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Cat Illnesses
What To Watch For

Shelby Neely, BM, MA, VMD



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Cat Illnesses are as diverse and complicated as yours and mine can be. My clients are often surprised to learn that cat anatomy is very similar to human anatomy. Having similar organs and body systems means their bodies can be affected with diseases similar to our own. Actually, in many cases, identical!

For example, there is very little difference in cat asthma and human asthma. You may be surprised to learn that the same inhalers used by people are at the forefront of cat treatments for asthma. Symptoms of cat colds are likewise the same symptoms you and I get when we have a cold.

We can discuss cat anatomy in greater detail later. For now, just be aware that cats have a liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, pancrease, stomach, intestines, gall bladder, urinary bladder.....the list goes on and on. Therefore, they can have diabetes when their pancrease malfunctions, irritable bowel syndrome when their intestines are inflammed, heart failure, liver infection or inflammation such as hepatitis, kidney disease, asthma, pneumonia, lung cancer.... cat illnesses are just like human illnesses.

I will tell you more about the individual conditions and diseases your kitty can face, but for now I want you to learn the most important information that you need to know in order to detect cat illnesses early. I would much rather practice preventative medicine or diagnose sick cat symptoms while the condition is still early and treatable rather than finding it's too late. I know you want that for your cat also.



Several of the major diseases that cats can get have very similar symptoms, especially elderly cat health problems. But don't worry. If you notice any of the symptoms of cat diseases that I'm going to go over with you here, your vet can match those symptoms with the appropriate disease with a thorough exam and usually blood work. Occasionally, x-rays, urinalysis, or even ultrasound may be needed. Fortunately, veterinary medicine has the same methods of testing, diagnosis, and treatment these days that human physicians use. Please remember that your cat's chances of being helped are much greater AND your expenses much less if you go to the vet at the first sign of something unusual.

Let me tell you what the most common symptoms of cat diseases are. It's simple and easy to remember. Only five things to remember. All you have to remember is right in front of you. What five things are the main things your cat does? Eat, Drink, Urinate, Defacate, and Sleep. Right? Well, that's all you have to keep your eyes on. Is your cat eating more or less? Drinking more or less? Urinating more or less? Having more frequent bowel movements or less frequent and is the stool harder or softer? Last, but not least, has your cat's activity level changed? Is he sleeping the same amount and acting the same as usual when he's awake? Or is he sluggish, less active, sleeping more?







If any one of those 5 functions change, observe carefully, even take notes, and call your vet right away. It could be nothing OR it could be early kidney problems, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, a urinary tract infection and a few other things, 99% of which can be cured or controlled IF CAUGHT EARLY.

It's worth repeating those 5 things one more time Appetite, Thirst, Urination, Bowel Movements, Activity Level. Pay close attention to those functions of your cat. Your observations are free, your vet bill cheaper when disease is diagnosed and treated early, but the cost when your observations save your cat's life.....PRICELESS!

Please click on the following link for an expanded version of this article with more tips on examining your cat at home.

How To Determine When Your Cat Needs Veterinary Attention


Learn About One of the Cat Illnesses Known As Feline Leukemia

Return From Cat Illnesses to Home page

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What Fellow Cat Owners Have Asked

Click Below To See Questions From Other Cat Lovers.

Unexplained Inflammation
of Cat's Leg
  My 10-year-old indoor cat has been limping for the past week. I brought him to the vet, and the vet sedated him for a full exam, finding no wounds or ...

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My cat was about a year old, and he was ok last playing a burring, and when my parents woke up in the morning they found him dead by his food ...

Gagging Kitty  STRONG

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I noticed yesterday evening my cat started getting a watery eye. He would look like he was going to sneeze but never did and his eye would ...

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My cat seems to be giving birth anytime this very hour. she is very quiet. not eating, always lying on sofa the whole day. her kittens ...

Bad Breath in Cats  QUESTION

My cat has very smelly breath and he only eats small amounts of food. Is he ok?


ANSWER

He most likely is not ok. Bad breath and ...

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For the past two days my cat cannot go to the bathroom. She pees ok but not poo. What can I do for her? And now she won't eat.

Hi, Terry,...

