Heart problems can plague our felines just as they often do our canine companions. Cardiomyopathy and heart murmurs are two of the most common heart issues that cats struggle with and there are ways we can help support them at home.
Heart problems in our kitties can happen anytime in life but are more common in our adult cats. Let’s talk about some symptoms to be on the lookout for in our feline friends so if they develop a heart issue we can catch it early before too much damage is done.
Some things to watch for:
- Your cat is not playing or exercising as much or has completely given up on moving around.
- Your cat is lethargic
- Rapid respirations (normal is 15 to 30 breaths per minute)
- A Chronic cough
- Weakness or collapse in the back end (this could be cause by blood clots)
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
Feline heart problems are tough because sadly cats usually show no visible signs of being sick. When it’s finally found, a lot of time it’s in the advanced stages with significant damage already done. As we have stated before, that is one of the many reasons why a yearly wellness exam on our young kitties and a twice a year wellness exam on our adult cats is so important.
Helping Heart Problems In Cats
There are some lovely supplements we can use on our cats that can help support the heart. One of our favorites is Ubiquinol. Coenzyme Q10 is an important supplement required for the proper function of many organs and chemical reactions in the body. It helps provide energy to cells. Ubiquinol is the active bioavailable form of CoQ10. Ubiquinol is a natural supplement that is great for strengthening the heart’s function. We’ve seen heart murmurs disappear using this supplement.
Another supplement I love for heart health is Hawthorn berry. Hawthorn can actually improve the amount of blood pumped out of the heart during contractions and also it dilates the blood vessels. So the hawthorn relaxes the blood vessels to allow the blood to flow more easily which decreases the work on the heart. I love this herb!
Hawthorne is amazing in my book but it should be used with caution if your cat is on any medication for his heart. Please be sure to consult your vet before using.
It’s important to also keep in mind how diet plays a role in our cat’s heart health. Cats are obligate carnivores and require a high protein diet to thrive. Amino acids are found mainly in meat products. Taurine and L-carnitine are significant amino acids for our cat’s heart health.
Feline heart issues can be serious, but there are things you can do with diet and supplements to help try to prevent and treat them. So let’s love our kitties with all our hearts and be on the lookout for issues with theirs.
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