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Cat Illnesses - Page 14
Cat Care > Cat Illnesses - Page 14
- Strabismus
'Crossed eyes', a condition that usually occurs only in excessively inbred pedigree cats such as some Siamese cats.
- Strained Muscles
Strains and sprains are relatively uncommon in cats, compared to dogs, probably because of their great agility. Back and leg muscles may occasionally be involved as a result of an over ambitious jump. Symptoms include pain or tenderness, which should resolve with rest. It is best to seek veterinary advice to confirm the diagnosis.
- Stress
It is recognized that cats can suffer from stress, anxiety and insecurity, which usually manifest themselves in behavioral changes or physical symptoms such as vomiting. Causes include a change in the home environment, such as the arrival of a new pet or baby, or being boarded in a cattery. Usually problems can be overcome by sympathetic treatment and removal of the cause if this is possible.
- Sunburn
Rarely a problem in cats, but it may affect the ear tips of white cats in hot countries. Susceptible animals should be protected with sun cream and kept indoors during the hottest part of the day.
- Tail Injuries
The cat's tail is long, highly mobile and quite prone to accidental injury and damage. Injuries include fractures, dislocations, bites, abscesses and bleeding. As with any other type of injury, veterinary attention is needed and emergency first aid may be required. Sometimes amputation of a severely damaged tail may be necessary.
- Temperature
A cat's temperature is usually taken by gently inserting a thermometer into the rectum. The normal temperature is in the region of 38.5°C (101.5°F) but can rise much higher during the course of an illness or infection. A persistent rise or fall in temperature is a cause for concern, and the cat should be seen by a veterinary surgeon.
- Tetanus
An infectious disease with the common name lockjaw, caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani, which lives in the soil. It is extremely rare in cats.
- Thirst
A cat should have access to clean drinking water at all times to satisfy its natural thirst and to replace water that has already been lost from the body. The only exception to this is if the cat has been vomiting, when it is advisable to withhold both food and water for a time. An increased thirst can be a sign of an illness or infection, the cause of which should be investigated by a veterinary surgeon.
- Threadworms (Strongyloides stercoralis)
Uncommon internal parasites of cats that can cause coughing and diarrhea.
- Toxoplasmosis
An illness caused by a parasite protozoan microorganism called Toxoplasma gondii, which completes the sexual stage of its life cycle in cats, which are its final host. The organism passes out in the faeces of the cat, infected mice or birds. In all animals, once ingested, the parasites are carried in the bloodstream to other tissues and organs, lodging mainly in the muscles, lungs, brain, heart and eye. Here they may either form harmless cysts that remain dormant or proliferate rapidly by asexual reproduction, causing an acute attack of the symptoms of toxoplasmosis. These include a high temperature and a variety of other symptoms, depending upon the organ involved.
In general, symptoms are mild and pass unnoticed, and they remain encysted. If the animal's immune system is compromised in any way, however, or if it becomes debilitated, the cysts may become active and replicate, causing a flare-up of symptoms. In cats, some parasites reproduce sexually in the digestive tract and produce infective cysts that pass out with the faeces. The main danger occurs during pregnancy when the cysts become active and the parasites pass to developing foetuses. If Toxoplasma is contracted during pregnancy, the organism can be responsible for causing deformities, hydrocephalus, brain damage, mental retardation, blindness or even stillbirth in a human infant.
People are infected by eating undercooked meat or through direct contact with infected cats and are especially at risk when handling litter trays. Pregnant women should avoid contact with litter trays, maintain a strict standard of hygiene and keep handling of a pet cat to a minimum. It is estimated that many people, cats and other animals worldwide have been exposed to Toxoplasma but never show signs of illness. If symptoms do occur in either animals or humans, drugs are available to treat them.
Cat Illnesses:
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41-50 |
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61-70 |
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91-100 |
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