Inkie was probably my most favorite cat. I love all cats, but he was my “soul” cat.
He was this handsome, beautiful, black boy. His life began outdoors as a feral in our community.
I remember, one time he was scared up a tree by our neighbor’s dog, and I called the fire department to get him down. They could not get to him, so he was alone, cold, in the dark, up high in a tree over night, I could not sleep well, I was scared an owl or something would get him.
That coming morning, I got up extra early, went out there and tried to get him to come down. After about 10 minutes, he finally tried, but he fell about 20′ to the ground, and took off!
I had to go to work, and was worried all day, but I looked for him first thing when I got home. I called his name, and he came running. I checked him over to make sure he didn’t have any broken bones, he seemed to be okay.
He continued to live outdoors with his sister Blinkie, but I just knew I couldn’t live without him, so I had to convince my husband to let him in. (He’s allergic, and we already had 2 other cats inside) If we brought him in, his sister would have to come too.
Around the same time, we noticed Blinkie was having some issues with breathing, we kept her separated from the other cats, just in case, and we took her to the vet.
They said she was in respiratory failure, I continued to medicate her, but sadly, she ended up passing away, at not even a year old.
We figured it was just maybe something she ate, (rodent, bird, snake), or something passed down in her genes. We buried her in our back yard so she could rest in peace from the land she knew and loved.
With Inkie in the house now, with the other cats, he adjusted well. He was always a snuggle bug, even before he came in. He never left my side. He really was the best cat ever, loved his Momma. He never got into anything, had any accidents, or misbehaved in any way, really laid back, peaceful dude. All he ever did was love.
I noticed he had some nasal congestion in the end of February 2020, which got increasingly worse, so I took him to the vet.
They gave him antibiotics, and he was feeling much better. However, they did not give me enough to fulfill his dosages, so, they asked me to bring him in for a follow-up, and to get more antibiotics.
On the day of his appointment, we got ready, in the carrier, and began to travel. What would happen on the way would mark truly one of the worst horrific experiences I have ever witnessed.
He was crying in the carrier, as they do, I tried to get him to calm down, he wouldn’t. We were almost there, when his breathing became rapid and irregular, he began to thrash around inside of the carrier violently, as I was trying to pull over, I heard him thump into the back of the carrier. I knew, right then, I knew, his heart had failed. I was devastated.
I was literally two minutes away from the veterinarian’s, so I just kept going, got there and they tried to revive him, but they could not. He was only 2 years old! I was so heartbroken, and sick for weeks following this tragic event.
During my grieving, I decided to dedicate the month of March to Inkie. I found a nonprofit organization that does research for Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, (HCM). This is the organization of choice for the month of March, each year to honor Inkie.
We will donate 10% of our proceeds from eligible purchases to Winn Feline Foundation, 20% for any black clothing items, “Inkie Style”.
No one should ever have to experience that type of pain, not the cats, nor their pet parents who adore them.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the number one cause of sudden death in cats. HCM is common in cats, especially from around 2 years to 8 or 10 years of age. Life-threatening complications are often heart failure or aortic thromboembolism. There are no known consistently effective treatments or means to prevent the condition.
How A Cat’s Heart Works
A cat’s heart has four chambers. The two upper chambers are called the atrium (plural atria), and the lower chambers are called the ventricles. Additionally, the heart has a right and left side, each containing one atrium and one ventricle. A cat’s heart works as follows:
Veins carry exhausted blood from the body to the right atrium
Blood is stored in the right atrium momentarily until being pumped into the right ventricle
The right ventricle pumps the blood into the lungs, where it is infused with fresh oxygen
The blood then flows from the lungs back into the heart via the left ventricle
The largest muscle of the heart, which is located in the left ventricle, pumps the freshly oxygenated blood to all other organs and body parts
Once the blood is circulated and exhausted, veins carry it back toward the heart via the right atrium to begin the process again
Although general veterinary practitioners can diagnose and treat many conditions, treating heart problems in cats requires specialized training in veterinary cardiology.
What Is Cardiomyopathy?
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), which literally means disease of the heart muscle, is a cardiac condition that causes a thickening and/or stretching of the heart’s walls. The two main forms of cardiomyopathy are Dilated and Restrictive.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) causes the heart muscle to weaken, which results in the heart becoming enlarged and contracting (or moving blood) weakly
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy (RCM) and are identified but lesser understood than DCM, including having no known causes or treatments presently available
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is usually diagnosed once a veterinarian rules out secondary causes of thickening, including:
Hyperthyroidism
Systemic hypertension
Aortic stenosis
Although there are many types of potential heart problems in cats, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is by far the most common heart condition to affect the feline population.
What Causes Heart Disease In Cats?
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), heart disease in cats affects 1 of every 10 cats worldwide. Heart disease is a condition in which an abnormality of the heart is present. Heart disease in cats is a medical precursor to congestive heart failure in cats, because heart disease can lead to congestive heart failure in cats if untreated.
