This article was previously published October 17, 2017, and was updated May 21, 2022.

What are the most common cat diseases?

As a cat owner, one of your biggest priorities is making sure your fur buddy stays healthy for the long haul. However, sometimes that’s easier said than done. Since cats are naturally curious, they tend to get into trouble, eat things that may not be good for them, or have adventures with other cats. Any or all of these things can lead to a problem, an illness or a disease, and if you don’t know what to look for, you may miss a potentially serious condition.

One of the best courses of action is knowledge and prevention, and one of the best ways of prevention is learning about the 10 most common cat diseases. These common maladies include rabies, feline leukemia, diabetes, infectious peritonitis and several others. Knowing these diseases and their symptoms gives you a heads-up on figuring out what may be wrong with kitty, and whether or not a trip to the vet is warranted.

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Learning About The Diseases

Knowing about the diseases can be the difference between making good or bad decisions, and may also lead towards effective treatment. For example, if your cat has an upper respiratory infection, symptoms such as coughing and sneezing can generally be managed at home. For something like worms, which may cause bloating, blood in the stool or a potbellied look, a trip to the vet for proper diagnosis and deworming will be in order.

Your Cat Depends On You

Cats are generally low maintenance pets that sometimes need little or no specific vet care except for regular check-ups. But when they come down with an illness or a disease, they become totally dependent on you and the decision you make to get them well again. Essentially, you have become their primary caregiver, and it is a role you must accept if you choose to have a cat.

By learning about the most common cat diseases, you will positively impact the life of your cat. Let’s face it, the quality of life that your cat has, no matter how long they live, depends completely on you. They rely on you to feed them, water them and take care of them, even if they become sick. For that, they will give you a lifetime of meows and purrs, and for a cat lover, it doesn’t get any better than that.

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