Common Cat Sickness

Throwing up 

Cat hairballs

Have you ever seen you cat throw up it worries you? Some cats throw up all the time, while others hardly ever do. One of the reasons is because of hairballs. To avoid shedding you need to brush your cat daily. If you are not sure of the cause of vomiting you can check the discharge for grayish clumps or balls. Even the shorthaired cats can get hairballs. 

Another reason why your cat might be throwing up could be that they have ingested something or are allergic to their cat food. Try switching your cats food and make sure  it doesn’t  contain the same ingredients as the last. Another reason for throwing up is worms. If so, you should talk to your vet and set up a deworming appointment.

On the other hand, if your cat constantly throws up they could have a kidney infection or an overactive thyroid. This is most common to older cats. Your vet may do a blood test to find out about either of these.

You know your cat’s daily routine and if they are throwing up more than usual or are acting strange, you should take them to your veterinarian. Make sure that they have lots of fluids so that they don’t get dehydrated.

Diarrhea

Changing the diet is the key if your cat constantly has diarrhea. You can try giving them boiled rice, cottage cheese, bread, plain yogurt, boiled chicken, chicken broth or even strained meat. Choose the one that your cat likes best. If these symptoms persist for more than a couple of days, you need to take them to the vet with a stool sample. Another reason for taking your cat to the vet is if your cat is weak or will not take dry foods.

Feline Urologic Syndrome

Feline urologic syndrome is a red irritation or could be an obstruction of the lower urinary track. This could be fatal if you don’t get your cat treated immediately. FUS is more common to male cats. Some signs od FUS are: blood in the urine, urinary strain or if they make more trips to the litter box more often than usual.

Diabetes

Diabetes occurs in cats who can’t properly control their blood sugar level. Older cats are more likely to get diabetes than younger ones. Cats that have diabetes should be kept inside to prevent improper eating. Some signs of diabetes are: constant drinking and urinating, or loss of weight.

FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus)

Although FIV is related to HIV, it is not possible to get AIDS from a cat with FIV. It enters through open wounds and results in an impaired immune system. There is no vaccine for FIV yet so you should keep your cat inside and away from all other cats.

Kitten infected with Feline Respiratory
Tract Disease

Feline Upper Respiratory Tract Disease

Feline upper respiratory tract disease can also occur in your cat. Symptoms are: runny nose, sneezing, and red, runny eyes.

Feline Herpes Virus

There is no way that you can get FHV from your cat. This is a disease that only affects the cats.

Chlamydia Psittaci

Chlamydia is a bacteria - like organism that affects the tissue around your cat’s eye. The most common symptom is conjunctivitis. It usually just affects one eye at first, then it spreads to both.