Some Common
Cat Health Problems

Some common cat health problems you may encounter in your pet with links to detail where available are listed here. This is not, by any means, an exhaustive list. As always, if you suspect your cat may be ill, contact your veterinarian.  Most of the problems will be noticed in your day to day interaction with your pet.  These can manifest themselves even with an indoor cat.

Keep in mind that parasite and rodent control, sanitation, and exposure to infected cats or areas where infected cats may frequent are important in controlling many health conditions. In cats, infectious diseases are often passed through saliva (biting and licking), and feces. As such, there tends to be higher incidents of infection where crowded conditions exist, such as in catteries or neighborhoods where cats roam, and the feline population density is high. Feral animals are frequently the possessors of these health problems.  Parasites are often passed in feces and cats that roam are more likely to become infected.  You should still be concerned if you have an indoor pet, so be alert to the symptoms and changes in behavior.

1. Feline Diabetes and Endocrine Disorders

A common disorder in cats, feline diabetes (diabetes mellitus) often affects older obese males, but is not exclusive to that group. Diabetes can present a bit differently in each cat, and can lead to some other very serious health issues. With treatment, however, a diabetic cat can live many good years, and some even lose their need for treatment over time. Excessive thirst (polydipsia) and urination (polyuria) are the classic signs of diabetes in cats, so be alert to these symptoms and seek veterinary advice.  We had a Siamese cat that was diagnosed with feline diabetes.  My wife became aware of the=s due to the frequent trips to the litter box,   She gave our cat two shots of insulin per day.  This held the diabetes in check until KoKo contracted feline leukemia.  We had kept up with all of the vaccinations but she still contracted the disease.  Leukemia is diagnosed further later in this page.

Another fairly common occurrence is hyperthryroidism (over-active thryoid typically caused by benign tumors). This can also have accompanying heart abnormalities, including cardiomyopathy. According to my research, most other endocrine disorders in cats, such as Cushing's disease (hyperadrenocorticism) seem to be relatively rare.

2. Hair Balls

Hair balls are very common and a major cause of constipation in cats. The barbed tongue of the feline that gives it the rough sandpaper feel pulls the licked fur towards the back of the throat where it's swallowed. While in the digestive tract, the fur wraps around food. Sometimes the cat can bring up the hair ball, and sometimes it just has to go all the way through, where it may cause constipation.  One of the tricks my uses to keep hairballs clear is to rub margarine on the cats paws.  The cat licks this off and it seems to help.  I suspect this bit of wisdom cane from her mother.

3. Cat Ringworm

Cat ringworm (dermatophytosis) is actually not a worm, but a fungal infection transmitted through spores. It is the most common infectious skin disease in cats. Some cats may show no symptoms but can still spread the disease (carriers). It can be hard to cure, and the spores may be hard to get rid of as they may linger. The good news is that in an otherwise healthy cat, this disease may resolve itself (self-limiting).

4. Cat Parasites

Cat Parasites are quite common, and can be present even when your cat shows few symptoms, or none at all. The presence of parasites, however, can weaken a cat's resistance to other diseases. This makes it possible for secondary conditions, such as infections, to take hold do more harm than usual.

There are various types of parasites, including worm-like variants and single-celled organisms. Some of the more common worm-like variety are hookworm, roundworm, and tape worm. Worms are one of the most common cat health problems and your cat should be tested for worms at least yearly. Kittens are treated as a matter of routine, whether they test positive or not highlighting the need for regular trips to the veterinarian.

Some recommend deworming medication as a regular maintenance treatment, but more conservative veterinarians would recommend you deworm as needed. My cats, for example, have never been on any deworming medication, with the exception of when they were treated as kittens. They are tested yearly, and have never had worms, so there has never been any need to medicate them.  This shows again the need for a visit to the vet.

