Cats | 15 Common Diseases (Cause → Signs → Examination → Treatment Direction → Prevention) | Evidence chain

FAQ

What are feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) / feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) / urethral obstruction, and what should send you to a veterinarian immediately?

Stress, obesity, dry food with low water content, crystals / stones, and the narrow urethra of male cats. Signs are frequent trips to the litter box, small volumes or nothing passed, blood in the urine, licking the genitals, vocalising, urinating outside the box; once obstructed: no urine at all, abdominal pain, vomiting, collapse, low body temperature. The direction of management is that obstruction = an immediate emergency: analgesia and sedation, urinary catheterisation to relieve pressure, fluids and correction of hyperkalaemic arrhythmia, hospitalised monitoring; non-obstructive FIC is managed mainly by environmental modification plus wet food plus analgesia; repeated severe obstruction may require urethral surgery. This row belongs to the category in the original section that needs prompt attention; the actual judgement still rests with a veterinarian on a case-by-case basis, and this article gives no drug names or dosages.

下部尿路疾患（FLUTD）／猫特発性膀胱炎（FIC）／尿道閉塞（urethral obstruction）とは何ですか。何が見えたらすぐ獣医師を呼ぶべきですか。 — ストレス、肥満、水分の少ないドライフード、結晶／結石、雄猫の細い尿道が原因です。頻繁にトイレに行く、量が少ないか出ない、血尿、陰部をなめる、鳴く、トイレ以外での排尿が現れます；閉塞後は、まったく尿が出ない、腹部の痛み、嘔吐、ぐったりする、低体温が現れます。対処の方向性は、閉塞＝ただちに緊急であり、鎮痛・鎮静、カテーテルによる減圧、輸液と高カリウム血症による不整脈の是正、入院下でのモニタリングです；非閉塞性の FIC は環境改善＋ウェットフード＋鎮痛が中心で、重度の閉塞を繰り返す場合は尿道手術が必要になることがあります。この行は元の章で速やかな対応が必要な類型に属します。実際の判断は獣医師が個別の症例に応じて行う必要があり、本記事は薬剤名と用量を記載しません。

What are feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) / feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) / urethral obstruction, and what should send you to a veterinarian immediately? — Stress, obesity, dry food with low water content, crystals / stones, and the narrow urethra of male cats. Signs are frequent trips to the litter box, small volumes or nothing passed, blood in the urine, licking the genitals, vocalising, urinating outside the box; once obstructed: no urine at all, abdominal pain, vomiting, collapse, low body temperature. The direction of management is that obstruction = an immediate emergency: analgesia and sedation, urinary catheterisation to relieve pressure, fluids and correction of hyperkalaemic arrhythmia, hospitalised monitoring; non-obstructive FIC is managed mainly by environmental modification plus wet food plus analgesia; repeated severe obstruction may require urethral surgery. This row belongs to the category in the original section that needs prompt attention; the actual judgement still rests with a veterinarian on a case-by-case basis, and this article gives no drug names or dosages.

What is diabetes mellitus, and what should send you to a veterinarian immediately?

Obesity, genetic predisposition (such as the Burmese), other endocrine disease, and insulin resistance. Signs are increased drinking and urination, eating more yet losing weight, hind limb weakness (plantigrade stance), dullness; progression to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) = an emergency. The direction of management is the insulin class (prescribed and adjusted by a veterinarian only, with home blood glucose / continuous glucose monitoring), applicability of newer oral glucose-lowering options: the official FDA Freedom of Information Summary confirms that the first oral non-insulin glycaemic management drug for cats was approved on 2022-12-08 — "Bexacat™ (bexagliflozin tablets)...is indicated to improve glycemic control in otherwise healthy cats with diabetes mellitus not previously treated with insulin" (NADA 141-566) <https://animaldrugsatfda.fda.gov/adafda/app/search/public/document/downloadFoi/13222>, verified 2026-07-30 (under the drug rule this article lists no dosages or dosing intervals; case selection and whether to use it must be judged by a veterinarian; the drug carries a safety warning of an increased risk of ketoacidosis in cats already on insulin and is not a universal substitute), low-carbohydrate high-protein diet, weight loss; cats have a chance of entering remission. This row belongs to the category in the original section that needs prompt attention; the actual judgement still rests with a veterinarian on a case-by-case basis, and this article gives no drug names or dosages.

