Disease cont. Notes Day 2
E.
Infectious diseases of cats
1. _________________________________- cat distemper caused by a parvovirus or
DNA virus. This primarily affects young cats younger than sixteen weeks of age and
has a 75% death rate. It is spread by direct contact but also from infected food and
water dishes, bedding, and litter boxes. Symptoms: depression, loss of appetite, high
fever, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration.
2. __________________________________ - A respiratory virus infection caused by a
DNA virus. Shed in the discharges from the nose, eyes and throat and transmitted by
direct contact. Symptoms: depression, sneezing and coughing, severe eye and nasal
discharges with an increase in temperature, and mouth ulcers. Cats can become
carriers of the virus, but vaccines are available.
3. ____________________________________________________ – A disease caused by
coronavirus that leads to organ failure. Coronavirus infections are more common in
domestic cats, but few actually show signs of the disease. Symptoms: fever, refusal
to eat, depression and weight loss.
4. ________________________________________- caused by ingestion of
contaminated feces in kittens between four and twelve weeks of age. Spread by the
ingestion of contaminated feces. Symptoms: low grade fever, vomiting, soft or
watery diarrhea, blood in the feces and dehydration.
F.
Noninfectious diseases of cats
1. __________________________________ (FUS) a feline urinary tract disease also
referred to as Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). FUS may range from mild
inflammation to blockage of the urethra, uremic poisoning, and death.
a. __________________ may be caused by:
i. improper diet (where cats are fed high levels of magnesium and
phosphorous),
ii. low water intake that causes concentrations of various salts in the urine, or
iii. Possibly a virus.
2. ___________________________- excessive tear production or blockage of drainage
canals that drain tears to the nasal cavity causing the tears to overflow at the inner
corner of the eyes.
G.
Internal parasites of cats
1. ________________________________- Disease caused by infection with single-celled
protozoan parasite, Toxoplasm gondii. Contracted from eating raw meat or
Disease cont. Notes Day 2
contaminated feces. Fever, jaundice, and difficulty moving may result. There is no
vaccination and humans can become infected by handling cat litter boxes. (Pregnant
women should not handle cat litter boxes due to risk to unborn fetus).
2. ________________ (Toxocara cati) – Ascarids from ingesting eggs passed in the feces
of an infected animal or in the case of kittens from the milk of infected mother cat.
Severe cases may cause pot-bellied appearance (distended abdomen) and an
unthrifty cat.
3. _____________________________ (Ancylostoma tubaeforme) – Infection occurs
when larvae is ingested from contaminated food or water, or when larvae penetrates
the skin. Hookworms may cause dark-colored feces and anemia from the loss of
blood.
4. ____________________________________ (Dipylidium caninum) – Tapeworms
require a host other than the cat for development. Dipylidium caninum must be
hosted by fleas and Tania taeniaeformis may be hosted by rats and mice. Neither
type causes major harm.