In its most basic sense, heart disease is any condition which causes
the heart to function abnormally. In most cases, the effects of heart
disease interfere with the heart’s normal rhythm and ability to pump
blood properly. Fortunately treatment for heart disease in cats has
come a long way, and many cats live for years after they have been
diagnosed with heart disease.
Heart disease in cats can be prevented through yearly veterinarian
exams and feeding cats the right diet. In cases where the heart disease
is caused by inherited genetic conditions or a physical deformity in
the heart, early diagnosis can help to extend the health of the heart
and the cat’s longevity.
There are three basic types of heart disease in cats, and they are
classified as different types of cardiomyopathy. However in some cases
a cat may have a condition which has characteristics of more than one
type of heart disease.
Treating heart disease in cats includes using medications that will
address the form of heart disease which is occurring, and addressing
symptoms that are making the cat uncomfortable. In some cases, treating
an underlying medical condition may control or eliminate heart disease
in cats.