Cat Health and Diseases Flashcards
Sick Cats Behavior & Symptoms
- Cats will attempt to hide illness
- Signs of illness: coughing, sneezing, vomiting, nasal discharge, lumps under skin, nictitating membrane exposed - on the eye (bottom)
- Normal temperature should be ~ 101.5 F
Chronic Illness
- A long illness
- Might see dull coat, excessive shedding, listless behavior, refusal of food, dull eyes
- Cats often neglect cleaning themselves when very sick or very old
Acute Illness
- Often more severe
- End results are in a few days, usually
- In general: do not treat major problem yourself - take to vet
Disease Prevention: Biosecurity
Methods of disease spread:
* People
* Fomites (inanimate things like shoes, dirty cage, gloves)
* Vectors (animal things that will spread disease)
1. Other cats (feral, etc)
2. Rodents, insects, etc
Biosecurity seeks to avoid these concerns
Quarantine and effectiveness: very difficult to make it work
Disease Prevention: Nutrition
- Keeping cat well-fed will help them fight off diseases
- Complete ration
1. AAFCO labeling
2. Formulated to meet the cat’s status
Ration must contain adequate vitamin A, niacin and taurine
Obesity is main problem cats will have (in the US)
Disease Prevention: Toothcare
- Dry food
- Flossing toys (maybe)
- Other dental treats
- Train to accept toothpaste and brush (easiest to start with kittens)
- Vet tooth cleaning (expensive)
- Cap on finger with bristles, rub teeth with finger
Disease Prevention: Sanitation
- Could be considered part of biosecurity
- Cleaning compounds
- Choice of kitty litters - easy to clean up
- Litter box
Disease Prevention: Vaccination
- Follow recommendation of vet clinic
- Form of active immunity - cat itself is producing immunity (tends to be long-term bc of the memory factor)
Principles of Immunization:
Give antigen
* Usually mild, killed, or attenuated form
* Could be protein, toxoid, etc
Body mounts response to antigen
* Antibody production
* Long-term protection
Passive Immunity and Colostrum
- Contrast to active immunity
- Short-term protection
Usually from colostrum (first milk mother produces after giving birth, loaded with antibodies from the mother - maternal antibodies)
1. Newborn babies can acquire those antibodies - (bc newborns will respond to viruses slower?)
2. Passive transport, 24 hours
3. Lasts 1-2 months, antibodies will eventually be gone because they aren’t developing them themselves
Disease Prevention: Parasite Control
- Prevention before moving into a new apartment
- Feed your cat cooked food
- Avoid allowing consumption of birds, rabbits and rodents - these animals are full of parasites
- Treatments/preventatives to control external parasites
Risk of Being Outdoors
- Infectious diseases and parasites
- Predators
- Poisonous substances
- Cars, etc.
- Damage from cats - bird predation, etc
Viral Cat Diseases
- Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
- Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)
- Feline Panleukopenia (FPL)
- Feline Herpesvirus & Feline calicivirus
- Rabies
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
Biology - a coronavirus & a problem in catteries (uncommon in home), high mortality
Clinical signs:
* enlarged abdomen caused by fluid buildup
* fever, weight loss, eye lesions, nasal discharge
Prevention: 1991 vaccine
Treatments: no cure
Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)
Biology - a virus shed in saliva, urine and feces
* 25-60% of free roaming cats are infected (most common very young and very old)
* If chronically infected rarely live longer than 3 years - immune system is impaired
Impaired immune system - die of other diseases
* “Treatment” - control secondary infections
Clinical Signs: fever, anorexia, anemia, enlargement of lymph nodes
Prevention
* Avoid contact with infected animals
* Vaccinate
No cure
Feline Panleukopenia (FPL)
- Cat distemper, cat fever, cat plague
- contagious viral disease that affects all members of cat family as well as raccoons, mink and ferrets
- acute disease with either recovery or death in a week
