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Well, I'm finally getting this page up and around and I will mention again that many of these issues are through personal experiences & personal research as well as research to learn about the others. This is just a start to where I will go with this information. There is so much between the diseases, how they are obtained and the signs & symptoms but I am going to attempt keeping things short, simple and easy to understand (as easy as each disease will allow me to be).
PERSONAL NOTE & ADVICE: If you are interested in introducing another cat into your home it may be to your best interest (as well as the interest of your other feline dwellers) to bring it to the vet for an exam, have it tested and update all shots. I usually go for the combo test. This is a dual test for Felv & FIV. Please be sure your new kitty is healthy before you introduce it to your existing babies. |
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DIABETES Diabetes mellitus ("sugar" diabetes) is a complex and common endocrine disorder in the cat. It is caused either by insufficient production of the hormone, insulin, by the pancreas (type 1 diabetes) or by inadequate response of the body's cells to insulin (type 2 diabetes). Because diabetic cats are not able to utilize glucose properly, they ultimately develop hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels) and subsequent glucosuria (sugar in the urine). The glucosuria leads to polyuria (excessive urination) and polydipsia (excessive thirst). In spite of maintaining a good appetite, diabetic cats lose weight because the body's tissues are unable to utilize glucose properly. Progression of the disease ultimately leads to further metabolic disturbances and causes vomiting, loss of appetite, weakness, and dehydration. Diabetes mellitus most often occurs in older, obese individuals; males are more commonly afflicted than females. The exact cause of the disease in cats is not known, although genetic predisposition, obesity, pancreatic
disease, hormonal imbalances, and certain medications have all been
incriminated. SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: Polyuria, polydipsia, increased appetite, and weight loss are hallmark signs of diabetes mellitus in cats. In the earlier stages of the disease, cats remain active and alert with few other signs of disease. However as the disease progresses, poor skin and haircoat, liver disease, and secondary bacterial infections become more common. An infrequent disorder called diabetic neuropathy may cause cats to become progressively weaker in the rear legs and assume a unique, plantigrade stance. A dangerous condition called ketoacidosis may develop in some cats. Signs of ketoacidosis include a loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, weakness, dehydration, and breathing abnormalities. Without proper and prompt treatment, this condition ultimately proves fatal. |
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DISTEMPER A viral disease affecting domestic cats and all other felids (e.g., lions, tigers, and other wild cats), as well as raccoons and mink. Kittens that are born to affected queens (infected in utero) or infected very shortly after birth may display tremors, have a very high-stepping gait, stand with their feet very far apart, or even fall down while standing or walking.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: Most infections go unnoticed, as they have no clinical signs associated with them. When clinical signs are seen, it is usually in animals less than one year of age. Signs include depression, anorexia, vomiting, fever, and dehydration. |
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FELINE IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS = FIV (Feline AIDS - Not associated with human strain) As in people, we refer to a cat who tests positive as being "FIV positive" but that cat does not necessarily yet have FAIDS (feline acquired immune deficiency syndrome). This virus is classified in the same group of viruses as the HIV virus, but it is not identical. The cat may not become sick for months or years or in some cases not at all. When a cat does develop illness, the body�s natural defense against disease is broken down. The cat is then susceptible to a great variety of infections, cancers, etc. The HIV virus does not infect cats, and likewise the FIV virus does not infect humans. There is no danger that a person could catch AIDS from a cat or vice versa.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: No one specific symptom is typical. It might be a sickly cat who is not recovering promptly from an illness, or has a chronic illness such as infected teeth or gums, frequent diarrhea or discharge from the nose or eyes. |
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FELINE INFECTIOUS ANEMIA = FIA Older male non-pedigree cats are most likely to be infected, and fighting is believed to be one of the ways that the parasite is transmitted between cats. Cats infested with fleas may also be at an increased risk because fleas may transmit infection between cats. Stressed or ill cats can acquire this disease due to other diseases, since it has been found that cats infected with feline leukemia virus (FeLV) or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) can develop anemia.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: Anemia may be accompanied by a fever in the early stages of infection. Clinical signs include tiredness, depression, a reduced appetite and pale gums. Weight loss can occur. Some cats also show respiratory signs. Such clinical signs can be seen with a variety of diseases that result in anemia, and are not specific for FIA. Other clinical signs may include enlargement of the spleen and lymph nodes. |
