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Feline disease refers to infections or illnesses that affect cats. They may cause symptoms, sickness or the death of the animal. Some diseases are symptomatic in one cat but asymptomatic in others. Feline diseases are often opportunistic and tend to be more serious in cats that already have concurrent sicknesses.
Cat-scratch disease (CSD) is an infectious disease that most often results from a scratch or bite of a cat. [4] Symptoms typically include a non-painful bump or blister at the site of injury and painful and swollen lymph nodes. [2]
Cancer in cats is the leading cause of death among cats. It is caused by uncontrolled cell growth, and affects a wide range of cell types and organs in the body. Feline cancer initially manifests as a lump or bump on any part of the body.
Although it is extremely rare for a cat to deliberately starve itself to the point of injury, in obese cats, the sudden loss of weight can cause a fatal condition called feline hepatic lipidosis, a liver dysfunction which causes pathological loss of appetite and reinforces the starvation, which can lead to death within as little as 48 hours.
A University of California, Davis study of dead sea otters collected from 1998 to 2004 found toxoplasmosis was the cause of death for 13% of the animals. [163] Proximity to freshwater outflows into the ocean was a major risk factor. Ingestion of oocysts from cat feces is considered to be the most likely ultimate source. [164]
Dividing T. gondii parasites. Toxoplasma gondii (/ ˈ t ɒ k s ə ˌ p l æ z m ə ˈ ɡ ɒ n d i. aɪ,-iː /) is a species of parasitic alveolate that causes toxoplasmosis. [3] Found worldwide, T. gondii is capable of infecting virtually all warm-blooded animals, [4]: 1 but felids are the only known definitive hosts in which the parasite may undergo sexual reproduction.
Causing one-half of the respiratory diseases in cats, [3] FVR is the most important of these diseases and is found worldwide. The other important cause of feline respiratory disease is feline calicivirus. FVR is very contagious and can cause severe disease, including death from pneumonia in young kittens.
Sarcocystis may cause disease in dogs and cats. [9] Genus Toxoplasma has one important species, T. gondii. Cats are the definitive host, but all mammals and some fish, reptiles, and amphibians can be intermediate hosts. Only cat feces will hold infective oocysts, but infection through ingestion of cysts can occur with the tissue of any ...