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| Posted by Administrator (admin) on Sep 25 2007 at 10:33 AM |
Abdomen - Swollen
An abdomen may appear swollen if a cat is overweight, but compare it to the rest of its body. If the cat has a lot of body fat, especially hanging between the legs, the swelling may well be fat. If the cat does not have much body fat, it is not obesity.
Pregnancy will cause the abdomen to swell in the later stages. This is only possible in a cat that has not been spayed and typically shows 6-8 weeks after a season. The mammary glands and teats are often swollen by this stage also.
If there is no good reason for the swelling, this could well be serious and you should contact your vet. Possible causes of the swollen abdomen include growths, heart disease, liver disease, blockage of the bladder, internal bleeding and peritonitis.
An important cause in young cats is Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) - an infectious viral disease which can cause large amounts of fluid to build up rapidly and which is serious.
Abrasion
An abrasion is a traumatic wound in which some of the skin surface is lost, but the skin is not broken. If your animal has such a wound, simple first aid is required. Clean the wound with warm clean water and cotton wool and remove any dirt. Check that there are no holes in the skin;- if there are, contact your vet. If not apply a mild antiseptic – diluted Dettol is good, most antiseptic creams for humans are also fine for this purpose. Savlon and TCP are toxic to cats.
The wound should dry and scab in a couple of days, and the scab will go in a 1-2 weeks. If it fails to dry or it starts to swell, contact your vet.
Abscess
An abscess is an infected swelling full of pus (a rather smelly liquid of yellow, green or brown colour, often tinged with blood). This occurs where a dirty wound seals and bacteria grow beneath the skin. Most abscesses in cats are caused by bite wounds from other cats. These usually occur on the head, at the base of the tail or on the feet.
An abscess appears as a painful, soft swelling. Eventually the abscess will burst to the surface, which may be the first you see of it, but before this occurs the cat may be in considerable pain, could appear unwell with a high temperature and there is a risk of the infection spreading to the blood.
An abscess that has not burst will need ‘lancing’ (opening it to release the pus) by your vet. Once open, most abscesses will clear by ensuring they remain open and bathing with salt water (1 teaspoon of salt to 1 pint of water), but it is worth seeing your vet. Some will return or deteriorate without antibiotics, especially if the cat appears unwell.
Accident, RTA - (Road Traffic Accident)
It is a sad fact of life that motor vehicles are responsible for the deaths of more young cats than any other single cause. But not all are killed and injuries vary from very severe to relatively mild.
In a serious RTA, there will be no doubt of what has occurred. The cat will be found near or in the road (although they can sometime move a fair distance and clear tall fences before they collapse). If they are still breathing, seek veterinary help immediately. They will be in pain and distress, so be careful they do not injure you. The best way to move them is to wrap them in a blanket or towel and support as much of the body as possible. Contact your vet, whole will be able to provide emergency care (either themselves or by arrangement with another local practice). It is best to transport the cat to the vet (but call first) rather than call them to the scene - emergency care requires the facilities of a surgery and the sooner the cat gets there, the better.
If you find or see a cat hit by a car that is not your own, contact the nearest vet if you cannot quickly find the owner. They will be able to provide emergency care and you will not be liable for payment. The owner, if found will be responsible for the cat, and if it is not claimed the RSPCA has a system of paying for such emergency care.
If you suspect your cat has been hit, but are uncertain, check the claws. The front claws are usually shredded when a cat tries to grip the road if they are flung away by a blow. This can also occur with a fall. Also check the breathing. If a cat is breathing rapidly or laboured at rest, there is something wrong in the chest. It is best to get them checked by a vet, although if the cat is comfortable and breathing normally, this is not urgent.
Anaemia
Anaemia is a reduction in the number of red blood cells in the blood stream. This reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. The main sign of this is weakness and lack of ability to exercise, panting very readily. The gums will be very pale. Anaemia must be severe to cause a problem at rest. Some forms of heart disease can cause similar signs.
If you suspect your cat has anaemia, contact your vet and he/she will need to take some blood to confirm and try to discover why. If a cat is anaemic there is either a reduced production of red cells or an increased loss.
In cats, the commonest cause of anaemia is the Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV). A cat that is anaemic should receive a test for this virus. There is also a Feline Infectious Anaemia (FIA) caused by a blood parasite called Haemobartonella.
Causes of increased loss include external bleeding, internal bleeding (most commonly a bleeding abdominal tumour), rat poison, blood parasites (e.g. FIA) and destruction of red cells by the immune system.
Causes of reduced production include kidney disease, hormonal abnormalities, leukaemia (often FeLV related), bone marrow cancers, iron deficiency (uncommon in cats) and lead poisoning.
Appetite - Decreased
Whether a cat’s appetite is decreased must be measured against what is normal for that cat. Many cats are a bit fussy about their food, or may appear to be. Although many cats will readily eat a large meal at one sitting, their natural feeding pattern is to take 7-10 small meals (each about the size of a small rodent) throughout the day. Some cats, particularly those that are the only cat in a household with no competition for food, will revert to this pattern.
Thus if a cat takes a few bites of food and goes away, it does not necessarily mean that the food is rejected, but if it is left down they will return throughout the day and finish it off provided it does not go off.
Almost all cats will hunt to some degree, but if this is excessive in the summer, what they eat at home may decrease. Also be aware of your neighbours, as cats are masters at conning food out of people. An otherwise healthy cat who eats less at home might be getting food elsewhere.
Sudden drops in appetite are obvious and may be due almost any disease. If accompanied by vomiting, the commonest cause is fur balls, but this usually returns to normal within 24 hours.
A slow decrease in appetite may not be as obvious, but it no less significant, especially in older cats. If your cat now picks at food, whereas in the past they ate well, it is worthwhile getting them checked by your vet.