- Breathing difficulties
- Changes in Skin
- Constipation
- Coughing and Sneezing
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Increased thirst
- Runny eyes or/and nose
- Shaking its head, or scratching their ears
- Swollen
- Vomiting
Any one of these symptoms could be a signof Distemper, fleas, foreign bodys, other infectious diseases or infections, poisioning, parasites, liver disease, diabetes and a other causes. Never use any human medications on your cat.
Things you need to know:
- For good health your cat needs annual checkups and booster vaccinations
- Most cats hide illness, take note when ever you see a change in your cats behaviour or see symptoms of illness and talk to your vet
- Never give a cat asprin or any other human medications, as it could be fatal
- Most cat diseases can not be transmitted to humans with some exceptions, rabies, skin fungi, and toxoplasmosis
- Aging cats develope problems as they get older, but are still pleasent company
FIV
- Feline immuno - deficiency virus
- Resembles AIDs
- Attacks and breaks down immune system
- Can not be transmitted to humans
- Many cats enjoy a long period of good health before secondary viruses take over
- Usually diagnosed with a blood test
- If your cat has this virus it should be keeped away from other cats
FIP
- Feline Infectious Peritonitis
- Can appear in two forms, wet and dry
- Wet form symptoms are swollen abdomen, diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss. Dry form affects the Central Nervous System, symptoms include, jaundice, respitory problems, loss of cordination, and near the end seizures.
- Rare disease that is becoming unfortunatly more and more common
- Vacination availible for the past few years but is still questionable
Vaccinations
The following is a list of the common diseases, that your cat is vaccinated for.
- Feline Distemper: infectious, sometimes fatal disease cause by a virus, spread by cat to cat. Sometimes called feline panleukopenia, feline infectious enteritis, show fever, and cat plague. Not related to the dog form.
- Rabies: Fatal disease that can be transmitted to humans. All cats should have the booster. Most states in the US require that your cat is vaccinated.
- Feline Leukemia Virus: some what similar to human HIV. Diagnosed with blood test. Transmitted from cat to cat through saliva and blood. Cannot be transmitted to humans.
- Cat Flu: Two viruses with similar symptoms that a combined vacine protects your cat against. The symptoms of both viruses are coughing, sneezing, and a runny nose and eyes. Very threating to very young or very old cats. Cat who had the disease could become a carrier.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Living with a Cat
Carolyn Janik and Ruth Rejnis
Copyright 1996