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FELINE INFECTIOUS PERITONITIS = FIP Usually fatal within 6 months. Symptoms vary, an infected cat may have an enlarged abdomen, or fever, weight loss and eye sores. Instead of a shot, drops are placed in the cat's nose. Two doses given three to four weeks apart, with a yearly booster after that. NOTE: Some people believe this vaccine actually increases the probability of a kitten getting the disease if exposed to it.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: lethargy, fatigue, oversize belly & eventually loss of equilibrium
**FOR MORE INFO** |
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FELINE KIDNEY DISEASE Many cats will develop renal (kidney) insufficiency as they age. With age the kidneys will loose nephrons (the functional unit of the kidney) and renal failure will result. The kidney (like the liver) has a large built in reserve capacity. By the time we see signs are renal insufficiency 60-75% of the renal mass is lost. The first signs are usually loss of the ability to concentrate the urine which results in increased drinking and urinating.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: With more damage the toxins that are normally filtered by the kidney begin to build up and can cause depression, decreased appetite, a foul odor to the breath, oral ulceration and vomiting. In the end stage of renal failure, a low body temperature, seizures, and severe depression and coma can result.
KIDNEY PROBLEMS **FOR MORE INFO** Lots of information here including other kidney issues |
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FELINE LEUKEMIA VIRUS = Felv Feline Leukemia is a retrovirus that is responsible for more deaths in cats than any other single cause that destroys the cat's immune system. There are ways of protecting a cat from this virus and it is also an easily detectable virus, but once the disease infects, chances of survival are small. Feline Leukemia is spread through the saliva, tears, and blood. It is also believed to be transferred through sexual contact, but there is no proof for this. There is also some worry about it being transferred by mosquitoes. This may be possible, because the virus has been found on the mouth parts of mosquitoes, and needs only 0.01 ml of blood to be transferred. Outdoor cats also are almost three times as likely to get the virus as indoor with outdoor cats having a 20.4% chance and indoor only 7.5%. A cat stands a 17% chance of surviving past 3.5 years once being infected.
There are three strains of FeLV A, B, and C with all infections containing FeLV A strain. There has never been a case of viremia from FeLV B or C without strain A.
There are six phases to a FeLV infection. PHASE 1 is when the virus enters the cat usually through the pharynx where it infects the epithelial cells and infects the tonsillar B lymphocytes and macrophages. These white blood cells then filter down to the lymph nodes and begin to replicate. PHASE 2 the virus enters the blood stream and begins to distribute throughout the body. PHASE 3 starts when the lymphoid system becomes infected with further distribution throughout the body. PHASE 4 is the main point in the infection where the virus can take over the body's immune system cause viremia. During this phase the hemolymphatic system and intestines become infected. If the cat's immune system does not fight off the virus then it goes onto phase 5 where the bone marrow becomes infected. In this phase the virus replicates and is released 4-7 days later as infected neutrophils, platetes, and sometimes lymphocytes, monocytes, and eosinophils. At this stage the cat's body is overwhelmed by infection and mucosal and glandular epithelial cells become infected. It replicates in epithelial tissues, including salivary glands, oropharynx, stomach, esophagus, intestine, trachae, nasopharynx, renal tubules, bladder, pancreas, alveolar ducts, and sebaceous ducts from the muzzle. It is surprisingly, not released by the parenchyml cells of adrenal, testes, or eyes although it still excretes through urine which is where sexual transmission would possibly occur from. In this phase the cat's immune system can limit or eliminate the virus. About 40% of cats extinguish the virus with 16% of these fighting it off due to minimal exposure to the virus because of their isolated behavior and the other 24% resist the disease. All of this usually occurs between 16-18 weeks after the FeLV infection began. About 20% of the cats put the disease in a latent stage. The disease will remain in this latent stage until the cat becomes stressed and then FeLV will re-emerge. About 5-10% of cats go through a sequestered stage in which viremia is limited, intermittent, or absent altogether. However the cat can still shed the virus through blood, urine, and in its milk. This leaves a total of about 30% of cats that just go through the disease from start to finish normally resulting in death. Testing your cat is important, because a viremic cat may seem healthy but its immune system can be so suppressed that even a weak virus can initiate a disease. The cat would also still be shedding the virus and transmitting it to other cats. There are three tests the IFA, ELISA, and VI tests. Indirect Immunefluorescence Assay (IFA) looks for structural antigens in cytoplasm of FeLV cells and was the first practical diagnosis test for any animal retrovirus. VI test measures the number of replicating FeLV particles in plasma, serum, saliva, urine, tissue fluids, tissue homogenates, or spent tissue culture medium. IFA and IV are the best tests with a correlation of 98% between the two. Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) tests for soluble p27 in serum, saliva, tears, tissue, fluid, or solubized tissue homogenates. The overall agreement of the ELISA and IFA is 49%, but it has same day results where the others take 10-14 days and are very expensive. Vaccination is by far the best protection from the disease and to be effective a booster should be given every year. Proof of why vaccines are so important is when a cat is exposed to FeLV, fights it off developing antibodies, and then is reexposed only three years later with the exact same virus, only 50% of the cats fought it off. Kittens do not need vaccination until around 8 weeks because they get antibodies from their mother, assuming the mother has them, from her colostrum that don't deteriorate until 8-12 weeks later. Colostrum is the initial milk that the mother gives her kittens and it passes lots of antibodies to her litter that stay for 8-12 weeks when the kitten gets their own immune system developed enough. There are three types of vaccines recombinant gp70 protein vaccine, cell cultures supernatant, and about 9 other killed whole viruses. These are all very effective and a cat vaccinated from one vaccine one year can get a booster from another and they will not interfere with each other. One of the vaccines, GenetiVacFeLV was the one of the first recombinant viral vaccines for any retrovirus in animals or humans. There was also a little bit about cats that are actually genetically resistant to the disease. The only confirmed genetic resistance was in about 25% of the cats have lymphocytes that bind and replicate FeLV virus poorly compared to the other 75% that bind and replicate normally. There was also mention on a certain gene that prevented retroviruses from replicating directly. Treatment is possible but should be under strict quarantine procedures until the very unlikely reversal of the disease, death, or euthanasia is performed. Whether treatment should be done is a highly debatable subject. The median age for a healthy cat to survive is two years and euthanasia is often done towards the end to avoid suffering. During this period the cat has the potential to spread the virus to other cats that it may accidentally come in contact with even under correct precautions. There is always the remote possibility that a cat will recover from the disease the only way to ensure this is to test the cat using the IFA method and getting a negative result. Once you obtain a positive result the cat should remain on quarantine until another consecutive test at least three months apart. Even after supposed recovery, testing the cat every 6 to 12 months to ensure that the virus does not reoccur. Any contact anyone has with the infected cat afterwards they should wash thoroughly and any outer clothing removed and washed. Some people may choose to let their cat come in contact with their other household cats kept indoors. This is a bad idea, but if the cats have remained in contact with the FeLV positive cat and have not caught the virus they have only a 10-15% chance of catching the virus. Never let the cat roam outdoors, due to possible exposure of other cats. The two sides to this are whether a cat should have the chance to live out its life with the disease and possibly spread the disease or to euthanize the cat. The argument against the euthanasia alternative is that we let people with AIDS live out the rest of their life with not even a quarantine restriction. If euthanasia is not chosen, then their are some preventive measures that should be made to help the cat live out the rest of its life. One big factor is to reduce the stress level of the cat such as, high population density, change of environment, surgeries, or any number of things. Frequent washing of the living area of the cat to help reduce the amount of any viruses, fungi, or bacteria that the cat may come in contact with. It is necessary to supply the cat with highly nutritious food. Performing a fecal examination every three months to detect any internal parasites is also suggested. Vaccination with killed products against herpesvirus-1, calicivirus infections, panleukopenia, and rabies virus is recommended. Feline Leukemia is probably the most dangerous virus for cats. By testing, vaccinations, and monitoring of any FeLV positive cats it should be possible to bring the disease down to a controllable level. With proper vaccinations eradication of this disease can happen, but it will take responsible pet owners and proper education by Veterinarians to achieve this goal. A few cats recover from FeLV, however it is most often fatal. There is no connection between feline leukemia and human leukemia. The vaccine is given in two doses, three weeks apart and then a yearly booster.
