Heart Disease in Cats, can be hard to detect, but if you are a cat owner, you know your cat better than anyone!

Most veterinarians divide cardiomyopathy in cats into three types:

 1.  Dilated Cardiomyopathy, the walls of the pet's heart balloon out, causing an enlarged, rounded, thin-walled weakened heart.

  2. Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, the heart retains it classic shape but the walls of the heart thicken, reducing this muscle’s ability to pump blood.

  3. Restrictive Cardiomyopathy. In this form, scarring of the heart muscles prevent normal pumping action. The signs of all three forms in cats are similar and are ultimately due to a lack of oxygen supply to cells throughout the pet's body.

Causes of Cardiomyopathy in your cat!

Cardiomyopathy was a relatively common disease in cats fed generic cat foods or dog food. These foods were sometimes deficient in an essential amino acid for cats, taurine. A deficiency in this amino acid was discovered to be the cause of heart failure.  As well as in humans and dogs Taurine is very vital in the chain of amino acid for proper heart function.    

Another known association with cardiomyopathy in cats is hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is quite common in older cats and becoming more so, as they age.  In this disease, the pet’s metabolic rate increases due to over-secretion of the thyroid hormone,thyroxine. The number of cases hyperthyroidism in cats has increased significantly in the last 25 years. 

When a cat's thyroid is overactive, the pet's blood pressure and the workload on its heart muscle increase. This in turn will cause cardiac enlargement or heart muscle thickening.

Some suspect that prior viral infections, genetics or the lack of antioxidants may predispose the pet to heart failure.

Cardiomyopathy seems to be an inherited disease in Maine Coon and American Shorthair cats. It appears to also be more common in Persians cats than ordinary domestic shorthair cats. More male than female cats develop the disease.

What Symptoms Might I See In My Cat ?

Although dogs and humans often develop a moist cough when the heart looses its efficiency, cats rarely cough with this disease. Instead, they are often brought to veterinarians due to listlessness, rapid labored respiration, poor appetite and loss of body condition. At first glance these cats may look plump. But they are bony over their back and loins and what appears to be a plump tummy is actually an enlarged liver with fluid accumulation in the abdomen These signs signify that the disease is already quite advanced.

The sluggish flow of blood through damaged hearts commonly results in another serious problem, the formation of blood clots blocking major arteries.  If touched the femoral pulse within the rear legs is weak or absent and the limbs are cold to the touch. Although the clots usually dissolve slowly and limb function returns the underlying heart problem remains.

 Hypertrophic form of cardiomyopathy often results in increased blood pressure or hypertension  Smaller blood vessels may burst under increased pressure particularly vessels within the retina of the eye. This can lead to retinal detachment and sudden blindness. To reduce the blood pressure as in humans and dogs anti-hypertensive drugs will be used. A number of agents called calcium channel blockers are available for treatment of hypertension and cardiac failure although many of these are not specifically licensed for cats. Examples of two drugs commonly used are benazepril (Fortekor®, Lotensin) and amlodipine ( Istin®, NORVASC).

How Do Veterinarians Diagnose Cardiomyopathy 

 A combination of signs discussed can lead us to suspect cardiomyopathy in your cat. Cats suffering from this disease are usually over the age of five. A firm diagnosis requires at

a minimum a chest X-ray, echocardiography or ultrasound image of the heart. An EKG (electrocardiogram) can also be diagnostic. An elevated free T-4 level will diagnose the presence of hyperthyroidism - a common finding in older cats with heart problems.

What Treatments Are Available For My Cat 

Treatment is first directed at correcting any underlying cause that may be responsible for the disease. Hyperthyroid cats need to have their thyroid condition alleviated with medication.  

Where no underlying cause is found, treatment for your cat maybe a class of medications called ACE inhibitors these improve cardiac function and diuretics will be used as in humans and dogs to remove pooled fluids Recommended of course low salt diets will always be helpful. 

Always consult with your vet, when noticing the above symptoms.  Heart Disease develops rapidly in cats, and unfortunately cats do not have the survival rate as dogs or humans.

Be mindful of your cat's behavior and when in doubt, consult your veterinarian. 
reference:: petmd.com
2ndchance.info/heart