Common Cat Health Problems

Americans own nearly 65 million cats, making them the most popular house pet in the country. Unfortunately, every year thousands die of preventable diseases. While the majority of cat owners take their cats for Veterinary checkups, others feel that cats are self-sufficient and low-maintenance pets that do not require regular preventative care. Here are some common communicable diseases among cats and how you can help prevent them.

Giardiasis: This disease is caused by one celled organisms called Giardia and live in the intestines of cats. These cells turn from motile cells to cysts and are shed through the feces of an infected cat and picked up by other cats who share the same litter box. Cats can host the disease, passing it along to others, for several years before showing symptoms or appearing ill. Symptoms of Giardiasis usually include diarrhea, bloody stool, flatulence or weight loss. Your Vet can test for this disorder through a stool analysis and will often treat the disease with a course of oral metronidazole. Veterinarians suggest scooping your litter box every day and cleaning it regularly with a 30:1 solution of water and chlorine bleach.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus: FIV is commonly referred to as feline AIDS; however, it is not in any way transmittable to humans. It is transmitted through saliva to blood contact caused by bite wounds or through the womb of the mother to her kittens. While the disease can often be fatal, cats who receive proper care can live long lives after diagnosis and often die from complications rather than the actual virus. There are numerous over the counter dietary supplements and prescription anti viral drugs to suppress the disease for long periods of time. FIV is simple to prevent. First, keep your cat indoors and they will not run the risk of being bitten by another cat. Next, make sure to get a blood test done on any perspective new feline friends joining the home. There are some vaccines on the market, but some controversy surrounds them. While some argue that they are safe and effective, others insist that they are bad for the cat. Either way, protecting your cat from potential cat bites should be sufficient in preventing FIV.

Feline Panleukopenia: Otherwise known as Feline Distemper, Panleuk or FVP, Panleukopenia is an extremely contagious virus common among younger cats and carries a high mortality rate. FVP is spread through cat to cat contact including shared water dishes, brushes, bedding and litter boxes as well as through human handling of multiple cats. The virus is extremely hard to kill and can live on objects for months and sometimes years at a time. FVP symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, appetite loss, hunched posture and the emergence of an extra flap of skin (similar to an eyelid) in the corner of the eye. Prevention of FVP involves a yearly vaccination known as a 3-Way shot which also protects against feline herpesvirus, and feline calicivirus.

Bartonella henselae: This bacterium causes upper respiratory infections in cats and presents with breathing problems, watery eyes and nasal discharge and can be treated with a variety of antibiotics. Bartonella is highly contagious among cats and also causes Cat Scratch Fever in humans. Cat Scratch Fever causes swollen lymph nodes, fever, convulsions and malaise among humans and will sometimes resolve itself in one to two weeks. For some patients more serious complications can arise and result in lymph node removal. Bartonella can be a nagging and recurring condition and require months on antibiotics so it is best to keep infected cats away from other animals until they no longer show signs of infection. Your veterinarian can perform a blood test to determine if the bacterium is still present.

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