We all know that cat’s are one of the most fiercely independent animals. They are very mischievous creatures that may get hurt while playing but you will not be able to figure out whether they are in pain or not.
This is something which haunts a cat parent many times. Cats are less expressive than other pets, so it becomes difficult for a pet parent to find out the difference between a minor issue or serious one. This makes it impossible to understand signs and symptoms of common diseases of a cat which includes FIV, FELV, Diabetes and a lot more.
Most of the diseases, especially infections can be cured or treated with basic medications but a few diseases need to be taken care of by proper treatment. Catching the disease early and curing it before time can help your cat grow well in future.
There are some diseases that are difficult to figure out. In that case, you should take your cat to a veterinarian. Make sure to take your cat to the veterinarian once a month. This will help your cat in living a healthy life. The unidentified disease may cause unwanted issues in your cat.
To conquer this unexpected thing in your cats, we have listed down the diseases that commonly occur in cats.
We will be mentioning the symptoms as well with which you will be able to figure out what to do next for your cat. These are the most common cat health problems which are faced by the cats.

We have listed down 10 Cat Health Problems And Cures. Follow the thread till the end and you will end up gathering enough information about cat’s common diseases.
10 Cat Health Problems That Are Common But Shouldn’t Be Ignored
Before heading towards the listing, you should make sure that you take your cat for a regular health checkup to a veterinarian, every month. A regular checkup will help you in tackling every disease of your cat to keep her healthy.
1. Obesity
Cat Health Problem: Diabetes mellitus, Heart Disease, Kidney, Arthritis
If you find your cat to be under obesity then this might have already affected so many organs of your cat i.e. kidney issues, arthritis, heart disease etc. This disease develops due to excessive weight and annoying eatery habits. Try to take your cat to a vet or speak to a pet doctor about this.
It’s better to take valuable steps against the disease before something worse happens. Embrace your cat and talk to her. Make her feel good about herself and try to monitor her eating habit.
Cats With Obesity: Symptoms
- When a cat faces difficulty in jumping or climbing.
- Your cat will be lethargic all the time.
- You will be unable to feel the bones of your cat.
- You will observe an excessive weight gain of the cat.
How to cure obesity in cats?
- Pay heed towards your cat’s dietary habits.
- Never compromise on the quality of food you give to your cat.
- Provide your cat with canned food.
- Keep regular check ups of your cat’s weight.
- Try to involve your cat in regular exercise to keep her fit.
2. Cancer
Cat Health Problem: Lymphoma, Mast cell tumor, Bone cancer, Squamous cell carcinoma
With age the body of the cat becomes weak just like us they too develop cancer. Cats also face all types of cancer like humans such as breast cancer, blood cancer ,melanoma etc and even prostate cancer. The treatment of cancer takes a lot of strength to bear the pain of chemotherapy or radiation treatment. The cat also went through various forms of surgeries. So to conquer it, you need to check whether the cat skin is having lumps or not. To look for lumps on ears, skin and eyes, and regular vet visits are a must. You have to take care of everything for your cat and for that you need to keenly observe her activity.
Cats With Cancer: Symptoms
- You will notice the lumpy or shifting areas that have occurred on the skin of the cat.
- You will also notice that the wounds of the cat are not healing.
- You will observe a persistent weight loss or increase in weight of the cat.
- alteration in appetite
- an ongoing cough
- Lameness or stiffness that persists.
- bad breath that comes from the mouth.
- breathing, swallowing, or feeding challenges.
How to cure cancer in cats?
- Oral medication can be given.
- You can get your cat under surgical treatment.
- You can even take her to go through chemotherapy.
- Get radiation therapy done.
- You can also get ancillary pain management for your cat.
3. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus(FIV)
Cat Health Problem: Weight loss, Seizures, Neurological disorder, Inflammation of the gums
This virus is similar to HIV virus found in humans. The virus attacks directly on the immune system of the cat. This virus also leads to various other infections and illnesses in cats. The virus can not be cured but it can be controlled. Cats discovered with FIV had to undergo treatments for their whole lives to fight back the infection. There are a few symptoms that can help you in figuring out whether your cat is suffering from a virus or not. The symptoms include fever, regular discharge from nose and ears, dental issues, sneezing, massive hair loss and poor coat, swollen lymph nodes. These symptoms will help you in finding out the health problem in your cat.
Cats With FIV: Symptoms
- You will notice the poor condition of the coat of the cat.
- You will observe that the cat is frequently getting a fever.
