Cat Infections & Diseases

Feline Leukemia Virus

• Feline leukemia strikes between two and three percent of cats in the United States, according to Cornell University's Feline Health Center. Cats who come into contact with the virus through the contaminated stool, feces and saliva of infected cats are at risk. The virus causes cancers, blood disorders and a weakened immune system. Common symptoms include fever, a rough coat, weight loss, lack of appetite, diarrhea and various infections. Most cats with feline leukemia live for two to three years, though the Feline Health Center warns that a cat with fever, weight loss or a serious illness has a shorter life expectancy.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

• Feline immunodeficiency virus, or FIV, is part of the same virus family that includes HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus. Because the virus doesn't survive outside a cat's body, most infections occur from a bite or wound from another infected cat. Cats with FIV often live for years without showing any symptoms, though anemia, diarrhea, sinus infections and fever are common. When caught early, the feline immunodeficiency virus doesn't mean a death sentence. Proper care and attention can give an FIV-infected cat years of life.

Diabetes

• Cats with diabetes are unable to correctly produce or use insulin. The Feline Health Center names four classic symptoms that indicate diabetes: frequent urination, excessive thirst, increased appetite and weight loss. It occurs most often in older, overweight male cats. Treatment for a diabetic cat typically means either oral medications or injections to regulate insulin. It's important to give a diabetic cat a consistent, high-quality diet, and to keep his life as stress-free as possible. With good care, diabetic cats can live long, healthy lives.

Urinary Tract Infections

• The primary cause of feline urinary tract infections is bacteria. Healthy, adult cats have less risk of getting a UTI, according to the "Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health." Cats most susceptible to infections tend to be older, sick with other conditions, suffering from a weakened immune system or unable to completely empty their bladders when they urinate. Early detection and treatment is vital for cats with UTIs. Left untreated, sick cats can develop urinary stones, kidney infections or a potentially fatal obstruction of the urethra.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis

• The feline infectious peritonitis virus infects a cat's white blood cells, causing inflammation in the tissues around the infected cells. Common locations for inflammation are the brain, kidney or abdomen. According to the Feline Health Center, the way the cat's immune system interacts with the virus causes the disease, and once clinical signs are present, FIP is fatal. Cats most at risk for FIP have weak immune systems, are older, or have another ailment such as feline leukemia. Diarrhea, nasal discharge and sneezing are common signs of early-stage FIP, though this stage of the disease is often asymptomatic. In the final stages, a cat with FIP may lose appetite, lose weight, become lethargic or develop a fever that doesn't respond to treatment. Once a cat reaches this stage, symptoms get progressively worse until death occurs.