糖尿病（diabetes mellitus）とは何ですか。何が見えたらすぐ獣医師を呼ぶべきですか。 — 肥満、遺伝的素因（バーミーズなど）、他の内分泌疾患、インスリン抵抗性が原因です。多飲多尿、よく食べるのに痩せる、後肢の脱力（蹠行姿勢）、元気がないという症状が現れ、悪化すると糖尿病性ケトアシドーシス（DKA）＝緊急となります。対処の方向性はインスリンの分類（獣医師による処方と調整のみ、家庭での血糖／持続グルコースモニタリング）、経口血糖降下薬という新しい選択肢の適用可否：FDA 公式の Freedom of Information Summary により、猫用として初の経口非インスリン血糖管理薬が 2022-12-08 に承認されたことが確認されています——「Bexacat™ (bexagliflozin tablets)...is indicated to improve glycemic control in otherwise healthy cats with diabetes mellitus not previously treated with insulin」（NADA 141-566）<https://animaldrugsatfda.fda.gov/adafda/app/search/public/document/downloadFoi/13222>、確認 2026-07-30（本記事は薬物に関する原則に従い用量と投与間隔を記載しません；適用となる症例の選択と使用の可否は獣医師が判断します；本剤はすでにインスリンを使用している猫でケトアシドーシスを悪化させる安全性の警告があり、万能の代替ではありません）、低炭水化物・高タンパクの食事、減量です；猫は寛解（remission）に入る可能性があります。この行は元の章で速やかな対応が必要な類型に属します。実際の判断は獣医師が個別の症例に応じて行う必要があり、本記事は薬剤名と用量を記載しません。

What is diabetes mellitus, and what should send you to a veterinarian immediately? — Obesity, genetic predisposition (such as the Burmese), other endocrine disease, and insulin resistance. Signs are increased drinking and urination, eating more yet losing weight, hind limb weakness (plantigrade stance), dullness; progression to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) = an emergency. The direction of management is the insulin class (prescribed and adjusted by a veterinarian only, with home blood glucose / continuous glucose monitoring), applicability of newer oral glucose-lowering options: the official FDA Freedom of Information Summary confirms that the first oral non-insulin glycaemic management drug for cats was approved on 2022-12-08 — "Bexacat™ (bexagliflozin tablets)...is indicated to improve glycemic control in otherwise healthy cats with diabetes mellitus not previously treated with insulin" (NADA 141-566) <https://animaldrugsatfda.fda.gov/adafda/app/search/public/document/downloadFoi/13222>, verified 2026-07-30 (under the drug rule this article lists no dosages or dosing intervals; case selection and whether to use it must be judged by a veterinarian; the drug carries a safety warning of an increased risk of ketoacidosis in cats already on insulin and is not a universal substitute), low-carbohydrate high-protein diet, weight loss; cats have a chance of entering remission. This row belongs to the category in the original section that needs prompt attention; the actual judgement still rests with a veterinarian on a case-by-case basis, and this article gives no drug names or dosages.

What is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) ± arterial thromboembolism (ATE) / congestive heart failure, and what should send you to a veterinarian immediately?

Genetic (Maine Coon, Ragdoll, British Shorthair, Sphynx and others). Signs are that it may be completely asymptomatic for a long time; when it presents: sudden rapid breathing, open-mouth breathing, sudden hind limb paralysis with severe pain and coldness (ATE), sudden death; cats usually do not cough. The direction of management is heart failure emergency care (oxygen, thoracocentesis, diuretic classes), antithrombotic drug classes, drug classes to control heart rate and filling; home SRR monitoring for follow-up. This row belongs to the category in the original section that needs prompt attention; the actual judgement still rests with a veterinarian on a case-by-case basis, and this article gives no drug names or dosages.

肥大型心筋症（HCM）±大動脈血栓塞栓症（arterial thromboembolism, ATE）／うっ血性心不全とは何ですか。何が見えたらすぐ獣医師を呼ぶべきですか。 — 遺伝（メインクーン、ラグドール、ブリティッシュショートヘア、スフィンクスなど）が原因です。長期間まったく無症状のことがあり、発症時には突然の呼吸促迫、開口呼吸、後肢の突然の麻痺と激しい痛み・冷感（ATE）、突然死が現れます；猫は通常咳をしません。対処の方向性は心不全の救急対応（酸素、胸水の抜去、利尿薬の分類）、抗血栓薬の分類、心拍数と充満を管理する薬の分類であり、家庭での SRR モニタリングによる経過観察を行います。この行は元の章で速やかな対応が必要な類型に属します。実際の判断は獣医師が個別の症例に応じて行う必要があり、本記事は薬剤名と用量を記載しません。

What is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) ± arterial thromboembolism (ATE) / congestive heart failure, and what should send you to a veterinarian immediately? — Genetic (Maine Coon, Ragdoll, British Shorthair, Sphynx and others). Signs are that it may be completely asymptomatic for a long time; when it presents: sudden rapid breathing, open-mouth breathing, sudden hind limb paralysis with severe pain and coldness (ATE), sudden death; cats usually do not cough. The direction of management is heart failure emergency care (oxygen, thoracocentesis, diuretic classes), antithrombotic drug classes, drug classes to control heart rate and filling; home SRR monitoring for follow-up. This row belongs to the category in the original section that needs prompt attention; the actual judgement still rests with a veterinarian on a case-by-case basis, and this article gives no drug names or dosages.