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My 16 year old cat had a problem a couple of months ago. He was dragging his back left leg. I massaged it for a day and a half and he was ...

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Sick Cat  QUESTION

x rays showed alesion in the chest and she seems almost paralyed on the left side whats wrong

ANSWER

I'm sorry. That's just not ...

Severe Cat Illness  QUESTION

m from kashmir(india) i have a cat of 1 and half year old.he is suffering from severe cough, diarrhea, vomiting, and a bit cold too.four ...

cat is seriously ill  i m from kashmir (india).i have a cat of 1 and half year old.he is suffering from severe cough, diarrhea, vommiting, a bit cold too.and four of his teeth ...

Lack of appetite in a Cat  We have a 13 year old Himalayan Cat with a history of urinary tract problems. A mixture of Purina One urinary tract health food and hairball food is left ...

Frightened Cat  Aloha, I am wondering what to do with my cat, Monkey. She is 6 years old and we have just moved from a small apartment in LA to a bigger house in Sacramento....

Cat with Pale Gums  Tomis is a healthy, active outdoor neutered male, unknown age, has received his shots, several years ago. He gets in lots of territorial battles. Tomis ...

4 Month-Old -Kitten, Infrequent Vomiting  Hiya

i have a 4 and a half month old kitten who is very healthy and happy but i woke up this morning and he had been sick, quite a large amount. This ...

Cat Eating Less,
Constipated and Vomiting
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I have a 10 year old cat who refuses to eat anything other than food based in jelly or gravy, yet does not eat the meat, only the jelly or ...

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My cat, Mr. PJ has high levels of protein in his urine. He did have urine crystals taken out of him. Every month or so I have to take his ...

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My cat is a domestic cat about 16 years old. He lives in our warehouse. He is eating less, vomiting after eating and his stools are extemely ...

Sick Cat With Bloody Diarrhea  My cat seems to have bloody diarrhea. The problem is I cant afford to take him to the vet. I know this isn't normal but I'm curious as to how serious ...

Cat Chewing Her Tail  My Cat Emily lets out somewhat of a painful meow, then chews her tail continously, almost like a painful itch. She no longer has hair on that part of ...

Cat Licking Rear Excessively  QUESTION:

I have noticed that my kitty is frequently licking her butt. I'm afraid she might have an infection, her stool is also very soft and smells ...

Cat's Anus Is Red  Hi,


My cat Sadie is two years old. She is eating and drinking the same amount, sleeping the same amount.

The problem is her private area---anus....

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My Persian cat Angus is 14 Years old and used to be very healthy. But for the past 10 days, he has not been eating anything but drinking ...

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drooling  QUESTION:

My female cat is drooling profusely and she had her tongue sticking out, what is wrong, the vet could not give me answer, can you. He did ...

Cat Is Vomiting  Why is my cat vomiting?


ANSWER

Without having any information about your cat or about the vomiting episode(s), I couldn't begin to give you any ...

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My cat lives outdoors. Kinda of a stray i let hang around. She's so sweet, i couldn't turn her away. Lately, it seems like her appetite is ...

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Cat Health for Peanut  QUESTION

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Sick Cat  My cat keeps throwing up and has Diarrhoea?

Hi,

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Cat Vomiting Blood  QUESTION:

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Cat Eats Plastic Bags and Vomits  Hi, Doc....

Our cat eats plastic bags and soon thereafter vomits. My girlfriend and I always try to remove any accessable bags from the cat. Unfortunately,...

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Blood In Stool  Hi,

We have a kitten that is 8 months old. We noticed that she occasionally has drops of blood in her stool. Is this normal? What might be causing ...

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Cleo, my 13-year-old tabby, has been gradually losing hair on her belly and legs, as well as losing weight. She is an indoor cat and her eating,...

Cat Not Eating   Paul wrote to me about his cat not eating. He writes, " Charlie, one of my three cats, is two years old and has been doctored. He is usually the first ...

Very Sick  QUESTION

My cat has blue gums, is throwing up, has shallow breathing, and brown mucus from rectum. This came on very fast.


Dear Linda

Not ...

Vomiting  QUESTION

My cat is vomiting often. Sometimes there is hair in it and other times it's just yellow or clear mucus. Should I be concerned?

ANSWER ...


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