What diseases do cats usually get?

Cats can suffer from many diseases. Examples include respiratory infections, stomatitis, periodontitis, pharyngitis, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, corneal inflammation, ear mites, rabies, toxoplasmosis, infectious peritonitis, feline distemper, feline upper respiratory tract infections, calicivirus infections, tuberculosis, paratyphoid fever, colibacillosis, heartworm disease, acute gastroenteritis, cystitis, urethritis, pulmonary edema, renal failure, vaginitis, pyometra, arthritis, and many more.

What diseases are cats prone to?

Feline distemper: Also known as feline panleukopenia or feline infectious enteritis. It is a highly contagious viral disease that mainly affects young cats under one year old, especially those aged 3-5 months, with symptoms such as severe vomiting and watery diarrhea.

Feline influenza: A upper respiratory infection that occurs in felines, with symptoms such as conjunctivitis, rhinitis, watery eyes, half-closed eyes, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, and drooling. There may also be sores or ulcers on the surface of the eyes or oral mucosa.

Feline upper respiratory tract infection: Also known as infectious rhinitis, it is an acute infectious disease with strong infectivity in the upper respiratory tract of cats. It mainly infects young cats, with a 100% incidence rate and a 50% mortality rate. The mortality rate will be higher if secondary mixed infections occur.

Symptoms of a sick cat:

Decreased appetite: Loss of interest in regular food or complete refusal to eat.

Vomiting: Cats are prone to vomiting. If there is persistent vomiting, it should be taken seriously.

Diarrhea: Diarrhea is a sign of illness in cats, especially when it occurs repeatedly.

Sneezing or watery eyes: Sneezing and watery eyes are major symptoms of colds or influenza.

Difficulty drinking water: When a cat sees water but cannot drink it, and the water enters the oral cavity but then drips out, it indicates a problem in the pharynx.

Shaking head and scratching ears: This may indicate ear parasites.

Drooling: Indicates oral diseases such as stomatitis, tongue inflammation, oral mucosa ulcers, and dental problems.

Scratching skin: Frequent scratching of its own skin and fur may indicate fleas, lice, or infections such as mange and fungal skin diseases, or hormonal eczema.

What to do if your cat is sick:

It is recommended to take the cat to the hospital for diagnosis. Cats have strong endurance, so initial signs of disease are usually not easy to notice. By the time the owner notices the cat is sick, the disease has already progressed to the middle or late stages. Therefore, owners should not ignore these signs and take the cat to the hospital immediately. Always pay attention to the cat's mental state, appetite, and urine and feces habits. Regular deworming is also necessary, as well as cleaning the cat's anal glands, preventing heatstroke in summer, and keeping the cat warm in winter.