Cats, along with dogs, are the most common pets that can be found in most homes. Their life expectancy is little more than that of dogs, between 12 and 14 years of life, depending on the breed and their care.

However, like all domestic animals, their health can be affected for different reasons, such as diseases caused by bacteria, or those that appear with age. In cats it is common for them to have particular conditions typical of this species. Different studies compile the diseases and causes of death that most occur in cats.

Also called Panleukopenia, it is a serious illness caused by parvovirus. It is spread through “direct contact between sick cats and susceptible cats, contaminating material in food, bedding, carriers or clothing,” according to a report by feline health outlet Mirringo.

The main symptoms of this pathology are vomiting, fever, bloody diarrhea and dehydration; This often causes it to be confused with an infection, so it is important to take the cat to a veterinarian if it shows these signs.

Feline immunodeficiency virus

The development and symptoms of this lentivirus are very similar to those of HIV in humans, since it can remain in the feline’s body for life and leaves it without defenses to fight other viruses or infections. It is transmitted by the bite of an infected cat and there is currently no vaccine to prevent it.

This virus also resembles a retrovirus that causes leukemia in cats, whose symptoms are very similar. It is a cancer that attacks lymphocytes, according to a study by the Association of Spanish Veterinarians Specialists in Small Animals, which work on the animal’s immune system. When transmitted through fluids, the main way to prevent it is to keep the cat’s litter box dry, since it does not survive in non-humid environments for more than a couple of hours.

Rabia

Unlike the aforementioned pathologies, the main problem that lies in rabies is the ability to jump from one species to another. That is, if an infected bat bit a cat, it could transmit it to them despite being completely different animals. It is possible to prevent it with a vaccine, but without it it can be fatal. Its symptoms are: paralysis, loss of reflexes, irritability and seizures.