Content
- Inbreeding in Ragdoll Cats
- obese radgoll cat
- Feline Urinary Tract Problems
- Hairballs and Digestive Problems in Ragdoll Cats
- feline polycystic kidney disease
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in Ragdoll cats
- Visit the Veterinarian
You ragdoll cats they belong to a breed of giant cats that originated in the United States, from various crosses between other breeds, such as the Persian, the Siamese and the sacred of Burma. In recent decades, these cats have become very popular as pets for their remarkable beauty and temperate demeanor. are cats loyal and affectionate who establish a very special bond with their guardians and who need company to lead a healthy and happy life.
Generally speaking, Ragdoll cats are in very good health and have a longevity of about 10 years. However, they need to receive proper preventive medicine and essential care to preserve their good health and maintain balanced behavior.
In PeritoAnimal you will find information about the basic care of Ragdoll, but on this occasion we invite you to know the Ragdoll cat diseases, so that you can offer a great quality of life to your feline companion. Keep reading!
Inbreeding in Ragdoll Cats
THE inbreeding can be defined as the mating between individuals genetically related (between siblings, between parents and children or between grandchildren and grandparents, for example). These crosses can occur spontaneously in nature, such as between mountain gorillas, bees and cheetahs, or they can be induced by humans. Unfortunately, inbreeding has been used as a resource during the creation process and/or race standardization in domestic animals, especially in dogs and cats.
In Ragdoll cats, inbreeding is a serious problem, as around 45% of your genes come from a single founder, the Raggedy Ann Daddy Warbucks. Individuals born from inbred crosses have low genetic variety, which makes them more likely to suffer a series of hereditary diseases and degenerative, also reducing their life expectancy.
Additionally, these individuals may have a reduced success rate when they reproduce. Inbred crosses generally generate smaller litters and the offspring generally have a weaker immune system, which increases the mortality rate and reduces their chances of survival to continue their species.
obese radgoll cat
Ragdoll cats are especially gentle and enjoy a quiet lifestyle, they aren't exactly fans of an intense physical activity routine. However, the sedentary lifestyle is very detrimental to the health of these cats as they can gain weight easily and show some symptoms of obesity in cats. Therefore, their tutors should not only offer a balanced diet, but also encourage them to practice exercise, games and stimulating activities on a regular basis.
Environmental enrichment is essential to provide an environment that arouses your cat's curiosity and "invites" it to play, exercise and waste energy. In addition, an enriched house is ideal for stimulating your kitten's cognitive, emotional and social skills, thus avoiding the symptoms of stress and boredom.
At PeritoAnimal we also teach you some exercises for obese cats, which will help you manage a healthy weight for your feline companion. Don't miss it!
Feline Urinary Tract Problems
You urinary tract problems stand out as the most common Ragdoll cat illnesses, which can affect the ureters, urethra, bladder and even spread to the kidneys. Among the most frequent urinary disorders in cats, we find the following pathologies:
- Urinary infection;
- Cystitis in cats;
- Feline Urologic Syndrome (SUF).
Each of these diseases has its own symptoms, which also depend on the cat's health status and the progress of the clinical condition. However, there are some signs that may indicate a condition in the cat's urinary tract, such as:
- Constant urge to urinate, but with difficulty in expelling urine;
- Licking the genital area intensely or constantly;
- Pain when urinating;
- Make the effort to urinate;
- Presence of blood in urine;
- Urinary incontinence (the cat may begin to urinate outside the litter box and even in totally unusual places, such as your rest area or bathroom).
Hairballs and Digestive Problems in Ragdoll Cats
Like most long- and semi-long-haired cats, Ragdolls can suffer digestive problems from the accumulation of hairballs in their stomach and intestinal tract. Due to their daily cleaning habits, felines tend to ingest fur when licking themselves to sanitize their own bodies.
If the cat is able to effectively expel its fur, it should not experience any change in its good health. However, when the kitten fails to purge properly, the following symptoms may appear:
- General decay;
- Apathy;
- Frequent arcades;
- Regurgitations;
- Vomiting of liquid and food.
To prevent hairballs from forming in your kitten's digestive tract, it is essential brush regularly your coat to remove hair and dirt. To help maintain the beauty and health of your Ragdoll's coat, we offer some tips for brushing a cat's hair, and we'll also show you how to choose the ideal brush for a longhaired cat.
In addition, cat malt can be a safe and effective way to help your kitten purge the ingested hairs in her daily grooming. In addition, it works as an excellent sensory stimulus for cats, allowing them to exercise physical and cognitive abilities.
feline polycystic kidney disease
Polycystic kidney (or polycystic kidney disease) is a hereditary pathology most commonly diagnosed in short-haired Persian and exotic cats, but can also affect Ragdolls.
In this clinical picture, the cat's kidneys produce cysts that are fluid-filled from birth. As the cat grows, these cysts increase in size and can cause severe damage to the kidneys, and even lead to kidney failure.
Some of polycystic kidney symptoms feline can be:
- loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Weakness
- general decay
- depression/lethargy
- High water consumption
- frequent urination
THE castration or sterilization of cats suffering from this disease are crucial preventive measures to prevent the transmission of this disease and overcrowding, which in most cases ends up in shelters or on the street itself.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in Ragdoll cats
Feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the most common cardiac pathology in domestic felines and is also among the main Ragdoll cat diseases. It is characterized by the thickening of the myocardial mass of the left ventricle, which causes a reduction in the volume of the cardiac chamber.
As a result, the cat's heart becomes unable to pump blood correctly to the other tissues and organs of the body. Then, complications related to poor circulation can appear, such as thromboembolism (the formation of clots in different parts of the body that impair organ functions).
Although it can affect all cats, it is more common in felines. old age males. Its symptoms depend on the health status of each cat and the progress of the disease, with some asymptomatic cases as well. However, the most characteristic symptoms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats are as follows:
- Apathy;
- Dyspneic breathing;
- Vomiting;
- Difficulty breathing;
- Loss of appetite;
- Weight loss;
- Depression and lethargy;
- Sagging in hind limbs;
- Sudden death.
Visit the Veterinarian
Now you know what the most common diseases of Ragdoll cats are, so don't forget the importance of preventing them through veterinary visits every 6 or 12 months, following the schedule of cat vaccinations and periodic deworming. Furthermore, in the face of any symptoms mentioned above or changes in your behavior and routine, do not hesitate to consult your veterinarian, the only figure capable of guaranteeing your cat's good health.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.