you need to be prepared to do the ultimate act of friendship and let the vet put your cat humanely asleep… (I know this is a difficult issue, but I have been there for several cats when their time came, and they all slipped away so peacefully and quietly I can assure you it causes the cat no pain or fear).

Here I shall list the most common illnesses on cats with a brief description of the symptoms, so it is easier for you to eye the list through and see which articles you would like to read. And do bear in mind I am neither a veterinarian nor expert in cat illnesses – there are general articles about these illnesses. So always consult your vet when your cat shows any symptoms of a possible illness.

Feline Allergies

Allergies can make life pretty miserable to a cat. So if you suspect your cat might have an allergy, check these articles. 
Read more about feline allergies here. 
Cat allergy symptoms are discussed here. 
Cat allergy treatment is discussed here.

FLEA ALLERGY DERMATITIS

The most common cause of allergic reactions are fleas on cats. 
Fleas on a kitten are a matter of life and death. 
Flea allergy dermatitis treatment is discussed here

FOOD ALLERGIES

Food allegies develop slowly. What are the most common allergens and what are the symptoms? Read more here.

And here is page about feline food allergy treatment.

CONTACT ALLERGIES

There are two kinds of contact allergies - one that comes from a single exposure to the allergen and one that develops slowly.

Read more about cat contact allergies here.

And how to treat feline contact allergies? Read more here.

INHALANT ALLERGIES IN CATS

Inhalant allergies are the most common allergies cats have. Read more here.

And information about the diagnosis and treatment of inhalant allergies is here.

Cat Illnesses
Cat Diarrhea

Cat diarrhea is a more severe illness than diarrhea in humans. In fact, it can be life-threatening. It can be a symptom of several illnesses.  Click here to read more about these illnesses.  Here is general info about cat diarrhea.  Here is an article about cat diarrhea treatment.

House Plants Toxic to Cats

There are hundreds of house plants that are toxic to cats - many cat illnesses are caused by them - and sadly, deaths too. You can read more information about them by clicking here.

Space Witches series

The Seven Shabtis series

The Creature Wars series

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Photo of cat with vet: copyright Cimmerian of IstockPhoto. Do not copy.