Five Rare Cat Diseases that Can Affect Your Cat

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There are over 250 diseases that can affect cats. While some are as common as the sniffles, others are rare and have devastating consequences. Knowledge of these rare and fatal diseases can help you identify the worrying signs and seek timely treatment for your furry friend.

Here are five rare cat diseases every cat owner needs to know about:

• Hyperesthesia

Is your cat biting herself or making weird vocalizations? There may even be seizures and skin problems. All of these are signs of feline Hyperesthesia.

This rare condition cannot be diagnosed at first glance. Since the symptoms represent so many other feline diseases, only a test of elimination can be used to diagnose the cat of this condition.

This condition is also called “rolling skin disease” because it leads to ripping of the skin when the cat is touched. The cat will be extremely sensitive to any stimulus and will be very irritable.

• Cutaneous asthenia

Even a gentle rub, massage, or pat can leave the cat's skin stretched out or wrinkled. In the best-case scenarios, the loss of shape in the skin lasts for a few days. But, in the worst cases, Cutaneous asthenia leads to permanent disfigurement of the cat's skin.

This condition is believed to occur due to the low production of a collagen-producing enzyme called procollagen peptidase.

• Infectious Peritonitis

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is one of the rarest feline diseases and also extremely fatal.

FIP occurs because of a viral infection – the feline coronavirus, to be exact. Newborn kittens and cats raised in dirty conditions are the most vulnerable to this virus. The coronavirus resides in exposed feces and, when eaten or touched by cats, is transmitted into the cat's body.

This disease causes extremely weakened immunity, fluid build-up in the body, loss of appetite, lethargy, vision & breathing problems, seizures, and extreme behavioral changes.

• Chediak-Higashi syndrome

The Chediak-Higashi syndrome is a rare feline disease that occurs due to the CHS1 recessive gene. Here, cats are afflicted with a condition called oculocutaneous albinism where their eyes, fur, and skin turn completely white or very light and become extremely sensitive to external stimuli. From sensitivity to light to immediate infections at the slightest exposure, this condition can really debilitate the cat and reduce its quality of life.

Chediak-Higashi syndrome has also been found to reduce platelet count in cats. This means bleeding injuries will be unable to clot naturally. This disease affects Persian cats the most.

• Hypertrophic muscular dystrophy

Hypertrophic muscular dystrophy is a rare muscle condition which results in muscle weakening and leads to the development of bulging muscles in cats. But because the cat does not have the muscular and skeletal strength to carry its weight, the bulged muscles lead to very restrictive body movement, stiffness and a hopping-like gait. This disease is sporadic and occurs when the cat's muscles have a deficiency in a protein called dystrophin. It mostly affects males of the domestic shorthair species.

Diseases that an old cat is susceptible to

Cats over ten years of age are considered aging pets. Just like humans, your cat, too, is susceptible to diseases resulting from advancing age. Common old age-related diseases can be managed through dietary changes and timely medical care.

Here are some diseases that your aging cat is susceptible to:

Arthritis

Arthritis is a common disease in aged cats. However, symptoms of arthritis are often mistaken by owners for symptoms of advancing age and are left untreated.

If you notice your cat being less active on her feet than before, look for these additional signs:

• Reduced mobility
• Difficulty in accessing perches and elevated areas
• Unsteady gait
• Sleepier than before
• Difficulty in performing routine activities such as jumping, running and playing
• Not as inclined to self-groom as before

The listed symptoms are a result of joint pain and reduced flexibility resulting from arthritis.

Diabetes

The risk of diabetes increases in cats aged above seven years. The risk is also higher for obese cats and those that do not get sufficient exercise. In cats suffering from diabetes, the body fails to produce the amount of insulin required to maintain their blood glucose levels. As a result, these cats need insulin injections, which are administered once or twice every day.

Diabetes can be put in remission (complete or temporary decrease in disease symptoms) if it is detected early and treatment is started immediately. In case reduction occurs, your cat will not need insulin injections.

Watch out for symptoms such as excessive urination, increase in urine quantity, and abnormal thirst and appetite.

Hyperthyroidism

In cats suffering from hyperthyroidism, the thyroid gland produces more thyroid hormone than required. As a result, there can be changes in your cat’s physical condition. Though symptoms may vary, watch out for the following:

• Visible decrease in weight despite an abnormally high appetite
• Diarrhea
• Abnormal thirst
• Vomiting
• Increased urine volume

Oral Diseases

Dental diseases such as plaque, tartar, gingivitis, periodontal disease, and gum infections are common to cats of all ages. But older cats are more susceptible to the effects of these dental diseases given their age. Symptoms such as tooth pain can make your cat reluctant to consume food, which in turn affects his weight.

Kidney Diseases

As cats age, their kidneys can become less efficient in filtering waste products produced by their bodily functions. As a result, the waste gets accumulated in the blood, which leads to a condition called azotemia.

Watch out for symptoms, including an increase in thirst and quantity of urine outflow, vomiting, loss of appetite, and weight loss, as they may indicate kidney problems.

Cats have a natural tendency to hide their sickness. It can be difficult to detect early signs of diseases in your aging cat, given this reason. The best way to manage your cat’s health as it ages is to increase the frequency of your vet visits. Increase your vet visits to twice a year. A vet typically performs a full-body examination. He or she may also recommend urine and blood tests, X-rays, if need be.