The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care HEART AND BLOOD (CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM) HEART DISEASE AND HEART FAILURE Heart disease may occur in cats of any age. Just as in people, there are many causes of heart disease in cats. They include structural defects (e.g., leaky valves, abnormal holes between heart chambers), primary diseases of the … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care HEART AND BLOOD (CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM) ANEMIA Anemia is a common sign of illness in cats. Anemia occurs whenever a fewer than normal number of red blood cells is circulating in a cat’s bloodstream. It has many causes. A borderline degree of anemia may only be recognized by your … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care REPRODUCTIVE AND URINARY ORGANS UTERINE INFECTION PYOMETRA Pyometra is a type of uterine infection that occurs commonly in older unspayed (or partially spayed) females. It occurs most often in females who have never had a litter and is probably due to a hormonal imbalance that develops when cats … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care DIGESTIVE SYSTEM (GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT) URINE SPRAYING Urine spraying is the act of squirting or spraying urine on vertical (rarely horizontal) surfaces in response to territorial stimuli, particularly the smell of other cats. This is a normal behavior for unneutered adult male cats, but a behavior almost all cat … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care DIGESTIVE SYSTEM (GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT) FELINE UROLOGIC SYNDROME (FUS, FELINE LOWER URINARY TRACT DISEASE) Feline urologic syndrome (FUS) is a term used by veterinarians to describe the signs caused by a number of disorders that affect the bladder and/or urethra of cats. Some veterinarians prefer to use the term … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care REPRODUCTIVE AND URINARY ORGANS (GENITOURINARY SYSTEM) If your cat has any of the following signs, genitourinary (reproductive or urinary) system disease may be present and thorough examination by a veterinarian is indicated: Drinking increased amounts of water Urinating very frequently Urinating abnormally large or small amounts Difficulty or … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care DIGESTIVE SYSTEM (GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT): OBESITY Obesity (fatness) is almost always an owner-induced disease in pets caused by overfeeding and inadequate exercise. Excessive fat puts excessive stresses on your cat’s joints, heart, and lungs and often results in an inactive cat who is a poor companion. An obese cat, … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care DIGESTIVE SYSTEM (GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT): ANAL SACCULITIS Impaction of the anal sacs sometimes accompanied by infection is an infrequent problem in cats. The most common signs of anal saccultis are scooting the anal area along the ground and excessive grooming around the anal area and tail base. Scooting is … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care DIGESTIVE SYSTEM (GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT): FLATULENCE (INTESTINAL GAS) Having a flatulent cat around is more of an inconvenience than a real medical problem. Excessive gas formation unaccompanied by other problems can usually be controlled by changing the diet. With a little observation you can often find that flatulence occurs … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care DIGESTIVE SYSTEM (GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT): CONSTIPATION Constipation is the difficult or infrequent passage of feces. This sign does not occur often in healthy young cats, but is relatively frequent in sick and/or old ones. Although constipation may be caused by simple things such as improper diet or excessive hair … Read more