Heart Disease in Cat

[IcelandicWarriors]

My kitty is 8 and is a big fluffy boy who was active and quick as lightening until he went to the vet's for his vaccinations.

The vet picked up a heart murmur so we went to a cardiologist and he has advanced HCM with heart failure and we didn't even know. She said she doesn't think he will have long. He didn't seem Ill.

He has been on meds for two weeks and since then he seems different. Older, sleeping all the time and he just seems different. I can smell him too. I couldn't before.

Anyone else had an unexpected diagnosis?

Hi @IcelandicWarriors only just seen this thread but my cat was diagnosed with HCM and heart failure in mid 2015. He’s still with us now and enjoys a happy life.

He needed frequent vet visits and titration of his medication at the beginning, but has been stable since. He’s on Frusemide, Clopidogrel and Atenolol now.

This is unusual but his heart has actually improved significantly, it was very malformed at the point of diagnosis and prognosis was poor. That being said every day is treated as a bonus.

The blood clot risk is scary, and have you been warned he may pass away suddenly? Sorry, don’t know how to put that in a less upsetting way. It’s just that when I can’t find my cat in the house, I take a deep breath and mentally prepare that I may find him like that. Hoping that being prepared will make it slightly less shocking if it does happen.

Is your boy managing to keep his weight on now? Monitoring his weight regularly is helpful as generally they’ll eat less when they’re struggling with their breathing. Also good to count his respiratory rate when he is resting/ fast asleep.

Hope he’s around for you to enjoy for a while longer yet. Best of luck.

MsMims. Thanks for posting, it's very reassuring , my girl is on the same drugs and there has been a small improvement in her heart function. She's definitely better in herself!

That’s ok Toddler
I remember when my boy was diagnosed and how bleak it seemed so glad to share there is some hope. So pleased your girl has had a small improvement too, it’s a horrible disease, especially the way it sneaks up on fairly young cats with hardly any warning.

My boy came to us with a murmur. One year after his booster he became ill and the vet said he had 'months'.

He had furosemide and Fortekor, went to a cardiologist in case there were underlying problems but there weren't. Resigned to losing him, he went on for another 5 years which might have been longer but we moved and changed vets and they weren't very good with him. There was a fluid build up at the end and his kidneys failed.

When he stopped playing I knew the time was coming, then he stopped eating, refusing treats was the final indicator.

Alfie has vomitted again. Third time in a week or so when he never use to but I wonder whether it is the switch in food to get the medicine in him?

What tablet giver thing do people use?

Yes I am worried about him not coming home one day.

I don't have experience on the heart disease front, Vinocat had a very slight heart murmur but it was quite a low issue for her.
It might be worth making some fliers with some photos of your boy with contact details so your neighbours know where he lives. All just in case. Cats are tough cookies.

One of these.

Mine began vomiting when he was on the meds and it turned out to be furballs which he never had before he was ill, something to do with the heart enlarging and making less space for them to pass through, he used bring up some big ones.

It might be the meds though.