5 Cat Diseases Linked to Poor Nutrition
📝 Summary
Poor nutrition drives five feline diseases: obesity with arthritis and diabetes, fat-linked pancreatitis, lower urinary disease from stress and weight, heart disease from excess sodium in human leftovers, and diarrhea eased by fiber. Feed proper cat food, never table scraps.
1 Nutrition-Linked Diseases
Obesity is epidemic in cats and brings arthritis, diabetes, hypertension, and cancer; watch diet and calories and act on weight gain.
Pancreatitis is an overlooked high-incidence disease where enzymes digest nearby tissue; fat intake is linked, as fat stimulates pancreatic hormones, so assess dietary fat if suspected.
Lower urinary disease (FLUTD) causes wrong-site urination, frequency, straining, pain, blood, low appetite, and irritability; stress, low exercise, and overweight are key factors.
Heart disease is mainly triggered by unbalanced diet, especially excess sodium; human food is salty, raising blood sodium, vessel edema, and blood pressure in a vicious cycle, so avoid leftovers.
Diarrhea is common, split into small-intestine (large soft stools, few times) and large-intestine (watery); long-term cases improve with added fiber. These show correct cat diet matters; feed cat food, not people food.
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