Chronic gingivo-stomatitis

Feline chronic gingivo-stomatitis is an inflammatory condition affecting the mouth. It has also been called plasma cell stomatitis-pharangitis, chronic gingivitis/stomatitis, lymphocytic plasmacytic gingivitis stomatitis and chronic stomatitis. It causes inflammation of the mouth and gums and can result in pain on eating, dysphagia (difficulty on eating), weight loss, halitosis (foul smelling breath), ptyalism (excessive salivation), pawing at the mouth, and reduced grooming. The cause remains unclear, and may relate to a number of different factors including various infectious agents (eg, feline calicivirus, feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukaemia virus), dental disease, dietary hypersensitivity, genetic and breed factors. Siamese, Abyssinian, Persian, Himalayan and Burmese breeds have all been cited in the literature as being predisposed.

Diehl K, Rosychuk RA. (1993) Feline gingivitis-stomatitis-pharyngitis. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 23(1):139-53.
Frost P, Williams CA. (1986) Feline dental disease. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 16(5):851-73.
Healey KA, Dawson S, Burrow R, Cripps P, Gaskell CJ, Hart CA, Pinchbeck GL, Radford AD, Gaskell RM. (2007) Prevalence of feline chronic gingivo-stomatitis in first opinion veterinary practice. J Feline Med Surg 9(5):373-81.

Atresia ani (lack of an anus)

Can occur in any breed or non-pedigree and may have an underlying genetic cause.

Suess, R.P., Martin, R.A., Moon, M.L., Dallman, M.J. (1992): Rectovaginal Fistula with Atresia Ani in 3 Kittens, Cornell Veterinarian 82:141-153
Bredal, W.P., Thoresen, S.I., Kvellestad, A. (1994): Atresia coli in a nine-week-old kitten, Journal of Small Animal Practice 35:643-645
Information to follow

Cleft palate

Failure of palate to close. This is seen as a fissure in the roof of the cat’s mouth. It is seen in any breed and non-pedigree cat. It can be caused by exposure of pregnant mothers to certain drugs e.g. griseofulvin (previously used to treat ‘ringworm’ infection) or corticosteroids (used to treat many allergic and inflammatory conditions). Anecdotally some lines of siamese cats appear to be over-represented. Affected cats should not be bred from.

Hoskins JD (1995) Congenital defects of cats. Compendium of Small Animal Practice 17(3): 385-405
Loevy, H.T (1974) Cytogenetic analysis of Siamese cats with cleft palate, Journal of Dental Research 53:453-456

Lymphocytic cholangiohepatitis

Information to follow

Congenital liver (portosystemic) shunt

It has been reported that Colour Point Persian and Birman cats are predisposed to a vascular anomaly by which the blood from the intestines by passes the liver, a so called portosystemic shunt. However, portosystemic shunts have been seen in many breeds of cats, and most cases are diagnosed in young animals, with the severity of clinical signs being highly variable. Cats with portosystemic shunts frequently show neurological signs (due to hepatic encephalopathy) including bizarre behaviour, ‘star gazing’, head pressing, seizures and intermittent blindness. These signs are usually present in cats by 6 months of age. Affected animals will often have a small stature and may hypersalivate. Some cats will also have signs of gastrointestinal disturbances.

Hunt GB. (2004) Aust Vet J. 82(12):746-9. Effect of breed on anatomy of portosystemic shunts resulting from congenital diseases in dogs and cats: a review of 242 cases.
Tillson, D.M., Winkler, J.T. Diagnosis and treatment of portosystemic shunts in the cat, Veterinary Clinics of North America - Small Animal Practice 32:881-+, 2002.
Schunk, C.M. Feline portosystemic shunts, Seminars in Veterinary Medicine & Surgery (Small Animal) 12:45-50, 1997.

Food hypersensitivity

Potential to occur in any breed or non-pedigree cat but some lines of some breeds seem to be predisposed. Affected cats show vomiting and/or diarrhoea.