5 cat diseases and how to spot them

Cats are sensitive animals, meaning they can get ill from almost any change in the environment, meals or lifestyle. Providing a good life for your cat is necessary if you want them to live long, but you need to be preventive and spot any changes in their behavior to see if they have a health problem. If you want to know the signs of a sick cat, keep reading.

Kidney disease

Cats' most damaging health issue is chronic kidney disease when the kidneys are not working correctly anymore. This means your cat will:

• Drink water and urinate way too much

• Have a bad breath

• Hide more than the usual

But with the proper treatment, your cat can live for a long time with this disease. A low-protein diet and the right medication should do the job.

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is also common in cats, occurring when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. It’s more frequent in middle-aged, and older cats, and, luckily, the treatment is effective, and you can prevent the potential side effects of this disease. But you should look for:

• A great appetite, despite noticing your cat’s losing weight

• Vomiting or diarrhea

• Increased water consumption

Diabetes

Cats are often obese, especially if they’re getting older. But as they age, they’re more at risk for diabetes. When their pancreas fails, it causes a lump of high blood sugar, so your cat will:

• Urinate excessively and drink too much water

• Eat too much or not at all

• Walk differently

This health condition can become deadly if not treated at the right time. It can be expensive because they would need insulin injections, a change in diet, and frequent vet visits. But if you choose to invest in pet insurance before your pet gets sick, some of these procedures may be covered. If you’re not sure where to start, you can look up Bivvy reviews to see why other people choose to have pet insurance.

Cardiac disease

This disease is one of the most difficult to spot, as most cats don’t have a heart murmur compared to dogs. Therefore, you can’t hear it with a stethoscope. But there are other signs to look for in your cat’s behavior that indicate cardiac issues, like:

• Passing out or collapsing frequently

• Breathing with difficulty or with their mouth open

• Pain or lameness

The bad news is that most cases of cardiac diseases in cats are untreatable, but the treatment prevents the condition from worsening. Your cat might need oxygen therapy, diuretics and heart medications, so try to implement a healthy lifestyle for your cat because you may be able to prevent this health problem.

Cancer

Sadly, there are more cases of cancer in cats, and even if the signs are visible, without a visit to the vet, it would be impossible to tell the difference. Some signs include:

• Weakness and lethargy

• Vomiting, diarrhea

• Weight loss caused

What can you do to prevent this diagnosis? Spay your cat from an early age to lower the risk of developing mammary adenocarcinoma. Then, take your cat to the veterinarian regularly while keeping an eye on their behavior to spot any changes.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes