Symptoms of Cardiomyopathy in Cats

1 Symptoms of Cardiomyopathy in Cats

1. Possible symptoms of feline cardiomyopathy

Early cardiomyopathy shows no clear signs and is easily missed, so most cats are found only after the disease worsens — by then often late and urgent, with treatment hard. Once you see the signs below, take the cat to the vet at once.

1) Fast, labored breathing, panting, mouth-open breathing, coughing — even when it is not hot and the cat barely moves.

2) Low spirits: the cat seems off, refuses to exercise, and will not even play when you try.

3) No appetite: the cat eats less or stops eating.

4) Sudden hind-leg paralysis: poor blood flow from heart disease can suddenly paralyze the back legs or leave them cold.

5) Blue tongue and gums: heart disease limits blood flow, and these distant areas may turn blue from poor supply.

6) Always-dilated pupils: high blood pressure makes the pupils hard to shrink.

7) Weak pulse, unstable heart sounds: a cat with heart trouble often has unsteady pulse and abnormal heart sounds.

8) Sudden collapse or even sudden death: severe cardiomyopathy can cause sudden fainting or direct cardiac death.

Knowing the signs is not enough — also learn the causes and prevention. As the saying goes, prevention beats treatment, and this disease cannot be cured, so take up your duty as an owner, learn more about cat health, and let your cat stay with you longer. Follow us for more.