Congenital hypothyroidism (lack of sufficient thyroid hormone in the body, which is important for the development of the nervous and skeletal systems) has been considered a rare feline disorder. However, it may be underreported and not diagnosed since kittens appear normal but die at birth or die as juveniles before symptoms ever become evident.
The […]
Feline neonatal isoerythrolysis (FNI) is a serious, life-threatening condition in which a blood type B queen’s (mother cat’s) antibodies attack the red blood cells of her nursing blood type A or AB kittens. In the case of FNI, neonatal refers to newborn, and isoerythrolysis refers to the destruction of red blood cells of the […]
Feline Calicivirus (FCV) is a major cause of Upper Respiratory Infections (URIs). It’s highly contagious and spreads through: direct contact with saliva and nasal and ocular discharges of an infected cat; aerosolized particles from sneezing; sharing bowls and bedding; and contact with people who handled an infected cat.
FCV is very common in animal shelters […]
Swimmer syndrome is a rare disorder in very young kittens, but it shouldn’t be overlooked. Suggested causes for swimmer syndrome include hereditary factors, environmental issues, excessive protein in the queen’s diet, maternal metabolic disorders, musculoskeletal development problems, obesity and neurological disorders.
Here’s what you can expect in a normal kitten’s development:
Have you ever heard an animal shelter or rescue organization state, “Two kittens are better than one?” You might initially think this is just a way to get more kittens adopted, but adopters as well as kittens benefit from welcoming pairs as family members.
Many shelters and rescue organizations encourage or require pair adoptions of […]
This is part 3 of this 3-part series on FeLV. Part 1 covers transmission, and part 2 covers symptoms and diagnosis.
At the time of this writing, there isn’t a cure for FeLV; some therapies may decrease the amount of FeLV in a cat’s bloodstream but have significant side effects and aren’t effective in all […]
This is part 2 of this 3-part series on FeLV. Part 1 covers transmission, and part 3 covers treatment and prevention.
During the early stages of infection, cats may not exhibit any disease symptoms. Over weeks, months or even years, infected cats’ health may progressively deteriorate or they may experience cycles of illness and relative […]
This is part 1 of this 3-part series on FeLV. Part 2 covers symptoms and diagnosis, and part 3 covers treatment and prevention.
Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) was discovered in 1964. Although infection has decreased significantly over the past 25 years thanks to vaccines and accurate testing procedures, FeLV remains one of the most common […]
This is part 3 of this 3-part series on FIV. Part 1 covers transmission and testing, and part 2 covers prevention and support.
Unfortunately, no treatment exists that will clear the virus from a cat’s system.
Antiviral therapy is sometimes considered in FIV-positive cats, but often with minimal benefit and serious side effects.
A confirmed FIV-positive cat […]
This is part 2 of this 3-part series on FIV. Part 1 covers transmission and testing, and part 3 covers prevention and support.
The three phases of infection with FIV are acute, asymptomatic and progressive.
