A Guide to Common Cat Illnesses

If feline urinary infection sounds bad, it's somehow comforting to know that this is not a common disease, only causing 10% of vet visits. Male cats are more prone to feline urinary infection, but aside from this condition, cat owners have to contend with more common diseases that their precious pet might develop.

As responsible cat owners, we need to be aware of common illnesses among cats. Part of our responsibility is to be aware of these diseases for prevention or early detection. Although vet visits may be unpleasant to both pet and owner, it's best to go to the vet if you notice certain behaviours or manifestations that your cat is sick.

Here are some of the more common illnesses among cats to watch out for:

Worms - If this goes unchecked, it can lead to malnutrition and cause complications. Be sure to take your cat for de-worming, your vet would know when to administer treatment or prevention.
Food poisoning - It's true: Curiosity can kill a cat. Sometimes, cats with high hunting drives especially those who are let loose outdoors come across smaller animals or 'prey.' These unfortunate creatures may carry a slew of disease which may be transmitted to your animal. Be observant. And it would be better to keep your cat indoors if you know that it's got a habit of hunting successfully.
Abscess - When cats get into fights, things can get bloody. If your pet gets into a scuffle with another feline (or another creature for that matter), check for wounds or bruises. When wounds get worse, this can lead to infection. Your cat might be feverish, and there would be noticeable swelling in the affected area. Take your cat to the vet to see what kind of medication it would need to fast-track healing.
Cat flu - It is unconfirmed whether cats truly have nine lives, but vaccination from cat flu can save you the pain of losing your cat to this sickness in the long run. The symptoms are very similar to what we humans manifest when we're down with the flu. For cats, this is a respiratory illness that's very contagious and has not direct treatment available. The symptoms are sneezing, coughing, noisy breathing, runny eyes, loss of appetite and fever.
Skin problems (ringworms) - If you notice that your cat is developing dry skin on its ear and eye areas, and these dry spots develop into red lesions, your cat might have ringworms. This is highly contagious, and can be transferred to humans.
Feline distemper - Also called Feline Infectious Enteritis. This is a potentially fatal disease, and kittens are the most prone to this viral infection. Protect your kitty by vaccination.
Feline infectious peritonitis - Sounds complicated, and it actually is. A virus causes abdomen inflammation; the symptoms include loss of appetite, swollen abdomen, weight loss, and fever. This is more prone among households with more than 2 cats. Kittens and elderly cats are more prone to this disease, and it is almost always fatal.

It seems that you don't just have to watch out for feline urinary infection. The list above shows how big the responsibility is of taking care of a cat. And this holds true for all pets. With tender loving care, your cat will live a long happy life with you. Regular visits to the vet for check ups are a must, and we must be truly concerned of our cat's health. Fat cats are not necessarily healthy cats, and they're not just cute cuddly creatures that you feed and play with sometimes. They're wonderful animals that make good companions, all with their own individual character and charm.

To find out more about a well-researched, natural treatment for Urinary tract infection in pets, please visit pet-urinary-health.com Puneet Aggarwal is a regular writer on Pet problems and suggests natural alternatives. If you have any questions, you may visit his website.