Cat Immune System Disorders

The function of the immune system is to guard against pathogens such as bacteria and viruses by sending out fighter cells to attack them.

Cat immune system disorders.

The damage done and resulting symptoms depend on which tissue is targeted. Congenital weak immune system in cats. Systemic autoimmune disease sad also known as systemic lupus erythematosus sle affects the cat s immune system such that it attacks its own cells. An autoimmune disease is a condition in which the cat s immune system attacks healthy cells.

This happens as a result of an imbalanced immune system. Systemic lupus erythematosus sle in cats autoimmune diseases are the result of an immune system that has become hyper defensive attacking the cells tissues and organs of its own body as if they are diseases that need to be destroyed. Disorders resulting from an underactive immune system called immunodeficiencies put animals at an increased risk for infections. Alternatively an overactive immune system can attack parts of its own body that it misidentifies as foreign causing what is known as an autoimmune disorder.

Symptoms of autoimmune diseases in felines will vary depending upon the organ or system that has been affected. Autoimmune disease in cats is one where antibodies or white blood cells are created and work against the body. Autoimmune disorders can affect all parts of the body including the skin and organs. Autoimmune diseases occur in both cats and dogs producing relatively similar symptoms.

Cats who are infected with feline immunodeficiency virus fiv may not show symptoms until years after the initial infection occurred. The symptoms depend on which organs the disorder affects. A weak immune system can either be a congenital disorder that the cat was born with or the immune system can become weakened due to conditions that are known to attack the infection fighting white blood cells phagocytes. Basically the cat s immune system attacks itself.

An autoimmune disease is one where antibodies or lymphocytes white blood cells are created which work against the body. This doesn t happen over night. And who is in control of our kitties immune system health. For example if red blood cells are attacked the cat becomes weak due to anemia from lack of blood cells.

Although the virus is slow acting a cat s immune system is. In certain cases multiple organs and body systems are affected. General signs of ill health such as fever fatigue muscle weakness diarrhea and vomiting can occur.