Mary Allen
If your cat has a heart condition, it can still lead a happy, almost normal life – as long as it gets the right medication and visits the vet regularly for check-ups. You can find out here how else you can help your velvet paw with heart disease.
If your cat has a heart condition, this is usually reflected in reduced resilience. Animal heart patients are out of breath more quickly, especially when they are physically strenuous: jumping to high places, climbing stairs, climbing, and playing are very tedious for affected cats, so they avoid these activities as much as possible. They then appear apathetic and listless. You can help your cat to keep its zest for life even though it has a heart condition:
Regular Check-Ups at the Vet & Medication
Regular check-ups at the vet and the right medication are top priorities for cats with heart disease. Depending on what exactly your cat is missing, other active ingredients are useful and the right dose is also important. Please do not give your pet any medication intended for humans, these can be toxic. You should only use home remedies or homeopathy after consulting and agreeing with the doctor treating you.
Your cat with heart disease has to take medication for the rest of its life. Since the drugs can, unfortunately, put a strain on the kidneys or liver in the long term, regular checks are essential. If the stress on the other organs is too great, the veterinarian can recognize this in good time and take countermeasures. It may take a few weeks for the medicines to take effect, so be patient and follow your vet’s instructions closely.
Heart Disease & Overweight? Cat Diet Can Help
If your cat has a heart condition, avoid anything that puts additional strain on your cardiovascular system. These include obesity and high blood pressure – which is also often associated with excess pounds. Discuss with your vet how you can put your overweight cat on a diet. They can get you special food that has all the nutrients you need but fewer calories to help your cat lose weight.
Avoid Exertion: Playing With Cats With Heart Disease
A playing cat is a happy cat, but if the fur nose has a heart condition, jumping and wild chases are very exhausting for them. After a short time, she has to stop playing because she is panting and out of breath. So make the hours of play a little quieter for your socialite. Intelligence toys such as fumbling boards, for example, put you in a good mood and keep your heart-sick kitty mentally busy so that she doesn’t get bored but doesn’t overexert herself physically. You can also control the tempo with a play rod – just take it easy and play “in slow motion”, so to speak.
Prepare an Apartment for a Furry Friend With a Heart Condition
Cats also generally love climbing and jumping to high places. However, a cat with heart disease needs some support. For example, place additional platforms under the scratching post or next to the sofa, attach a cat staircase with low steps under the window sill or set up cozy sleeping places and hiding places for your furry friend at ground level.
Unsecured outdoor access is always a risk with chronically ill cats because you can’t know for sure whether she’ll be back in time for her medication dose or whether she’s sneaking in at the neighbor’s and sabotaging her diet. However, you can build an enclosure for your heart-sick kitty or fence off the garden to prevent her from escaping if you still want to let her outside.