9 Dangerous Abyssinian Cats Diseases
Table Of Contents
· Abyssinian Cats Inherited Diseases
· Obesity
· Common Abyssinian Cats Diseases
· Psychogenic Alopecia
· Kidney Amyloidosis
· Gingivitis
· Deficit of Pyruvate Kinase
· Vision Diseases
· Renal Amyloidosis
· Dislocated Kneecap
· Hip Dysplasia
· Hemolytic Anemia
Abyssinian Cats Inherited Diseases
Hereditary diseases found in Abyssinian cats are kidney amyloidosis, dislocation of the patella, progressive retinal atrophy, pyruvate kinase deficiency, blood disease (associated with impaired erythrocyte integrity), hip dysplasia, nasopharyngeal polyps, and spontaneous hyperesthesia syndrome. Kidney amyloidosis may occur in young animals that are not yet one year old. Therefore, once a year, it is necessary to take general and biochemical blood tests which reflect the entire body’s condition, including kidneys.
Often, kittens and adolescents have various skin irritations, which, over time, pass without treatment.
Abyssinians may develop diarrhea against the background of stress and food allergies. In this case, it is necessary to choose the right diet and everything will get better. To find out if a cat is allergic to food, it is recommended to give “Royal Canin Veterinary Diet — Hypoallergenic,” a dry food for cats suffering from food intolerance and allergies, within a month.
Obesity
Obesity is the leading cause contributing to numerous diseases and deaths in cats, and it is an influential factor in developing arthritis and diabetes. Studies show that an overweight cat will reduce their lifespan by about two years. Overeating cats have problems with passing stools.
The more a cat suffers from obesity, the more chances it has to develop diabetes. Liver lipidosis is another potentially fatal disease in overweight animals.
You should regulate the amount of food your cat eats. Instead of filling the bowl to the top, follow the feeding instructions on the food package and be sure to feed your pets high-quality food.
Common Abyssinian Cats Diseases
Abyssinian cats are quite a healthy breed. Unfortunately, as with each breed of cat, there are many diseases they are prone to.
Psychogenic Alopecia
Abyssinian cats are very fond of attention. If you do not give them enough time, cats get depressed. This condition can cause baldness.
Psychogenic alopecia is caused by the hair loss on the back, hips, and anal opening. As soon as the cat’s hair starts to fall out, it will pull from the bald areas. The constant, local irritation of these areas will lead to redness and ulceration. In other words, while suffering from alopecia, the cat will also develop dermatitis.
To prevent this disease, it is important to remember that the Abyssinians should not be left alone for a long time. You should play with these cats and pay attention. Otherwise, your cat will start moping and losing its beautiful hair. Abyssinian cats do not require any extensive amount of attention, just a little attention after work.
This is not a breed that will feel good if the owner leaves it alone for a few days. However, any domestic cat does not feel okay with this attitude.
Kidney Amyloidosis
Amyloidosis is an inherited disease that manifests itself in the deposition of a certain protein in the kidneys’ structure. As a result, the disease leads to renal failure. This disease is also found in other breeds of cats. Still, some generations of Abyssinian cats can transmit amyloidosis by inheritance.
However, this should not be a reason for rejecting this breed. By choosing an Abyssinian is a good cattery (and not by the ads “we have cheap pets!”), you can buy a pet without this serious disease.
Gingivitis
Gingivitis is a fairly common disease among cats. Its primary cause is improper pet nutrition. To prevent this disease from affecting your pet, you should limit the raw food and preservatives in its diet. Cat nutrition should be balanced and based on the food of quality manufacturers. Otherwise, oral hygiene should be maintained as often as possible.
Deficit of Pyruvate Kinase
In the list of Abyssinian cat diseases, pyruvate kinase is rarer. This is a genetic disease of blood inherited by autosomal recessive types.
In practice, this means that an animal can be a carrier of a defective gene without any symptoms of the disease throughout its life. When two such carriers are crossed, their offspring will be affected by the disease.
Pyruvate kinase is a regulatory enzyme responsible for the final stage of glycolysis. Its deficiency makes erythrocytes extremely unstable, which periodically turns into hemolytic anemia. The disease manifests itself through lethargy, loss of appetite, and severe weight loss. The mucous membranes turn pale, sometimes becoming jaundiced. Sometimes, there is slight swelling in the abdomen (due to the spleen).
Abyssinian cats with a mild form of anemia live without detection. When the cat’s body is under severe stress (exposure to infections, some drugs), the disease becomes severe. The cat will need long-term treatment, and in some cases, a blood transfusion or spleen removal surgery is necessary.
Special mention should be made of breeding cats with a deficit of pyruvate kinase: even if the disease has not been known to them previously, pregnancy provokes its sharp aggravation.
Today, many veterinary laboratories can diagnose this disease. To perform the test, the animals take blood or swab from the mouth mucosa. This test can be administered to Abyssinian cats intended for breeding.
