Cat Owner's Manual › Chapter 9: Emergency Care For Your Cat › Hereditary Diseases in Cats ›

Hereditary Diseases in Cats

In some cases, specific purebred cat varieties are prone to genetic maladies. However, this problem is not nearly as pronounced in cats as it is in dogs, which have been intensely selectively bred for thousands of years. The problem exists because pairing cats to highlight desirable traits (say, silky hair or an interesting color scheme) can also accentuate undesirable traits. For example, Himalayans are prone to cataracts; some Persian varieties suffer from polycystic kidney disease; and the Manx can experience severe skeletal deformities.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't acquire a particular model—only that you should be alert to its special needs. Talk to your veterinarian about the strengths and weaknesses of various cat models. Also, remember that in almost all cases, randomly bred felines are completely free of the genetic abnormalities seen in purebreds.

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Chapter 9: Emergency Care For Your Cat

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Somtehing is seriously wrong with Willow. Right after x-mas he started showing signs of painful walking in his back legs. He's still eating and pottiing though he mostly sleeps . He's only 5, though he always has seemed to be unhealthy no matter how many times the doc has seen him. Unfortunately he's very worse and we can't even afford a consultation. I can't have children so I've always called him my kid. Don't know what to do,, was layed off because of economy. You don't give up on your kids right! Does anyone know who might help tell me if he'll be okay or not? I can't watch him suffer like this but if it's a bad hip or something I need to know! I'm trying to find a pro bono vet "if they exist " ThX

purred by josalyn shaw on Jan 18, 2009 AT 5:30 am PST
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I see I am more than a few month's late. Sounds possible that your kitty threw a blood clot which was blocking blood flow to his back legs. What happened since you posted this?

purred by Darlene Handley on Oct 28, 2009 AT 9:50 pm PDT
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Quirk BooksThe Cat Owner's Manual is a basic guide to cat care.
The book was written by a celebrated veterinarian and an acclaimed author. It provides cat owners with well-researched and helpful information presented in a lighthearted manner. The creators chose to write the book in a style similar to what you'd find in "operating instructions" for a car or computer. Of course they--and we--respect the fact that our beloved pets are not products or machines!