Health Concerns for Abyssinian Cats

Progressive Retinal Atrophy/Degeneration

• PRA or PRD refers to a number of diseases that often lead to blindness. While PRA isn't considered common in many cats, the Abyssinian breed is prone to this affliction.

  In cats, this inherited disease can be caused by a deficiency in the amino acid taurine. This is why commercial cat food and many feline supplements contain taurine.

  PRA is not painful. Symptoms Abyssinian cat owners notice include a hesitancy to go down stairs or down a darkened hallway; both are indicators of night blindness. As the disease progresses, owners notice a dilation of the cat's pupils and a reflection of light from the back of the eye. In some animals, the lens of the eye will become cloudy.

  As of 2010, there is no treatment for PRA. Cats, in general, are very adaptable to degenerating vision. Evidence of blindness becomes pronounced if furniture is rearranged or if the cat is in an unfamiliar environment.

Feline Urinary Infection

• Simply being a member of the Abyssinian breed of cat is a risk factor for a feline urinary tract infection.

  It is possible not to notice symptoms of this disorder in a cat. However some owner-noticeable symptoms include excessive and frequent urination; slow and painful urination; and urination in places your potty-trained Abyssinian cat shouldn't go. Any of these behavior changes warrants a visit to the vet.

  These infections can be treated with a course of antibiotics. If your Absynnian feline is prone to the disease, your vet may recommend a supplement. One thing owners can do to help stave off such infections is to make sure their cats get enough water. Because cats don't generally drink much, your vet may put your Abyssinian cat on a canned food diet.

  Additionally, bacteria can enter your cat's urinary tract through a dirty litter box, so keep the box clean.

Tooth Resorption

• Thought to be more common in pure-bred cats such as Abyssinians, tooth resorption is a very painful dental disease that is the number one cause of tooth loss in felines.

  A progressive disease, tooth resorption causes the cat to lose the structure of one or more teeth, starting with the surface of outer enamel. The first stage of the disease generally begins at or below the gum line and can eventually progress to the point where the entire crown of the tooth is missing.

  The cause of tooth resorption is unknown, but may be related to autoimmune disorders, pH changes in the mouth or inflammation due to plaque. Some noticeable signs of the disease are change in appetite, aggressiveness when mouth is touched and difficulty chewing.

  Treatment varies depending on the severity of the disease. Treating phase one, the erosion of enamel, may not stop the progression of the disease. Should the disease progress to the final stages wherein a tooth or teeth have fallen out, roots may need to be removed.

  An Abyssinian cat should have a professional dental cleaning every six months.