The Basics of Cat Disease You Need to Know

As a cat owner, you are ultimately responsible for the health and protection of your feline friend. You need to be aware of the types of cat diseases and what they mean. One very familiar sounding feline disease is Feline leukemia. Feline leukemia is not transferrable to humans and is strictly a cat disease.

The same goes for feline immunodeficiency virus or FIV. This is similar to HIV disease in people, and it is in the same virus class, but FIV is only found in cats and can not be transferred to humans. There are some misunderstandings about diseases in cats and humans being interchangeable. Cats can get some of the same diseases that humans do, such as heart disease and cancer, but because diseases like this are not spread by germs or any other means, it is not possible to contract them from your cat.

Fleas are typically particular to cats and dogs because of their warmer body temperatures, but they will jump from the infected animal to items in our homes, and then onto us. Although there are potential dangers associated with fleas, usually the worst parts about them are the irritating bites.

Ticks are another example of a blood thirsty insect. Once they find their victim, they will latch on and grow. As with fleas, they also prefer the warmth of cats and dogs blood instead of humans, but it is possible. There are a couple of diseases associated with tick bites that you should be aware of; Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Make sure if you are suspicious of a tick bite to remove it immediately with a pair of tweezers and get rid of it immediately.

Worms are nasty little attackers that live in the digestive tract and are hard to detect. Usually the best way to detect them is noticing a change in your cat’s digestive system that causes problems and doesn’t go away. Your vet will want you to bring in a sample of the stool to diagnose the problem.

Unlike their name, ringworms are not really worms. They are a fungus that attacks the skin and causes a scaly, bald batch usually with a red ring surrounding the area. Cats can be carriers of the disease without exhibiting signs at first and carry them into your home and possibly to you.

Rabies is a very serious and fatal disease that once it is taken hold of your pet, there is very little that can be done to get rid of it. Although indoor cats pose very little risk for contracting the disease, it is always a good idea to keep them up to date on their vaccinations.

Cat scratch fever, which is often thought of as a myth or folk lore, is actually a real problem. Bites and scratches from cats can be extremely infectious and the infection can set in rapidly. Be sure to completely clean and sterilize the wound to prevent infection from setting in.

Toxoplasmosis is a parasite that attacks the neurological system in people. It is passed through the cat’s stool. A lot of cat owners are already infected with it and immune to it, but women who are pregnant and children need to be extremely careful when handling litter box duties.