Other Common and Not So Common Diseases

A cat is considered to be a senior when they are 10 years old. The diseases that are common for these older cats are diabetes, chronic kidney failure, hyperthyroidism, high blood pressure, and cancers. Early detection is essential to the survival of an older cat from any of these diseases. Routine veterinary care is vital for detection and for prevention. Yearly checkups are advised as these can pick up on a problem before it becomes something major and therefore possibly expensive.

Many of the diseases that are fatal for cats are preventable if cats have received proper vaccinations when needed. For cat vaccines to be effective, they must be given in a series of injections. This is typically started at around age 6 to 8 weeks, again at around 12 weeks of age and then at 16 weeks of age. After the first series of kitten shots the adult cat needs a yearly dose of vaccinations that are appropriate for your cat. If you have an outdoor cat your cat will need to include the leukemia vaccine and the feline aids vaccine.

Feline diabetes mellitus, like in the human form, has type 1 and type 2. Warning signs for this disease are excessive thirst or excessive urination, loss of weight, vomiting, loss of appetite, weakness, poor skin, poor coat condition, breathing problems, and dehydration.

Hepatic lipidosis, otherwise known as the fatty liver disease, is seen in older cats that are overweight or obese. Fats build up in the liver until it can no longer function. If left untreated, this can be fatal. It is also the most common liver disease in cats. Cats can also get this disease if they develop anorexia. Warning signs for this disease are loss of appetite, listlessness, rapid weight loss, a yellowing of the eyes or skin, vomiting, and an abdomen that swells.

Kidney disease is common to older cats. As the kidneys filter the blood and regulate water in the cat's body while creating waste products, kidney disease will allow a toxic build-up in the cat's body which will quickly kill it. The warning signs are weight loss, excessive thirst and urination, vomiting and also a loss of appetite, which contributes to the weight loss.

Hyperthyroidism is also another disease that is common to older cats. This is caused by a hyperactive thyroid which produces too many thyroid hormones. Warning signs are again weight loss, increased thirst and increased urination, an increase in hyperactivity, appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. Your vet may wish to remove the thyroid or perhaps treat the problem with medication. The treatment will depend on your cat's age and level of general health. If left untreated it can cause death.

Feline hypertension or high blood pressure can be seen in cats of all ages and is often associated with other diseases such as kidney disease, heart diseases and hyperthyroidism. It is often called the silent killer in people and this can apply to cats as well. What might appear are the symptoms of the underlying disease that is causing the high blood pressure. Your vet can monitor blood pressure with specialized equipment. If your cat already has other diseases the vet is more than likely already monitoring them and will pick up on any feline hypertension. Warning signs are a rapid heart rate or a heart murmur, the cat will have dilated pupils and the pupils do not respond to light shined in them, and also sudden blindness.