Symptoms of Cat Health Problems

Medical conditions which commonly affect cats are just more than many. Some illnesses could be
nothing more than merely annoying, while some could prove fatal if not tended to immediately.
What May Affect Your Cat?
Nasty Hairball
Cats have a habit of grooming themselves by licking their bodies. In this process, they tend to
swallow some loose or dead hair. Although most of the hair passes along the digestive tract without
any problem, there are some that may get accumulated inside the stomach forming what is known as
a hairball. Cat breeds like Persians and Maine Coons are more susceptible to this problem as they
have long hair.
Symptoms of hairball include:
Continuous coughing
Vomiting
Gagging or hacking
Loss of appetite; causing weight loss
Diarrhea
Feline Leukemia Virus (FLV)
After accidents or physical trauma, the FLV is known to be the leading cause of death in cats. It is a
retrovirus, and it only affects cats and cannot be transferred to humans. The causal pathogen
attacks the immune system and suppresses it, making the affected animal highly vulnerable to
contract infections. The same may also trigger cancer in cats, and blood disorders such as anemia.
The FLV may be compared to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Symptoms exhibited by a FLV infected cat may include:
Weight loss
Poor coat color
Stubborn fever
Pale gums; accompanied by swelling or inflammation of gums
Yellowing of the whites of the eyes
Labored breathing
Intermittent or chronic infections
Diarrhea
Eye diseases
Note: FLV does not cause any symptoms during its early stage of infection. The above symptoms
may gradually begin to appear as the cat's health continues to deteriorate.
Worms
Roundworms, tapeworms, and hookworms are intestinal worms which commonly affect cats. In rare
cases, heartworm infestation is also diagnosed in felines.
Common symptoms caused by an intestinal parasitic worm in cats may include:
Pot-bellied appearance
Weight loss
Worm segments in feces
Blood in feces
Abdominal pain
Vomiting
Increased appetite
Lethargy
Although heartworm infestation in cats is less common when compared to dogs, it can be potentially
fatal. Its symptoms include:
Difficulty breathing
Weight loss
Diarrhea
Coughing
Lack of energy
Fainting
Sudden death (in case of severe infection)
Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)
There are certain medical conditions that can make cats susceptible to bacterial infections such as
urinary tract infections. Some of these conditions may include kidney stones, incontinence, stress,
diabetes mellitus, etc. It is in a few cases that a bacterial invasion of the urinary tract alone causes
UTI in cats.
The main symptoms in cats with UTI include:
Pain while urinating
Crying while grooming genitals
Cloudy urine; the urine may also have a tinge of blood
Vomiting
Increased urination
Fleas
Ctenocephalides felis is the binomial name for the cat flea. It also affects dogs.
Its symptoms may include:
Anemia; which may cause muscle wasting, pale gums and weakness
Hair loss; the head and neck are commonly affected
Frequent scratching and itching of the coat
More grooming than before
Flea allergy dermatitis
Red lesions on the skin
Restlessness
Agitation
Plant Poisoning
Although not fatal, most outdoor plants can be toxic enough to trigger severe reactions in your pets.
Symptoms that might indicate plant poisoning in your cat include:
Swelling or irritation in the mouth
Skin rash
Excessive drooling
Sudden vomiting
Diarrhea; sometimes accompanied by blood
Seizures
Coma
Dehydration
Loss of appetite
Fever
Kidney Disease
Kidney disease in cats could be acute or chronic. Mostly, older cats are diagnosed with kidney
failure. Most cats do not show any symptoms until their kidneys have been damaged considerably.
Symptoms, when they do occur, may include:
Frequent voiding
Urinating outside the litter box
Drinking more water than usual
Frequent bacterial infections of the bladder and the kidneys
Poor appetite
Gum ulcers
Bad breath (ammonia-like)
Diarrhea
Anemia
Coma
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, is an inflammation of the conjunctiva. Also known as
cat pink eye, it is a common problem that affects most felines.
Signs include:
Reddening of the whites of the eyes
Frequent pawing at the eye to relieve itching
Watery and swollen eyes
Eye discharge (could be clear or thick with pus or mucus)
Squinting
Continuous blinking
Dental Disease
Most dental problems in cats are attended to when they have already reached a severe stage, as
most owners remain unaware of the early symptoms. Common problems are periodontal disease,
and gingivitis.
The symptoms include:
Bad breath
Reddened gum edges with yellow or brown deposits
Receding gums
Drooling
Mouth pain
Poor or loss of appetite
Difficulty chewing food
Lethargy
Fever
Ear Mites
Severe ear infections in cats are usually caused by ear mites. These parasites usually affect both the
ears.
Main symptoms include:
Extreme itchiness
Vigorously scratching of ears and shaking of head
The ears may also appear flattened or laid back
Foul smell from the ear
Ears may ache when touched
Hair loss around the ears due to excessive scratching
Ear discharge (usually waxy debris, dark and dry)
Ear mites can sometimes be noticed as white dots in the debris accumulated in the ear canal of the
affected cat
Feline Stress
Several factors could trigger stress in your cat.
Symptoms of a stressed cat include:
Anxiousness
Roaming around the house and mewing all the time
Voiding outside the litter box
Loss of appetite
Pulling out of fur
Trembling and hiding
Excessive grooming
Biting and scratching other members in the family
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
The feline infectious peritonitis affects both domestic and wild cats. The infection is caused by a
mutated corona virus.
Its symptoms are:
Weight loss
Lethargy
Sneezing
Watery eyes
Nasal discharge
Diarrhea
Persistent fever
Anemia
Feline Pancreatitis
A common health problem found in cats is pancreatitis - inflammation of the pancreas. This condition
causes damage to the pancreas and the liver as well. Most cats with pancreatitis exhibit non-specific
or vague symptoms. This is what makes this medical condition in cats difficult to diagnose.
Common symptoms may include:
Sluggishness
Prolonged lack of appetite
Sleeping more than usual
Dehydration
Less common symptoms are:
Fever
Diarrhea
Weight loss
Vomiting
Distress
Diabetes Mellitus
Failure of the pancreas to produce adequate amount of insulin or failure of the body cells to use
insulin in cats causes the condition 'diabetes mellitus' or 'sugar diabetes'. It is a complex, but a
commonly diagnosed condition in felines, affecting about 1 in every 400 of them. Male cats are more
susceptible to this condition than females.
Symptoms indicative of feline diabetes in its early stage may include:
Increased hunger
Drinking more water than usual
Frequent urination
Abnormal weight loss
As the condition worsens, symptoms that may surface include:
Poor appetite
Weakness (which may cause an abnormal gait)
Dehydration
Breathing difficulty
Lethargy
Decreased activity
Vomiting
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is transmitted to mammals through ticks that play host to the bacteria species called
Borrelia burgdorferi. This disease is less common in cats as compared to dogs.
You can suspect your cat to have been infected by the Lyme disease if it shows symptoms such as:
Loss of appetite
Hesitancy to jump or climb stairs
Painful muscles
Limping or reluctance to put weight on a paw
Lethargic
Fever
Swollen lymph glands
Swelling of one or more joints
Difficulty to breathe
Paralysis
As the symptoms of most of the diseases mentioned above are similar, it may be difficult for you to
determine what exactly is troubling your cat. It might be something as mild as a digestive problem
or it might be a severe condition such as kidney failure. So the wisest thing to do on your part would
be taking your sick cat to a vet, so that potential problems could be ruled out, and the required
treatment method could be started.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not
intended to be a substitute for the advice of a veterinarian.