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186 results for “kitten fever”
Preventing Common Spring Cat Diseases
Spring raises two risks. Urinary disease peaks in damp weather, driven by low exercise and water intake; watch for straining and act fast to avoid acute kidney failure. Colds strike with big day-night temperature swings; keep cats warm, dry, and sheltered from drafts, and seek care if they refuse food with a high fever.
Common Everyday Cat Illnesses (Part 2)
Five more common cat conditions: (1) Panleukopenia (feline distemper) — a fierce, contagious viral disease hitting gut and airways; fever, bloody diarrhea, lethargy, dehydration; high death rate in under-8-week kittens, so vaccinate and rush to a vet at the first sign (lice, mites, fleas can spread it). (2) Cancer — rarer than in dogs but cats hide pain; watch for lumps, non-healing skin infections, weight loss, vomiting, odd urination. (3) Kidney disease — common in seniors; low appetite, weight drop, vomiting, lethargy; needs dialysis or transplant when severe. (4) Fractures — from falls; sudden limping or hiding. (5) Poisoning — from human food or toxic plants; repeated vomiting/diarrhea, blood in stool/urine; vets give fluids and anti-emetics. Don't rely on self-healing—use a trusted clinic.
Which Vaccines Does Your Own Cat Need?
Even indoor cats need the core FVRCP vaccine—owners, supplies, and pet-store visits can carry viruses home. Core shots cover panleukopenia (distemper), calicivirus, and herpes (rhinotracheitis); the first dose is never skippable. Non-core vaccines (FeLV, FIV, FIP, chlamydia, Bordetella, rabies) depend on risk. Follow AAFP siting: FVRCP right front leg, FeLV left front, rabies right hind. First immunity is two shots a month apart, then a booster about a year later; many vets now booster every three years, not annually.
How to Tell If Your Cat Has Feline Rhinotracheitis (Cat Flu)
Cat flu and a common cold look alike, which leaves many owners unsure whether their cat has feline rhinotracheitis — an infection caused by the feline herpesvirus. The reliable approach is twofold: watch the symptoms and confirm with a test. Early signs are subtle — sneezing, a runny nose, watery eyes, low appetite, no fever — while the active phase brings a high temperature near 40°C, persistent coughing and sneezing, and thick eye and nose discharge. A test strip or a PCR check at the clinic confirms it, but the result must be read alongside the symptoms.
6 Common Cat Diseases and How to Prevent Them
Cats hide pain well and can't tell you what's wrong, so owners need a basic grasp of common feline illnesses. Beyond regular checkups and vaccines, know the warning signs of the six frequent problems: urinary tract disease, respiratory infection, periodontal disease, parasites, ringworm, and ear mites. This guide summarizes each condition's symptoms and the everyday prevention that matters most—more water, less stress, dental care, deworming, and a clean, dry environment.
Feline Panleukopenia: How Fast Is It Fatal?
Panleukopenia is a deadly, highly contagious viral disease that attacks the gut and bone marrow. Unvaccinated kittens under a year often die within 2–4 days if untreated; unvaccinated adults usually within 5–7 days, some lasting around 10. Vaccinated cats rarely die. Early care lifts kitten survival above 50% and adults above 80%—and surviving one week usually means recovery. Prevention through vaccination beats treatment every time.
Cat Scratch Disease: A Zoonosis You Should Know
Cat scratch disease is a bacterial infection from Bartonella henselae, passed mainly by a cat's scratch or bite. Cats carry it without symptoms, but people can develop a red bump, swollen lymph nodes, and fever. Most cases are mild and self-limiting, yet antibiotics help when symptoms are strong. Wash any scratch well, and see a doctor if signs appear—especially for children and the immunocompromised.
How Feline Chlamydial Pneumonia Develops
Feline chlamydial pneumonia is a highly contagious but uncommon cat disease, well covered by routine vaccination, so regularly vaccinated cats rarely catch it. It spreads through eye, nose and mouth secretions on shared bowls, cages or hands, and by sneezing. It starts as conjunctivitis and, left untreated, can advance to fever, pneumonia and infections of the airways or reproductive tract. Antibiotic eye ointment and oral antibiotics clear it, but recovered cats still carry and shed the organism, so isolation matters.
What Is Feline Haemobartonellosis?
Feline haemobartonellosis, also called infectious anemia, is a rare but serious disease caused by a blood parasite that attacks red cells and triggers their destruction. It spreads through bites, scratches, fleas and ticks, and from mother to kitten, with outdoor and unneutered males at higher risk. Signs range from fever and lethargy to pale, yellow-tinged gums; diagnosis is by blood smear or PCR. Treatment uses antibiotics such as doxycycline or enrofloxacin plus supportive care, though the cat stays a lifelong carrier.
Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy in Dogs and Cats: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention
Hypertrophic osteodystrophy (metaphyseal osteopathy) is a bone-growth disorder of the active growing ends of long bones in young, rapidly growing large-breed dogs. It causes symmetric swelling, heat, and pain over the metaphyses with lameness, fever, and lethargy, and is managed with pain control, infection prevention, and nutrition.