SimplyCats Vet Clinic Blog

Could you see yourself with one of these?

We don’t tend to see many Sphynx cats around the North East. A couple of weeks ago however we did have a very cheeky one in our sister small animal surgery in Blyth.

During his day with us, he managed to tip over is cat litter, trash his kennel and at one point was even carrying his food dish around in his mouth. No matter what we moved from his grips, the rascal always managed to reach and grab it and generally had all of the staff running around like mad things repairing the disaster he caused.

He was however a pleasure to have in as he was such a character, but hopefully he won’t visit us again too soon! They may look slightly unusual but thye certainly make up for this in personality

A wonderful Sphynx kitten with loads of personality

Fortunately we are now able to prevent several very serious infectious diseases in cats by means of vaccination. Every kitten should receive a veterinary examination and vaccination course whether they are going to be indoor or outdoor cats. Vaccines can be tailored to suit the individual cat. In general the diseases covered by vaccination are;

1. Feline infectious enteritis / feline panleukopaenia.

This virus produces severe vomiting and diarrhoea and causes death in many cases. Due to the effectiveness of vaccination, this disease is becoming much less common however continued vaccination is important as the virus can persist for a long time in the environment.

2. Cat flu.

There are several infectious agents that cause cat flu. The most common viruses involved are feline calicivirus and feline herpesvirus. As the name suggest cat flu causes flu like signs in the cat – sneezing, upper respiratory tract congestion, runny eyes and nose, sore throat and inappetance. If treated promptly, cat flu is rarely fatal except in the very young and very old however it can make your cat ill for some time and may leave it with chronic lifelong breathing difficulties. Vaccination provides fairly good protection, although it is still possible for a vaccinated cat to contract infection, this should be milder than if the cat was unvaccinated.

Kitten showing severe cat flu. Do not forget to vaccinate your cats!

3. Feline leukaemia FeLV

Infection with feline leukaemia can be very severe as the virus damages the immune system and in many cases causes cancer. The outcome for FeLV positive cats is very poor. It is possible for a cat to carry FeLV without showing any signs of ill health. If such a cat is vaccinated against the virus the vaccine is not likely to do any harm but it also will not prevent the cat becoming infected. Blood testing before vaccination can indicate whether a cat is FeLV positive or negative however false results can occur.

4. Chlamydophila / chlamydia

This organism occurs frequently but can be difficult to diagnose. It causes conjunctivitis, often starting in one eye and can cause flu like signs.

5. Rabies

The UK is rabies free however cats need to be vaccinated against rabies if they are travelling abroad on the Pet passport scheme.

Vaccines contain harmless forms of the virus and other infectious agents that cause the diseases your cat needs protection against. After vaccination, your cat’s immune system is stimulated to generate a protective response. It is important that your cat is healthy at the time of vaccination so the immune system can respond appropriately.

Unfortunately no vaccine is ever 100% effective or 100% safe, fortunately modern vaccines are now very pure and much better than they have ever been. Some cats can seem lethargic after vaccination – this can last 24-48 hours. As the vaccine stimulates the immune system, heat is produced and this heat will make some cats feel lethargic. if you have any concerns you should contact your veterinary surgeon. Allergic reactions take the form of a swollen face and limbs and occur soon after injection – veterinary treatment should be sought without delay.

Kittens should be vaccinated at 9 and 12 weeks of age and receive yearly boosters. The kitten will be protected at least 1 week after the 2nd injection. As cats get older, the annual health check provided by your vet as part of the vaccination procedure becomes more and more important in picking up problems and elderly cats that contract preventable infections can be affected more seriously than younger animals. House cats are still at risk of infection with cat flu and feline infectious enteritis so these should be considered core vaccines. Transmission of FeLV requires cat to cat contact so provided a house cat does not contact any other cats FelV can be omitted from the vaccination protocol.

It is normal for a cat to drink more water if it is on a dry diet. Cats also drink more when water is lost from the body for example if a cat has diarrhoea and this is a normal physiological response. Increased thirst however can also be a sign of underlying illness especially in older cats and it is important to monitor your cat to see if he is drinking more as if caught early, most of these conditions can be managed to help prolong your cat’s life

Kidney disease – usually due to chronic damage to the kidneys but can be immediate eg with antifreeze poisoning. Often starts with increased thirst followed by a reduced appetite and subsequent weight loss. Blood samples confirm an increase in the kidney enzymes urea, creatinine and phosphorus at varying levels. Your cat is likely to need a diet change to reduce the amount of phosphate given to him in food and provide a smaller amount of high quality protein to reduce the work that the kidneys have to do to cope with waste products. Injections may be given to help prevent weight loss from muscle breakdown and to replace B vitamins that are lost.

Some cats are put on tablets to help increase the blood flow through their kidneys and new products are on the market to help remove phosphates from normal cat food and stop them being absorbed by your cat when he eats. Sometimes cats need to be hospitalised and put on a drip, especially in cases of poisoning.

Hyperthyroidism – due to over activity of one or both thyroid glands in the neck and is very common in cats over 12 years old. Thyroid glands control the metabolic rate so hyperthyroid cats are often overactive, eat and drink a lot but lose weight dramatically. Heart failure occurs as the condition develops as the heart rate is too high and causes strain on the heart muscle. Hyperthyroidism is diagnosed by blood sampling with or without a goitre (swelling of the thyroid gland). Treatment includes tablets, surgical removal of the thyroid glands or radiotherapy.
Diabetes mellitus – due to a decreased production of the hormone insulin by the pancreas or a resistance to is effects around the body. This causes an increse in blood glucose levels and an accumulation of toxic substances called ketones. The glucose level in the blood is so high it leaks through the kidneys into the urine and can be tested for with a urine dip test strip. Treatment involves weight control, mangement of diet and twice daily insulin injections.

Remember, cats can obtain water from various sources including dripping taps, goldfish bowls, toilets, the dog bowl, puddles as well as their own bowl so if you constantly see your cat drinking from different areas it may be worth getting him checked out by your vet incase there is a problem.

Thirsty Cats