It is not uncommon for our cats to suffer from diseases and injuries. What are the most common and what do they mean? We list the most common diseases and injuries in cats.
1. Vomiting
Vomiting in cats can have many causes. The most common is that the cat has eaten something it should not. It is also common for the cat to vomit up hairballs.
The cat gets its hair in when it washes its fur, and especially when it is felled, there can be so much hair that hairballs form. You can reduce the risk of hairballs by brushing your cat regularly.
Vomiting is often temporary and usually resolves within 48 hours. If the vomiting is very severe, if the cat vomits frequently or if the vomiting does not go away within a reasonable time, you should contact a veterinarian for further examination of the cat.
2. Tooth Resorption / FORL
Tooth resorption, often abbreviated TR, is a gradual breakdown of the cat’s teeth. (Sometimes the abbreviation FORL, which stands for Feline Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions, is also used.)
Older cats over the age of five are at greater risk of being affected. The disease often manifests itself in the tooth enamel being damaged, which causes the pulp to be exposed and the tooth to eventually break off.
When the pulp of the tooth is exposed, it leads to great pain in the cat. But sometimes it is the tooth’s root that breaks down and then the cat can get severe pain even if the tooth’s crown looks completely normal. It is therefore necessary to x-ray cats that are suspected to have suffered from tooth resorption.
A sign that the cat may have been affected by the disease is that it is starting to eat worse, no longer wants to eat dry food or if the cat suddenly just chews the food on one side of its mouth.
3. Bite wounds
Bite wounds are a common injury in cats. The damage is often caused by the cat being in a fight with other cats. Bite wounds are not always easy to see and this happens because it becomes infected and an abscess forms.
If you find that your cat has bite wounds, it is important to have a veterinarian examine the wounds.
Bite wounds and boils are usually treated by drainage and sometimes also medication with antibiotics.
4. Hyperterosis / Toxic goiter
Means that more thyroid hormone is produced than normal in the cat. This is most common among cats who are 10 years and older – it can affect younger cats as well but it is not as common. There are many different symptoms of poison ivy in cats.
Some common symptoms are increased appetite and thirst but that the cat loses weight despite this.
Another symptom may be that the cat stops eating completely.
5. Kidney failure
Kidney failure is most common among middle-aged and older cats. The kidney’s capacity to filter and purify the blood of various substances is greatly reduced. This in turn leads to an incurable damage to the kidneys.
The cause of kidney failure can vary and sometimes it is not known why the cat’s kidneys stop functioning normally. Common causes of kidney failure are hereditary defects, tumors or infections. Symptoms of this include poor eating, vomiting and weight loss.
6. Anorexia / Weight Loss
Sometimes cats stop eating, if your cat stops eating completely and does not eat anything it otherwise likes, you should see a veterinarian. There are many different reasons why the cat does not eat, it may be that it suffers from a disease, has toothaches or mental causes.
7. Lameness
Sometimes cats become lame. This means that the cat does not want or can not load and support itself on the leg.
Other signs may also be that the legs and paws are swollen.
The underlying causes of lameness can include traumatic injuries such as squeezing injuries, ligament injuries, joint problems or muscle injuries. Contact a veterinarian if the cat seems to be in great pain and can not support the leg / paw at all.
8. Urinary tract problems
Urinary tract problems in cats are often caused by inflammation of the bladder and urethra.
The problems arise when bacteria from the external genitalia enter the bladder and cause an infection and inflammation. Symptoms are that the cat urinates often but that there is not much urine. Other symptoms can be that the cat screams when it pees, feels lethargic and eats worse.
9. Diarrhea
There are many causes of diarrhea in cats. It can be stress, changing food or medication.
If the cat behaves as usual but has diarrhea, it usually goes away on its own.
If the cat has major problems and is taken away or if the cat has diarrhea for a long time, you should contact a veterinarian for further examination.
10. Diabetes
Cats suffer from a type of diabetes that in many respects resembles human type 2 diabetes.
The cat is the only animal other than humans / primates that suffers from type 2 diabetes. As with humans, obesity is a contributing factor.
Diabetes means that the cat becomes ill from high blood sugar. Common symptoms are increased thirst, increased urination, increased appetite and weight loss.