Heart disease in cats can be either congenital or acquired:
Congenital heart disease in cats is present at birth, and can be inherited from the parents
Acquired, or adult onset heart disease in cats often occurs in middle-aged to older animals due to wear and tear on the heart structures, but can also result from an injury or infection
While cardiomyopathy is the most common form of acquired, adult onset heart problems in cats, the two most common types of congenital heart disease in cats are:
Malformations of a heat valve
Defects in the wall that divides the right and left halves of the heart
Both types of congenital heart disease cause blood to flow abnormally through the defect. The disturbance in the blood flow causes abnormal vibration or a heart murmur in cats. There are also various stages of heart disease and congestive heart failure in cats that veterinarians use to determine severity:
Asymptomatic: Heart disease in cats is detected, but there is a lack of any outward signs. Additionally, a heart murmur in cats or arrhythmia may also be present.
Mild to moderate heart failure: Significant clinical signs of congestive heart failure are in evidence both at rest and while active.
Advanced heart failure: Critical clinical signs are evident, including respiratory distress, ascites (fluid in the body cavity), and profound exercise intolerance.The prognosis will worsen with each passing stage, and the need for aggressive treatment will increase.
Symptoms Of Heart Problems In Cats
There are several possible symptoms of heart problems in cats that cat owners can be on the lookout for, including:
Lethargy/weakness/inactivity
Difficulty with or discontinuing exercise
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing possibly accompanied by fluid buildup in the lungs and chest
Sudden paralysis of the hind quarters
Fast breathing during dormancy (not panting)
Fainting/collapse
Chronic coughing
Regularly elevated heart rate
The above symptoms can indicate one of many possible conditions, including feline heart disease and potentially something unrelated to the cardiovascular system. If you notice any of the above symptoms, we recommend scheduling an appointment with our veterinary cardiologist immediately.
Diagnosis Of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy In Cats
Diagnosing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats begins with one of the most effective diagnostic tools for detecting heart disease in cats: A Cardiac Examination. A cardiac examination allows us to follow a thorough investigative protocol to determine the presence and extent of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats. A cardiac examination can include some or all of the following procedures:
Physical exam: We listen to your cat’s heart and lungs with a stethoscope to check for abnormal sounds
Ultrasound: We can view and measure your cat’s heart’s chamber, valves and muscles, as well as the major cardiac vessels using soundwaves and without any pain or invasion
Blood pressure: We perform a standard, non-invasive blood pressure test to monitor systolic and diastolic pressure
Electrocardiogram (EKG): We measure the electrical activity of your cat’s heart to diagnose heart murmur in cats, among other conditions
X-Rays: We can view the heart’s overall size, its positioning in the chest, and the general condition of the lungs
Blood analysis: We can perform a complete blood work chemistry to help assess the general health of our patient
A blood chemistry analysis can also determine the level of thyroid hormone present in the bloodstream. This is very helpful when evaluating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats, because an overactive thyroid gland can be an underlying cause of heart disease.
Treatment Of HCM
Presently, there is no cure for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats. Changes to the size and structure of the heart muscle are irreversible. The longer HCM is allowed to go untreated, the more severe any changes become. However, in some cases where the heart disease is secondary to a treatable condition such as hyperthyroidism, then the symptoms may be alleviated when the underlying condition is corrected.
The good news is that your veterinarian can prescribe several different types of medication that help reduce the risk of congestive heart failure in cats resulting from HCM. In some cases, medication can help:
Relax the heart muscle
Slow down heart rate
Decrease the workload of the heart
These changes provide the heart more time to fill and drain, thus allowing for a reduced chance of damage and failure. Because heart medication is modifying the function of the heart, it is important to strictly follow your veterinarian’s recommendations for dosage and administration frequency.
Owners of cats with HCM should monitor their feline friends for any changes in their condition, even if they seem minor at first glance. This includes learning how to monitor respiratory rates and other vital signs at home, which a veterinarian can help with. It is also important to come in for a exam with any changes in your cat’s health or behavior and keep up all recheck appointments for the best outcome.
Complications Associated With HCM
Many felines diagnosed with HCM eventually develop signs of congestive heart failure. Cats with HCM are at risk for developing blood clots that can escape the heart and eventually become lodged in a blood vessel that has become too narrow. This is called a thromboembolism. A common area for this to occur is the hind quarters region, at the point the aorta splits before going into each rear leg. If this happens, paralysis and severe pain will result. In fact, the paralysis and pain are very common reasons many owners initially bring their cat to see a veterinarian. However, what they thought might be a broken leg or lameness is actually hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats.
With supportive veterinary and in-home family care, between 40%-50% of patients with thromboembolic disease can internally break down clots and regain some amount of limb function over time.
Due to the nature of how blood clots fragment and disperse throughout the body, cats that experience blood clotting once are at a significantly increased risk of developing another clot within the following weeks or months. Because of the somber prognosis for cats that have suffered a thromboembolic event, some owners elect euthanasia.
Prognosis For Cats With Cardiomyopathy
Even though hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats is incurable, the old saying, an ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure, still greatly applies to cats living with heart disease or congestive heart failure for cats in one form or another. This is because if HCM is detected and arrested in its mild to moderate stages, then the prognosis for an essentially normal life for a number of years can be good. However, the form and severity of the disease at the time of discovery will ultimately dictate the prognosis in all cases. Additionally:
HCM can worsen quickly or progress slowly over a period of years
HCM can remain undetected in some cats until the advanced stages, and the time between diagnosis and death can be a matter of weeks or months
HCM can remain mild in some cats and never progress to the advanced stages, while other cats will progress to the advanced stages despite medical intervention
The existence of these variables and possibilities make both preventive and follow up care of the utmost importance where heart disease and congestive heart failure are concerned.