British Shorthair

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is one of the most common heart diseases in cats and is the most common cause of sudden death in indoor cats. Essentially it is an abnormal thickening of one or several areas of the walls of the heart, usually the left ventricle.

The disease is caused by a variety of genetic abnormalities of the cardiac muscle proteins that are prevalent in Ragdolls, Main Coons, Oriental Breeds and Devon Rex’s, but also common in domesticated short hair cats.

The disease is usually diagnosed at middle-age but there’s also a juvenile form that affects young cats (usually Ragdolls).

There are many different forms of hypertrophy which means the impact of the thickening of the walls of the heart is variable. In mild cases, cats can remain symptom free for their whole life however, in severe cases, the ventricle will have a hard time distending which leads to increased intra-cardiac pressure and congestive heart failure.

Other complications of the disease include cardiac arrhythmias, leading to fainting or sudden death and clot formation in the left atrium. These clots may fragment and travel in the aorta and obstruct a major artery.

Symptoms range in severity from difficult breathing, to extreme lethargy, collapsing and even sudden death.

To diagnose HCM, your cat will likely need x-rays, electrocardiograms (ECG), blood work or blood pressure monitoring.

Treatment can involve hospitalisation to treat congestive heart failure which results in abnormal fluid accumulation in the lungs. Treatment typically includes oxygen therapy, diuretics, blood pressure monitoring, and medications to make the heartbeat more efficiently.

The aim of treatment is to slow the heart rate, correct abnormal heart beats, improve blood flow, decrease blood clot formation and alleviate fluid build-up.

Haemophilia B is a rare blood disorder which means the cats blood is unable to clot properly, leading to excessive bleeding after injury, trauma or surgery.

The disorder is caused by a hereditary deficiency of the blood clotting protein, factor IX, and is rare amongst cats but it can be found in British Shorthairs, though it’s still uncommon.

Clinical signs usually appear at around 6 months of age. They include lameness, swelling and bruising under the skin, weakness, lack of appetite, fever and depression.

Anaemia may also occur due to the loss of blood, contributing to weakness, lethargy and shortness of breath.

The disorder can also lead to internal bleeding which may lead to blood in stools and vomit, rectal or vaginal bleeding, nose bleeds and breathing difficulties.

Severe cases can lead to loss of life, but minor cases are manageable though they’ll stay with the cat for their whole life.

As an owner, the best thing you can do is lower the risk of injury to your cat. Keeping them as indoor cat massively reduces that risk, as does removing items from your house that could harm them, or from which they may fall. Maintaining good dental hygiene is also key to avoid bleeding from the gums.

Unfortunately, there is no curative treatment for the condition, but antifibrinolytic agents can be given by vets to stem bleeding after surgical procedures etc.

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is an inherited condition that causes multiple cysts to form in the kidneys. It has become quite common amongst certain cat breeds, like Persians, but is still rare in other breeds.

Persian cats have the highest risk of PKD, with roughly one-third of all Persians diagnosed with the condition.

The cysts are present at birth and are initially very small, but they will gradually grow through the cat’s life.

The number of cysts and the growth rate varies in every cat, but in most cats the cysts enlarge slowly, so signs of the disease don’t appear until later in life, often around 7 years old.

Extreme cases may disrupt kidney function, resulting in kidney failure.

Diagnosis can be made via blood, urine and genetic tests. If you’re looking at purchasing a Persian, make sure they have been tested for the defective gene first. If they have the gene, they should not be bred.

There is sadly no specific treatment for PKD, but special diets, fluid therapy and nausea reducing medication can help treat the symptoms.