**FOR MORE INFO** |
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FELINE LIVER DISEASE The liver is a vital organ, having a wide-ranging role in digestion, biosynthesis, energy metabolism, elimination of waste and immune regulation. There is a direct blood supply from the gut to the liver (via the portal vein), and partly because of this, the liver is very vulnerable to injury as any toxins or poisons that are ingested (eaten) will rapidly reach the liver. The liver can also be affected by a variety of primary disorders and diseases of other body systems will sometimes cause secondary damage to the liver. The liver has an enormous reserve capacity which means that, by the time the cat starts showing signs of liver failure, more than two-thirds of it is usually affected. The liver also regenerates well, which means that recovery is often possible, even after severe liver disease.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: The signs of liver problems appear when a large part of the liver is already affected. Initially the cat may eat less, lose weight and become lethargic. A fever may develop. As the disease progresses, other common signs are an increase in water intake and urination. Jaundice and vomiting may occur in advanced stages and, if the liver starts failing completely, severe neurological signs and hypersalivation may occur. Some cats may appear pot bellied because of an increase in the size of the liver itself, or because there is a build-up of fluid in the abdomen (ascites). |
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FELINE PANLEUKOPENIA = FPL Known as Feline Distemper is one of the most widespread of all cat diseases, it is highly contagious and causes the death of many cats. Three-fourths of kittens that get this disease die, as do about half of older infected cats.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: Fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, weakness, tremors, and lack of coordination. Vaccinces should be given at 6 to 12 weeks of age then once a year. |
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FELINE URINARY SYNDROME = FUS Chances are, if you observe the signs & symptoms it is more likely to be FUS than constipation�and FUS requires immediate treatment, while constipation does not.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: Straining and frequency in urination are the first symptoms of cystitis, or FUS. Look very carefully for traces or drops of very dark or bloody urine. Some cats with FUS will decide to urinate outside their litterbox, so be careful to investigate thoroughly before chastising your cat if he/she does this behavior. |
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FELINE VIRAL RHINOTRACHEITIS = FVR
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: A highly contagious respiratory disease, passed by coughing or sneezing, may lead to pneumonia. FVR is often more severe than FCV (see above) and may cause miscarriages ("spontaneous abortions") in pregnant cats. Symptoms include sneezing, loss of appetite, fever and eye inflammation, discharge from eyes and nose. The vaccine for this disease is usually combined with the vaccine for FCV, and may be injected or given as nose drops. |
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HYPERTHYROIDISM
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: The most commonly recognized signs of hyperthyroidism are weight loss, hyperactivity, and an increased appetite. An increased water consumption and urination are other common signs of feline hyperthyroidism that are thought to result from an increased blood flow to the kidneys. Gastrointestinal signs are common in hyperthyroidism. Intermittent vomiting and diarrhea are frequently noted. Cardiovascular signs including an increased heart rate, arrhythmias and congestive heart failure, are common in cats with hyperthyroidism.
MORE SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: Coughing, oily coat, sleeps often and has surges of energy, possible frequent crying, anal irritation
**FOR MORE INFO** Also including a place for a cure. Radio Iodine. |
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UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION = URI
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: Cats with upper respiratory infections typically show "flu-like" signs with sneezing, discharge from the eyes and nose, coughing, fever and loss of appetite. Young kittens, and cats that have never been vaccinated, are the most susceptible. While several viruses and bacteria may be involved, current research indicates that up to 90% of felines upper respiratory disease is caused by either feline calicivirus or feline herpesvirus-1, also known as the rhinotracheitis virus. SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: |
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