Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) – is a viral disease caused by a feline coronavirus that affects wild and domestic cats

Symptoms of FIP:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Depression
• Fever
• Neurological signs

Causes of FIP

• Came into contact with infected feces, saliva
• Poor hygiene

Prevention of FIP:

• Minimise stress
• Disinfect infected litter trays, surfaces, environments
• Avoid contact with infected FIP cat
• Separate healthy and infected cats
• Isolate infected cats
• FIP blood test
• Health examination by vet

Coronavirus – is a positive-stranded RNA virus that infects cats worldwide

Symptoms of coronavirus:

Dry form causes inflammation around the blood vessels:

• Inflammation of blood vessels
• Seizures
• Incoordination
• Excessive thirst, urination
• Vomiting
• Weight loss

Wet form causes fluid build up:

• Fluids build up in the abdomen, chest
• Difficulty in breathing
• Damage to blood vessels causing inflammation and fluid leaking from the blood to the abdomen and chest

Causes of coronavirus:

• Exposure to infected feces or saliva
• Sharing litter boxes so the cat gets virus on paws, fur and through self-grooming ingests the virus
• Poor hygiene

Prevention of coronavirus

• Maintain a clean environment
• Disinfect infected items, surfaces,
• Limit exposure to stray or possibly infected cats
• Coronavirus blood test
• Change clothes and shoes after coming into contact with infected cat
• Test new member of the family incase the other pets are carriers of the coronavirus

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) –  FIV is similar to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and causes a feline disease similar to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in humans. It is a highly species-specific virus that infects only felines.

Symptoms of HIV:

• Lymph node enlargement
• Reproduces white blood cells
• Fever
• Depression
• Lack of appetite
• Low white blood cells
• Infection of the skin, eye, urinary tract, upper respiratory tract
• Inflammation of the gums
• Dental disease gingovostomatitis
• Cancer
• Immune mediated blood disorders

Causes of HIV

• Bite wounds
• Keeping cats indoor to avoid cats coming into contact with infected cats that could bite the healthy cat
• Separate infected cats from non-infected cats in the house
• If a cat is FIV-positive a thorough cleaning and disinfection is required or replacement of items and surfaces that were in contact with the infected cat
• Poor hygiene of infected items, surfaces
• Change clothes and shoes after coming into contact with infected cat
• Unneutered outdoor cats who engage in territorial fights
• Can also be transmitted from an infected mother cat to her kittens during birth or through nursing

Prevention of FIV

• Avoid contact with infected cats
• Keep cats indoor
• FIV blood test for indoor and outdoor cats
• Neuter or spay cats
• Regular vet check ups
• Watch for any abnormal signs

Ringworm is a fungal infection, it is not worm-related, despite the name. Ringworm causes circular-shaped hair loss with a crusty covering. It is highly contagious and can spread between pets and to humans.

Symptoms of ringworm:

• Scaling of skin and coat
• Erythema, an inflamed redness of the skin
• Round thickened patches of skin
• Patchy hair loss
• crusty skin
• 7 – 14 day incubation period before the infection becomes visible on the skin’s surface.

Causes of ringworm

• Contact with contaminated object, surface, pet
• Cracked skin is exposed to ringworm infection
• Poor hygiene
• Isolation of infected cat was taken

Prevention of ringworm

• Avoid contact with infected object, surface, pet
• Disinfect contaminated object, surface, pet
• Isolate infected cat from healthy cats
• Wear gloves when in contact with infected cats
• Change clothes and shoes when in contact with infected cats
• Health check at the vet
• Ringworm examination

Feline leukemia Virus (FeLV)  is a severe disease that affects cats. It destroys the immune system and can cause cancers such as lymphoma and leukemia.

Symptoms of Feline leukemia virus

• Immune deficiency
• Loss appetite
• Progressive weight loss
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Persistent fever, diarrhea
• Pale gums
• Poor coat condition
• Eye conditions
• Neurological disorders

Causes of Leukemia virus

• Contact with infected cats
• Contact with infected cats via saliva, nasal secretions, body fluids, feces, urine, milk, mutual grooming, sharing feeding bowls, litter boxes
• Infected mother can transmit leukemia virus to her kittens

Prevention of leukemia virus

• Hygiene
• Routine cleaning (disinfection or special cleaning liquid for infectious diseases) of contaminated surfaces, items
• Wash contaminated clothes, change clothes after contact with leukemia virus
• Change and clean shoes after contact with leukemia virus
• Isolate infected cat from healthy cats
• Leukemia virus blood test
• Health check at the vet
• Keep healthy cats indoors away from infected cats
• If cats are allowed outdoors, supervise cats to avoid contact with infected cats
• FeLV vaccination
• Vaccinate kittens for FeLV

Giardia are intestinal parasites.

Symptoms of giardia

• Weight loss
• Vomiting
• Watery diarrhea with mucus
• Fever
• Anorexia

Causes of giardia

• Giardia duodenalisis a protozoan parasite

Prevention of giardia

• Hygiene
• Routine cleaning (disinfection or special cleaning liquid for infectious diseases) of contaminated surfaces, items
• Wash contaminated clothes, change clothes after contact with giardia virus
• Change and clean shoes after contact with giardia
• Isolate infected cat from healthy cats
• Giardia faecal test
• Health check at the vet
• Keep healthy cats indoors away from infected cats
• If cats are allowed outdoors, supervise cats to avoid contact with infected cats
• Vaccinate kittens

Feline Paneleukopenia is a parvo virus which is an extremely contagious virus that is fatal for young cats and kittens. It prevents the immune system from producing white blood cells and attacks the intestines 

Symptoms of Paneleukopenia

• Depression
• Fever
• Vomiting
• Hypersalivation
• Diarrhea haemorrhagic
• Dehydration
• Abdominal pain
• Enlarged lymph nodes

Causes of Paneleukopenia

• Contact with infected cats of Paneleukopenia via feces, urine, secretions

Prevention of Paneleukopenia

• Fecal test
• Health check by vet
• Hygiene
• Routine cleaning (disinfection or special cleaning liquid for infectious diseases) of contaminated surfaces, items
• Wash contaminated clothes, change clothes after contact with paneleukopenia virus
• Change and clean shoes after contact with paneleukopenia
• Isolate infected cat from healthy cats
• Keep healthy cats indoors away from infected cats
• If cats are allowed outdoors, supervise cats to avoid contact with infected cats
• Vaccinate kittens
• When a new pet is adopted, isolate the new pet from the other animals to ensure the new pet is not a carrier for 2 weeks and watch for any abnormal symptoms.