Another common ailment would be parasitic worms. Roundworms, tapeworms and hookworms and even heartworms are but a few that usually infest these felines. Usual symptoms include but are not limited to, loss of weight, overgrown bellies, a degenerated fur appearance and vomiting. These can easily be treated through the use of proper medication, though it has the potential to cause a serious condition in cats if not dealt with immediately. Cats also experience occasional vomiting.
This can be due to an illness or food that is not digested well by the cat. Diarrhea, on the other hand, is not an ailment in itself but a sign that there is something wrong with the cat which could potentially lead to worse kind of health condition. Urinary Tract-Infections are also included in the list. Bladder ailments are always a possibility to both genders though male felines usually incur a higher percentage of having their life endangered due to the condition.
Fleas on the other hand, which may not be a disease in itself is an ailment which all cats suffer. They feed on a cat's blood which causes the poor feline to constantly scratch itself eventually leading to self-mutilation or harm. Fleas also are capable of spreading parasites like tapeworm from one cat to another. Furthermore, this will cause a cat to become anemic and more susceptible to other diseases. Ear mites are also a few pests which can endanger a cat's health since they can irritate a cat enough to have it disfigure its ear due to constant scratching. Older cats on the other hand usually die of kidney diseases. Some studies show that constant feeding of dry meals are potential factors to these poor felines. An increased liquid intake is one of the symptoms.
In addition to the aforementioned cat medical conditions, there is also conjunctivitis which is an inflammation of the eye membranes which tend to hit cats once in a while. Upper respiratory sickness is referred to as cat flue which can be fatal to kittens and immunosuppressed older cats.
FIP or Feline Infectious Peritonities is a kind of corona virus mutation which lies dormant in the intestine of a cat for the whole duration of its lifetime. Cats having this disease usually show symptoms of sneezing, teary eyes, nasal discharge, and occasional diarrhea, loss of weight or malnutrition or even lethargy. Though some recover from its initial infection, a number become carriers.
Based on past studies, this kind of ailment is contracted in environments where there is a huge domestication of cats or an area simply filled with felines. Unusual as it may be, cats also occasionally get a Feline Immunodeficiency Virus or simply Cat AIDS. Like human AIDS, the cat's immune system is gradually weakened by this virus which increases the chances of chronic diseases to afflict the cat. This is usually transmitted through cat saliva such as one gotten through a cat fight or with any other animal infected with a similar virus. Unfortunately, there is no existing remedy for the disease.
But perhaps one of the most dangerous or fatal disease a feline may contract is the Feline Leukemia Virus. Like human leukemia, it is a cancer in white blood cells. The good news is that there is already a vaccine against it and immunization can greatly lessen the chances of a cat incurring such a virus. It is important however to quarantine the cat and keep other cats from interacting with the afflicted cat.
In addition, there is also what is referred to as "abscess". This is caused by bacteria which are pressed deep underneath a cat's thick fur deep into the muscle surfaces through another cat's bite or scratch. Due to the warm and moist environment enclosed within, abscess develops causing the cat extreme pain and may eventually cause a cat to fall ill. Last but not the least would be tooth decay.
Like humans, cats also suffer tooth decay or toothache and symptoms that a cat is suffering from such may include reluctance to feed or the tendency to drop the food once it tries to eat. This is due to the extreme pain that it experience. At the worse, the cat will stop eating and become malnourished and may eventually die.
These are just few common ailments which cats suffer from and having knowledge about them is really helpful especially if you are a cat lover and determined to maintain the wellness of your pet cat.
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