Cat Health Questions: Answered

In honor of National Cat Day, we're answering some of your most pressing cat-health questions. Paw Nation spoke with Christine Bellezza, a veterinarian and the acting co-director of the Feline Health Center at Cornell University, to get the scoop on healthy kitties.

What are the most common cat health problems?
It depends on the age of the cat and the general status of the cat. Indoor cats versus outdoor cats, vaccinated cats versus unvaccinated cats, shelter cats versus pet cats -- each has different problems more common to them.

In general, upper respiratory diseases are some of the most common diseases you would see in cats. Other common health problems include viral disease such as panleukopenia [feline distemper] in unvaccinated cats or kittens. Internal parasites like roundworm, hookworm and tapeworms are a problem, especially for young cats. External parasites like ticks and ear mites are also very common.

In older cats, kidney disease and hyperthyroidism are common, and there is a fair amount of cancer in cats as they get older. Also, obesity is a huge problem in cats. We see diabetes, arthritis, and other problems in obese cats.

How can you tell if your cat is too fat?
Healthy weight for an individual cat might be anywhere from 7 to 14 pounds, depending on the cat's build. Owners should be able to run their hands down the cat's side and feel the ribs easily without having to push through a layer of fat. When they look down at the cat, the cat should have a waist, a slight indentation. The cat shouldn't look like a basketball.

Indoor cats are at risk because they move around a lot less. People can schedule regular play sessions. Set aside five or ten minutes twice a day to play with the cat. Feathers on a wand or toys on a string are great for cats to chase. One of the most important things is not to free-feed cats dry food. Schedule mealtimes and feed them set amount of foods.


When it comes to wet food and dry food, is one better than the other?
Right now, the answer to that question hasn't been decided by most nutritionists. There are certain instances where wet food is preferred, such as for cats with lower urinary tract disease or diabetes. Whether all cats do better on canned food, we're not sure. Whether you feed wet or dry food, portion control is really important for cats.

What vaccines should cats have?
Number one has to be rabies, because it's a fatal disease for cats and for people. All cats should also get the FVRCP vaccine, which protects against feline rhinotracheitis [an upper respiratory disease] calicivirus, and panleukopenia. All of those diseases are still present in cat populations and are very contagious.

Other vaccines are optional depending on the cat's risk. We recommend the feline leukemia vaccine if cats go outside. FIV is a controversial vaccine at this time, and is not recommended for most cats.

What should pet owners do to keep aging cats healthy?
Elderly cats should go to the vet hospital twice a year for a physical exam and bloodwork. Cats can hide signs of illness really well. We want to detect diseases early in cats -- diseases that people may not be able to detect at home.

How can you keep cats calm at the vet?
You can train young cats that the vet isn't such a scary place. Some kitty kindergarten classes teach them to be out and around other people and other cats. They can visit the vet hospital and see that nothing bad happens to them when they're there; they just get petted.

A lot of cats associate the cat carrier with a trip to the vet, and they start getting upset immediately when they see the carrier. Get the cat used to the carrier at home -- give them treats in it, feed them in it, so that the cat carrier doesn't become a sign of something horrible that's about to happen.

Tags: cat, health, obesity, vaccine