- There will be inflammation in the mouth and gums of the cat.
- The cat will suffer from a lack of appetite.
- Cats will suffer from chronic infections.
How to cure FIV in cats?
- Proper medication can help in tackling this disease.
- You can go for fluid and electrolyte replacement therapy.
- Try to keep your cat clean and tidy to avoid parasites.
- Drugs intake which will help in boosting the immune system of your cat.
- Provide them with a nutritious diet.
4. Fleas
Cat Health Problem: Itching, Infections, Anemia, Allergy
You must have heard about this disease and you might be aware about this disease. This is a disease which every cat gets once in a lifetime. According to the recent studies it is found that many cats are born with this disease and some of them get it just after the birth. The disease can be cured by proper and good medication. The medication for this disease is easily available in the market. The only thing you need to take care of is whether your cat is undergoing too much of itching or not.
Cats With Fleas: Symptoms
- Itchy skin of the cat.
- Massive hair loss in the cat.
- Frequent scratching done by the cat.
- Lethargy and pale gums.
- The fur of the cat gets black specks.
How to cure fleas in cats?
- Try to find a good fleas repellent for your cat.
- Go for fleas repellent treatments available in the pet shops.
- Use fleas repellent shampoo, spray and powder.
- Take your cat for a vet check up and go for oral medication.
- Try to keep your cat clean and tidy for hygiene purposes.
5. HeartWorm
Cat Health Problem: Diarrhea, Respiratory problem, Coughing, Asthma attacks, Vomiting
This disease is a very common disease which is found in dogs as well as in cats. There are so many vaccines which are available in the market and which can cure the disease within the consumption. These worms are parasites that grow inside the heart and lungs of the cat. This eventually fills up the organs and ends up by choking the cat over time. These worms are mostly found in Australia in a big number that can kill the cat if not treated on time. So it’s better to cure than to make things hard for your cat.
Cats with heartworm: Symptoms
- You will find a sudden loss of appetite in your cat.
- The cat is Frequently vomiting after every meal intake.
- The cat will face difficulty in breathing.
- There will be periodic asthma attacks.
- Cats do face Neurological abnormalities as well.
How to cure heartworm disease in cats?
- Go for proper heartworm killing medication.
- Try to treat the symptoms of the heartworm.
- You can also take your cat for surgical removal of heartworm.
- Follow prevention is better than a cure rule for your cat.
- Take your cat for regular check ups.
6. Sneezing
Cat Health Problem: Chronic respiratory condition, Infection
It is a disease we usually ignore because this disease states different things in a cat. When a cat sneezes then that means there is something unusual behind this and you need to take your cat to a doctor immediately. Sometimes it might be a reaction of a tickling done by your cat in its nostril. You need to take care of your cat if the cat shows a few symptoms like fever, green and yellow discharge, sudden weight loss, difficulty in breathing, heavy wheezing or cough, loss of appetite. You need to take care of all these symptoms and take your cat to a doctor.
Cats with sneezing: Symptoms
- The cat will suffer from difficulty in breathing
- You will observe Vet or watery eyes, leaking nose of your cat.
- The cat suffers from nasal and sinus issues.
- There will be a foul odor of the cat.
- The cat will Frequently get ill and lethargic.
How to cure sneezing in cats?
- Use humidifiers in your home.
- Use air purifiers in the place where your cat’s dome is located.
- You can use steroids.
- In serious cases you can take your cat for a surgery.
- You can give your cat anti-nausea medication.
7. Bone fracture
Cat Health Problem: Injuries, External Splints, Swelling
It is a very common situation found especially in outdoor cats. Fractures and broken bones are very easy to happen in cats but it is very difficult to identify in real life. Cats can be found bowled by passing cars, causing them fracture or broken bones. The cats can also fall from the tree while playing and climbing up. This too can cause fractures in them. The most destructive thing about cats is that they can not tell you, they are in pain. They can only express their emotions through sign language like by moaning or howling very loud for a long time, loss of appetite and swelling at affected areas can be easily tracked or identified. If you find that your cat screams when you touch her then this means she is in pain. They need to be taken to a vet as soon as possible.
Cats with bone fracture: Symptoms
- Your cat will be constantly weeping.
- You will observe a change in the movement of the cat.
- The cat is not in regular flipping of the tail.
- The cat must be in intense pain.
- You will notice visibly misplacement of the limbs or the broken joints of the cat.
How to cure bone fractures in cats?
- If you find a fracture in your cat then give her first aid.