Vision Diseases
Another common disease of Abyssinian cats is associated with vision. The authoritative, international resource, International Cat Care, has placed the breed as the highest risk group for such a dangerous disease as progressive retinal atrophy. The disease makes its debut with so-called “chicken blindness,” i.e., vision loss in low light and dark. Over time, light vision also decreases. Sick Abyssinians lose their orientation and bump into walls and interior items.
The sneaky part of the disease is that the symptoms are absolutely painless and increase gradually. In this case, the cat adapts to its condition and compensates itself with other senses’ help. The external welfare deceives the owner and makes him delay a visit to the veterinarian.
In fact, in the eyes of the animal is an invisible pathological process, which is a dystrophic rebirth of fiber. Once the disease reaches the nerve endings, the restoration of vision is impossible.
Retinal atrophy may be caused not only by genes but also by a lack of taurine in the cat’s diet. It is believed that the lack of this amino acid in the body can aggravate the congenital disease. But the exact proof of this dependence has not yet been obtained.
Doctors can fix pathological changes in the retina through ophthalmic examination. The presence of a corresponding mutation, typical for the Abyssinian breed, is determined by DNA testing. It can also be performed on healthy cats, especially if they are expected to produce offspring. If the result is positive, the animal is excluded from the breeding program.
Renal Amyloidosis
Another problem with Abyssinian cats is the propensity for renal amyloidosis. This is a serious metabolic disorder in which organs and tissues accumulate abnormal proteins (amyloid). The result is often renal failure and damage to other internal organs (liver, spleen, pancreas, adrenals, gastrointestinal tract).
This disorder was first discovered in the American breeding line. Soon, it turned out that many of the diseased animals had common ancestors. At a young age, they developed renal failure. Females were ill more often. All cats of the Abyssinian breed have similar symptoms, but renal amyloidosis manifests itself as a loss of appetite, diarrhea and vomiting, decreased bodyweight, and excess fluid accumulation in soft tissues.
Animals with chronic renal failure are usually hospitalized. After a course of treatment, they need a long rehabilitation, which includes a strict diet. Specific prescriptions depend on the severity of renal dysfunction and the degree of damage to other organs.
Dislocated Kneecap
The well-being and health of Abyssinian cats have sometimes overshadowed a problem such as a dislocated kneecap. It is also called patella dislocation. This condition can be caused by both trauma and genetic defect.
A congenital lesion is diagnosed only after four months. The disease progresses slowly, but excess weight and weakness of muscles can accelerate the pathological process. The main symptoms include gait disturbance:
- Incorrect placement of the hind limbs
- Bouncing while walking
- Stiffness in movements
- Periodic limp
In severe cases, the cat moves on three legs or limps constantly. Regardless of the severity of the disease, you need to consult a veterinarian and receive subsequent treatment. Otherwise, there is a high risk of spinal cord injury, which leads to complete immobility of the animal. In the mild course of the disease, the cat will usually be prescribed anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs. But the radical method of treatment is surgical intervention.
Hip Dysplasia
Abyssinian cats are also prone to hip dysplasia. This is an anomaly in which the femoral head and the acetabulum on the pelvic bone do not fit together in shape. As a result, the articulation configuration changes, which affects its mobility and leads to the constant pain. The cat limps, avoids active movement, prefers to sit or lie down, or hardly rises on its feet after sleep.
Hip dysplasia is considered to be genetically caused by an anomaly. Still, the exact gene responsible for its development has not yet been determined. Treatment is carried out in several directions:
- Anti-inflammatory drugs for pain relief and increased joint mobility are prescribed
- A therapeutic diet is selected
- Special means are used to restore the cartilage tissue of the joints
Physiotherapeutic measures are effective in complex treatment; they help to reduce stiffness in movements and maintain muscle tone. In some cases, only surgery can help.
With timely treatment, most Abyssinian cats with this disease can return to a normal life. The heredity of the feature is estimated at 20–60%. A sick animal will be removed from the branding program.
Hemolytic Anemia
Animals from quality catteries cannot be carriers of this disease because producers necessarily pass the test for PK-def. This test is a definition of pyruvate kinase and its deficit. This enzyme is necessary for the normal functioning of blood cells. Otherwise, the cat develops anemia.
In other words, buy your Abyssinian kitten in a reliable cattery.
Besides the PK-def test, any representative of Abyssinian cats (usually before knitting) will be tested for FeLV/FIV and PRA. The FeLV/FIV test is a combined test that aims to detect the cat’s immunodeficiency virus and the virus causing leukemia. Both of these diseases cause serious health conditions that lead to the death of your pet quite quickly.
The PRA test is a test for the absence of retinal atrophy. Atrophy first manifests itself in the deterioration of twilight vision, leading to complete blindness of the pet.
All breeds of cats are susceptible to certain diseases. Some breeders prefer to keep silent or fantasize about “unique health.”
If you follow simple rules and show your pet to the vet regularly, he will have a long and happy life.
