Cat Rare Diseases: Signs and Treatments

Cat Rare Diseases

Being a pet parent is a big responsibility taking care of your pet. When you have a feline friend, it’s important that you take care of her differently as she varies from a dog. Though you may provide her the best care and look after her all major and minor requirements, at times, she may get ill. During this testing time, it completely depends on you how careful you are in taking proper care of your kitty. 

Do cats suffer from rare diseases?

Your feline can suffer from some common illnesses such as eye problems, cough and cold, flea and tick infestation, which you are more likely to be aware off and can quickly provide the treatment. But, there are certain rare diseases that occur in your felines of which, you are least aware of. Though these diseases are rare, they are life threatening and most of them do not have any treatment.

Here we have listed out four major rare diseases that are devastating to your cat’s health. Know about them, and find out what possible treatments are available for such diseases and how you can help your pet recover in case she contracts with any of this rare disease.

Cushing ’s syndrome

This disease affects a cat’s endocrine system and forces it to produce too many hormones known as glutocorticoids. These hormones directly affect autoimmune response. If your cat seems constantly thirsty, having an inflamed abdomen and urinating frequently, she is suffering from this disease. Loss of hair and lethargy are the other not so common symptoms found in your cat. Usually felines over the age of 12 face this condition, which occurs due to a tumor on the pituitary gland.

Treatment

This rare disease is simple to cure, as your vet will prescribe an oral medication for your cat. You need to continue this medication for the rest of her life.

Tuberculosis

At one time, tuberculosis was common in humans, it rarely occurs in cats and difficult for felines to obstruct it. This rare disease occurs to cats only through eating an infected rodent or drinking infected milk. If you notice skin lesions and swollen lymph nodes on your cat, it is sure that she is suffering from tuberculosis. Though it is rare, the biggest threat is it can be easily transmitted to humans through infected cat. Humans with HIV positive should keep distance from cats infected with tuberculosis, as they are more susceptible to contract this disease.

Treatment

Though there are no effective medications for tuberculosis, few powerful drugs do help in lessening the effect and protect your cat from further damage. These medications are too expensive and do not guarantee complete treatment.

Lysosomal Storage Disease

Cats with Lysosomal storage disease show stunted growth, expanded liver apart from neurological and ocular abnormalities. This disease occurs due to hereditary conditions in which cat’s lysosomes are insufficient of an important enzyme. This causes excess development of cellular products in cat’s cells.

Treatment

This rare disease does not have any cure. Research work is going on for finding treatment for this disease.

Toxoplasmosis

One of the most dangerous cat rare diseases, Toxoplasmosis is a life threatening disease as there are no possible symptoms to find that your cat is suffering it. Cats are vulnerable to contract this disease through eating infected prey. It easily transfers to humans, if a human by mistake touches the feces of an infected cat. This disease highly affects those cats having low immune systems such as cats and kittens contracted with feline HIV (feline immunodeficiency virus). Fever, lethargy and loss of appetite are some symptoms of this disease.

Treatment

Although, these parasites can become immune to healthy cats within a few days, an antibiotic prescription from a vet can easily cure this rare disease. It’s crucial to cure this disease as humans are more prone to get infected from this disease through an infected feline.

Several diseases though they are rare, are dangerous and can hamper your cat’s life. If you are a pet parent of a cat, it is important that you have proper knowledge about cat diseases that negatively affect your cat’s health and shun his well-being. Being familiarize with these rare diseases, you can take proper care of your furry feline and avoid all unwanted circumstances.