Flea control is vital as these creatures will cause infection of other parasites, such as tape worms. Again, some would say that your cat should be on regular flea control, but some  have never had fleas, so there has never been a need for it.  Our new kitten came from the rescue shelter with fleas, so she had to be treated.

Members of the single-celled variety of cat parasite include Isospora, Giardia, or Toxoplasma gondii (which causes cat Toxoplasmosis).

Since many cat parasite infections are passed from cat to cat, the chances of infection are greater in places with large cat populations and overcrowding, such as shelters. Infection rates can be as high as 45 percent or more. Some cat parasites have the potential to infect humans as well. For these zoonotic diseases, parasite control is important to human health as well as that of the cats involved.

There are also some external cat parasites that cause additional direct and indirect cat health problems.

5. Respiratory Conditions

Respiratory (pulmonary or lung) conditions are common cat health problems. A busy emergency veterinary practice may typically treat many cases in a year stemming from a wide variety of causes.

These conditions can be either chronic or acute, and commonly stem from allergies, growths (either benign or cancerous), parasites, abscesses, adverse reactions to inhaled fungi, and the malfunction of other vital organs (such as congestive heart failure).

6. Viral infections

Ensure that you talk to your vet about vaccinations and understand the benefits and risks. Many deaths occur due to common cat health problems that could have been avoided completely by proper vaccination.  This applies especially when you board a cat or dog.

Cats may contract viral infections just like humans, and may get the flu. Sometimes, a cat will have a virus of non-specific origin. Some cats may need re-hydration treatments, which may involve intravenous fluids, or injecting fluids under the skin. This forms a large "bag" of fluid which is absorbed by the cat's body over several days.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis, known as feline FIP is a deadly infectious disease. It is the most feared disease in catteries as it is the leading infectious cause of cat death. FIP is caused by a coronavirus infection (FCoV). It presents symptoms that are common to many other health conditions, tests are not always accurate, and it is difficult to diagnose.

Feline immunodeficiency virus or feline FIV is a member of the Lentivirus family, as is HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). FIV is specific to felines, so you cannot catch it from a cat, although your cat can. Once infected, your cat may develop full blown feline AIDS at some point.

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a feline retrovirus that causes, among a long list of symptoms , fatal cancerous and non-cancerous diseases. It does not survive long outside the cat, and is easily destroyed by household detergents and bleach. It is contagious only by direct wet contact with an infected cat, and is said to be specific to the cat family. Our Siamese cat, KoKo succumbed to leukemia.

7. Bacterial infections

Bacteria is everywhere. Bacterial infections are common in cats with suppressed immune systems due to excessive stress, age, or other pre-existing conditions. Your vet will typically prescribe an antibiotic treatment.

8. Intestinal disorders

Another of the common cat health problems is feline constipation. This may occur periodically throughout your cat's life and is often caused by hair balls. A cat food diet specially formulated to treat hair balls may help, as can specific hair ball remedies such as lactulose.

Some cats, however, may develop chronic constipation that becomes more frequent over time, and this may lead to a debilitating disease known as megacolon.

There's a group of chronic cat health problems that fall under the category of gastrointestinal disorders. Typically these cause chronic vomiting and diarrhea. These disorders are collectively known as Feline Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Feline IBD). In most cases, Feline IBD can be controlled using a combination of dietary manangement and medication, but IBD is rarely cured.

9. Urinary Tract Disorders and Infections

Yet another of the cat health problems that veterinarians commonly see are urinary tract infections. FLUTD, formerly known as feline urologic syndrome, or FUS, stands for feline lower urinary tract disease. Causes and symptoms vary and can sometimes be confused with other conditions.

Diseases of the lower urinary tract occur frequently, and more often in males than females. They affect the bladder and/or the urethra. In male cats this can end up becoming an obstructed urinary tract, which is a life threatening condition. Cats have alo been know to have kidney stones. I cam empathize with this since I am prone to create stones.   If your cat has any kind of urination or apparent bladder problems, a trip to the vet is warranted.