- Take her to the doctor beforehand.
- Give good care for your cat.
- Be available for her during this time period.
- Allow her to rest completely and wholly.
8. Oral or dental disease
Cat Health Problem: Bleeding, swollen gums, Dental plaque
The gum disease occurs on teeth when plaque grows on it. This disease is very common in cats. If the plaque is not cleaned before then it will turn into Tartar. Which is a yellow and brown deposit on teeth. Tartar is very difficult to remove and its deposition can cause severe problems or infection in the gums. If the infection is not cured at an early stage then this might lose your cat’s teeth. The diet of the cat can affect the periodontal disease. Try to give your cat dry and canned food to eat. Dry food can easily help in cleaning the teeth. Make sure that you keep this in mind and provide your cat with healthy food to make her healthy.
Cats with dental disease: Symptoms
- You will find the cat drooling constantly.
- The cat will always be in a continuous denial to have food.
- You will see a visible development of halitosis.
- There will be bleeding, red and swollen gums of the cat.
- The cat will be involved in Frequent head shaking.
- You will also face bad breath issues from your cat.
How to cure oral or dental disease in cats?
- Take your cat for a regular dental check up.
- Provide her with good nutrition and healthy food.
- Check for possible signs of dental disease like bad breath.
- Discuss every behavior of your cat with the veterinarian.
- You can provide them with proper dental treatment.
9. Diarrhoea
Cat Health Problem: Dehydration, Metabolic disturbance, Inflammatory disorders
We all are aware about diarrhea and it is also found in cats as well. If the cat is suffering with loose and watery stool then this shows that they have diarrhea. There are a few causes which lead to diarrhea like sudden change in diet, new medications, an allergic reaction, internal parasites like worms, kidney or liver diseases, inflammatory bowel disease. If you find your cat is having diarrhea then there is no need to worry. The cause of this might be small like a small infection or dairy intolerance. Still you are unable to tackle it then it’s a better option to look for a vet as soon as possible.
Cats with Diarrhea: Symptoms
- You will find mucus or blood in the stool of the cat.
- You will observe worms in the stool.
- Frequent vomiting’s after every interval of time.
- Lethargy and tiredness in the cat.
- Loss of appetite in the cats.
How to cure diarrhea in cats?
- Change the type of food you give your cat.
- Try to give them a low fiber consisting of food items.
- Encourage them to have a good amount of water and liquid intake.
- Provide them with probiotics.
- Give them antidiarrheal medications.
10. Kidney disease
Cat Health Problem: Kidney tumors, Chronic kidney disease, Viral infections, Depression
This disease is a big threat to a cat’s health. If the disease is not treated at an early stage then this might lead to kidney failure in your cat and may result in death. The cats who are old and frequently go outdoors are very much prone to this disease. The cats staying indoors are not likely to be affected by this disease. Kidney disease occurs when 75% of kidney’s tissue fails to carry the waste after filtering and separating toxins from the body. There are a few symptoms with which you can find out whether your cat is suffering from the disease or not. It’s better to take your cat to a vet than to leave her in suffering.
Cats with kidney disease: Symptoms
- There will be an increase in thirst and the urination process.
- The cat will be continuously vomiting after every interval of time.
- The cat will face dehydration.
- The mouth of the cat will face sores.
- There will be a problem of kidney stones faced by the cat.
How to cure kidney disease in cats?
- Provide them with proper kidney curing medication.
- Give them a proper diet which can help in making the kidney strong.
- Provide them a balanced diet.
- Take them for regular checkups to a vet.
- Take care of them when they are facing this.
Can cats take care of themselves?
Cats are better at maintaining themselves and taking care of themselves. Still there are a few diseases which the cat can’t get over on its own. There are a few common diseases which are not curable by cat’s own will. It is very unfortunate to find your feline friend in pain. The cats usually fall sick once or twice in their lifetime irrespective of you taking proper care of them. Many of the time you will find a few diseases which are easily curable like fleas, minor ear infections etc. On the other hand, there are a few diseases which are incurable and you need to look for a veterinarian for the treatment.
Conclusion
We are very sure that this article came to be a great help to you and now you can easily conquer at providing good health to your cat. The diseases mentioned above are the most common diseases found in cats. We have tried to mention the symptoms of the disease which can help you in figuring out whether your cat is in pain or not. We have tried to cover every small information regarding the diseases mentioned above and tried to provide you with brief and crisp information. We have tried to provide you with authentic information under the guidance of experts. For more such informative articles do visit our website.