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Cat Diseases terms
The illnesses of cats and the shots that prevent them.
AnemiaA shortage of red blood cells or hemoglobin, which leaves a cat weak and pale and always has an underlying cause.Arterial thromboembolismA blood clot that lodges in an artery, most often cutting off blood to a cat's back legs and causing sudden pain and paralysis.Avian influenzaA bird virus, in recent years H5N1, that can infect cats through raw milk, raw pet food or wild birds and make them seriously ill.Bladder crystalsMicroscopic mineral particles in urine that can clump into stones and irritate or block a cat's urinary tract.Blood pressureThe force of blood against artery walls; high readings in cats usually come from another disease and can damage the eyes, brain, heart and kidneys.Cat bite abscessA pocket of pus under the skin that forms after a bite or scratch from another cat, common in outdoor, unneutered males.Cat scratch diseaseA bacterial infection people can get from a cat's scratch or bite, carried by cats that usually look healthy.CystitisInflammation of the bladder, which in cats is often stress-linked and has no infection or stone behind it.DehydrationA shortage of body water that can accompany vomiting, diarrhea, kidney disease and many other illnesses in cats.Ear mitesTiny surface parasites that live in a cat's ear canal and cause itching and dark, crumbly debris.Feline acneA skin condition that shows as blackheads and sometimes sores on a cat's chin and lower lip.Feline asthmaA long-term inflammation of a cat's small airways that causes coughing, wheezing and sometimes sudden breathing difficulty.Feline calicivirusA common virus behind cat flu that causes sneezing, eye discharge and painful mouth ulcers, and sometimes severe illness.Feline herpesvirusA common virus that causes sneezing, eye inflammation and nasal discharge, and stays in the body for life, flaring up in times of stress.Feline immunodeficiency virusA slow-acting virus, spread mainly by deep bite wounds, that gradually weakens a cat's immune defences.Feline infectious peritonitisA serious disease caused when a common, usually harmless feline coronavirus mutates and triggers widespread inflammation in the body.Feline leukemia virusA contagious virus that weakens a cat's immune system and can cause anemia, infections and cancer such as lymphoma.Feline panleukopeniaA highly contagious and often deadly parvovirus that attacks fast-dividing cells, mainly in unvaccinated kittens.FleaA tiny blood-feeding insect that lives on cats, causes itching and allergy, and carries tapeworm and other infections.Flea allergy dermatitisAn itchy skin disease caused by an allergic reaction to flea saliva, where even a few bites trigger scabs and hair loss.FLUTDAn umbrella term for the conditions that cause pain, straining and bloody urine in a cat's bladder and urethra.HairballA wet clump of swallowed fur that a cat brings up, normal now and then but worth a vet visit if frequent.HeartwormA parasite spread by mosquitoes that lives in the lungs and heart vessels and can cause breathing problems, vomiting or sudden collapse in cats.Hepatic lipidosisA serious liver disease in which fat builds up in liver cells after a cat stops eating, most often in overweight cats.Hypertrophic cardiomyopathyThe most common feline heart disease, in which the wall of the main pumping chamber thickens and the heart works less well.Inflammatory bowel diseaseA group of long-lasting digestive conditions in which immune cells inflame the intestinal wall, causing vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss.Lily toxicityPoisoning by true lilies and daylilies, which can cause fatal kidney failure in cats from even a small amount of leaf, flower or pollen.LymphomaA cancer of the lymphocytes, a kind of white blood cell, and the most common cancer in cats.Mammary cancerCancer of a female cat's milk glands, usually malignant, and far less likely in cats spayed when young.MegacolonA condition in which the colon becomes widened and weak, so hard stool builds up and the cat can no longer pass it normally.PancreatitisInflammation of the pancreas, a hard-to-spot illness in cats that often causes only tiredness and loss of appetite.PyometraA life-threatening infection of the uterus that affects unspayed female cats, usually within weeks after a heat.RabiesA viral disease of the nervous system, spread by bites from infected animals, that is almost always fatal once signs appear.SeizuresSudden bursts of abnormal electrical activity in the brain that can cause collapse, twitching, drooling and loss of awareness.Squamous cell carcinomaA cancer of the flat surface cells that appears on the skin of white-eared cats or in the mouth, as a sore that does not heal.StomatitisA painful, long-lasting inflammation of a cat's gums and mouth lining, thought to be an over-reaction of the immune system.TapewormA flat intestinal parasite that cats usually catch by swallowing an infected flea or eating prey, seen as rice-like segments near the tail.Tooth resorptionA common, painful dental disease in which the body gradually dissolves part of a cat's tooth, often hidden below the gum line.ToxoplasmosisAn infection by a microscopic parasite that cats shed in their stool for a short time, and that matters most to pregnant people and those with weak immunity.Upper respiratory infectionA contagious infection of the nose, throat and eyes that causes sneezing, discharge and a poor appetite, common in kittens and shelter cats.Urinary blockageA life-threatening emergency in which the urethra is plugged so a cat cannot pass urine, most often in male cats.Vestibular diseaseA disturbance of the balance system that causes a head tilt, stumbling, rolling and flicking eye movements.Rabies vaccineThe injection that protects a cat from rabies, required by law for cats in many places and recommended for all.Core vaccinesThe vaccines vets recommend for every cat, as opposed to non-core vaccines chosen according to a cat's lifestyle and risk.FVRCP vaccineThe combination cat vaccine that protects against feline herpesvirus, calicivirus and panleukopenia.Vaccine titerA blood test that measures antibodies to a germ, sometimes used to judge whether a cat is protected after vaccination.HookwormA small intestinal worm that attaches to the gut wall and feeds on blood, causing anemia, especially in kittens.RingwormA contagious fungal infection of skin, hair and claws that causes patchy hair loss and can spread to people and other pets.RoundwormA common intestinal parasite, especially in kittens, that looks like pale spaghetti and can pass to people.