7 most Common Cat Diseases 2025

Understanding different common cat diseases helps you to better protect your cat from getting sick. Every cat owner wants their cat happy, healthy, active, and full of energy. But sadly cats can contract various types of diseases and illnesses, therefore timely diagnosis and treatment, one should know common signs and symptoms of different diseases so you can get your cat to a Veterinarian for a timely cure. So here in this guide, I will explain to you some common cat diseases.

1- Ringworm

As the name suggests, ringworm does not involve any worm; instead, a fungal infection causes it. It’s also called Dermatophytosis caused by Microsporum and Trichophyton. You should avoid direct contact with your cat if you suspect it has ringworm because it’s a zoonotic disease that can spread to humans from animals through contact. It is advised to quarantine your cat. It is a self-limiting disease and resolves within a few months. Signs and symptoms involve inflamed areas on the skin, crust formation, and dandruff.

Symptoms include:

• Hair loss
• Dandruff
• Circular Areas of hair loss
• Nail Abnormalities
• Excessive grooming

For diagnosis, veterinarians most commonly use the wood’s lamp examination. Other methods involve skin scrapping and fungal culture.

Treatment involves topical applications of fungal medication, systemic administration, and oral treatment. Ringworm symptoms take 3-4 months to completely resolve.

2- Rabies

It’s a viral infection of cats affecting their nervous system. Rabies is a fatal disease caused by the bite of an infected animal like a cat or dog. It is mainly transmitted through the saliva of infected animals. The virus can survive for 2 hours in saliva. Rabies vaccination is very critical to prevent its spread.

Symptoms include

• Sudden change in behavior
• Drooling and Salivation Seizures
• Unexplained Paralysis which is progressing
• Difficulty swelling Loss of appetite
• Hyperexcitability Irritability
• Nervousness and Depression

Rabies progress in 3 stages:

1- Prodromal State 2-3 days

2- Excitative stage next 1-7 days

3- Paralytic Stage final 2-4 days

The site of the Bite is important closer it to the brain disease progress severely accordingly.

Diagnosing rabies is difficult, but veterinarians can perform immunofluorescence microscopy and polymerase chain reaction. Confirmatory diagnosis is done by taking a biopsy sample of a deceased animal.

Unfortunately, no treatment exists for rabies once symptoms appear, so you should immediately take your cat to your veterinarian for vaccination if it is bitten by a suspected rabies-infected animal.

3-Hyperthyroidism

It’s a common cat disease caused by increased production of thyroid hormone (T3 and T4) from the thyroid gland located in the cat’s neck. Increased production of these hormones results from hyperactivity of the thyroid gland due to non-cancerous tumors. Hyperthyroidism is more common in older cats.

Symptoms include:

• Weight loss
• Polydipsia (increased thrust)
• Polyuria (excessive peeing)
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Excessive vocalizations
• Poor body condition
• Poor coat
• Heart murmurs
• Hyperactivity
• Some cats can show “apathetic hyperthyroidism” as they are lethargic and depressed.

Diagnosis is based on physical examination, Thyroid function blood test, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone test, and Urinalysis.

Administration of radioactive iodine is the preferred treatment option. Surgical management by performing thyroidectomy can also be considered. Daily Medications of methimazole show effective results.

4-Diabetes

Diabetes is caused by insufficient insulin production (Type I) or the body does not respond to insulin produced (Type II). Both of these conditions result in increased glucose concentration in the blood because insulin can not transport it to cells. Obese, old cats, and male gender are predisposed to the disease. There are 4 times more chances of diabetes in obese cats than in healthy cats.

Symptoms include:

• Polyuria
• Polydipsia
• Weight loss
• In severe cases of diabetes, a cat can assume a “plantigrade stance” of hindlimbs.

Perform urinalysis and blood tests to evaluate glucose concentration. You can measure serum fructosamine concentration to check blood glucose levels from the previous 2-3 weeks, as stressed cats can persistently show hyperglycemia.

Diabetic cats require regular insulin injections one or two per week. You should manage the cat’s weight. Monitoring water intake and urination is important.

5-Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)

FIV is the most common infectious disease of cats globally. It is caused by the bite of an infected cat or through its saliva. Cats remain infected for the rest of their lives and for years asymptomatic. FIV gradually destroys the immune system so symptoms can appear years after contracting the virus. It is more common in feral and fighting cats. FIV weakens the immune system causing immune suppression and secondary infections.

Symptoms include:

• Recurrent fever
• Gradual weight loss
• Lymphadenopathy
• Uveitis
• Diarrhea
• Pyrexia
• Chorioretinitis
• And neurological signs.
• Secondary diseases include gingivitis, stomatitis, respiratory signs, conjunctivitis, keratitis, and encephalitis.

Diagnosis is based on antibody detection using ELISA, PCR, IFA, or Western Blotting.

There is no specific treatment for FIV. Like FeLV, its vaccination is not widely available. A cat infected with FIV can live normally for years. A major goal for these cats is to prevent secondary infections by keeping cats inside.

FPV is caused by parvovirus and is commonly referred to as “cat plague” or “feline distemper”. It’s common in young cats less than 1 year old mostly around 4 months old. Unvaccinated cats are at increased risk of this disease. Therefore vaccination is important and is one of the four diseases against which your cat must be vaccinated. The common mode of transmission is contact with infected cat feces, vomitus, and contaminated fomite.

Symptoms include:

• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Hunched posture
• Nervous Signs.

The veterinarian will diagnose the disease based on signs and symptoms. Confirmatory diagnosis is based on blood count tests and lab tests.

Immediately isolate your cat after you suspect it has the feline panleukopenia virus. Visit your veterinarian he may perform fluid therapy and prescribe medications like antiemetics and antibiotics.

Cats can recover after aggressive treatment but the prognosis is not really good.

FeLV is the second leading cause of death in cats. Approximately 85 percent of cats die within 3 years of diagnosis. Feline leukemia virus is a lentivirus affecting young cats aged between 3-5 years. Most Cats develop lymphoma. It’s transmitted through direct contact with infected cats or their secretions most commonly oronasal. This virus destroys White Blood Cells which are responsible for defense mechanisms and leaves cats immunocompromised making them vulnerable to other pathogens. As this virus attacks RBCs cat shows symptoms associated with it.

Symptoms include:

• Pale gums due to anemia
• Stomatitis
• Inappetence
• Weight loss
• Weakness
• Parlor
• Pyrexia
• The cat may show neurological signs due to lymphoma.
• Cats can develop a transient form (in which the cat shows symptoms) and a latent form (in which the cat is consistently shedding virus but no symptoms appear.

For Diagnosis ELISA, IFA, and PCR tests can be performed. This test detects the p27 antigen for confirmatory diagnosis. Experts recommend routine vaccination of cats against FeLV.

There is no specific treatment for this virus. Veterinarians use Azidothymidine (AZT) and Feline recombinant interferon, but their use is controversial. If your cat has contracted a virus its management is very important to prevent secondary infection. Experts recommend providing a balanced diet for your cat, deworming it, applying flea treatment, and avoiding raw meat

These are some of the most common cat diseases. Whenever you suspect your cat is showing abnormal behavior and disease symptoms immediately visit your veterinarian. Monitor the signs and don’t go for self-medication. Every pet owner wants their pet immune from disease and takes necessary measures which starts when you are buying or adopting a new pet.