HHO's famous vibes needed - heart defects in cats

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redmone

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Hi everyone,

Sorry if this post is in the wrong place, if anyone feels it's inappropriate here please ask admin to move it (perhaps to pet box?). I am posting here to try to get the most points of view possible.

And to try to sort myself out, as for once, I am a complete emotional mess, which is very unlike me.

Last Thursday my little rescue kitten Jinx (six months old) was checked in to be neutered. I took her in, for her pre op check (first vet visit also). During this check, the vet advised me that she had a heart murmur. I was given the option of continuing with the neutering but using different drugs, or letting her have a heart scan first. I chose the heart scan.

They rang me some hours letter asking me to come in to see their group cardiologist (who happened to be visiting our practice - we were very lucky). Cardioloist told us (and I stupidly allowed daughter to be present) that poor little Jinx has most likely a poorly formed heart valve. This means that the blood is pumping through the heart, but them some is being pulled back into the heart chamber due to the valve not closing completely.

Jinx's heart is enlarged most likely due to this blood. When the pressure builds up from this, it will mostly likely start to be pulled back into the lungs, causing fluid on the lungs.

(It was at this point that daughter collapsed on the floor of the surgery, twice. Vet looked after her brilliantly, even testing her blood sugar etc...but that's another story...and another set of worries!)

Jinx is currently completely normal. Bouncing off the settees and generally being a looney kitten. Vet says we'll most likely start to see her getting unwell in the next 6 months, and then the symptoms can be treated for another 6 months. Best case scenario.

There's no surgery options, only medication in the short term.

Vet has also offered to rescan her with his "better scanner" so he can give me a more definitive diagnosis, at no extra cost.

So I have questions!

Firstly, can someone on here, please tell me of a case where they were in this situation, and their cat lived to a ripe old age?? Or even just a few years old will do right now!!!

I've got a little hope, as I've read that heart murmurs are common in kittens aged up to 6 months (Jinx is a rescue kitten, so we're not 100% on her age - she may just be 6 months old) and that sometimes the body keeps developing a little longer and can "fix" itself and it's dodgy valves sometimes. Maybe I'm being stupid clinging onto this.

Can anyone also give their opinions as to whether to bother with another scan? The vet visit upset Jinx, and given that stress is probably not wise for her, I'm wondering what it will achieve? So the vet may tell me that his disgnosis was right? Or slightly better, or slightly worse? It won't change the heart murmur, nor the outcome too much? I'm considering leaving it, and only returning her to the vet when she starts to become poorly. Does that sounds sensible? I don't want to put her through undue stress just for a firmer diagnosis of something that can't be treated.

I'm desperate to be able to DO something. I'm so used to bloody (sorry) controlling things that I just can't handle not being able to DO anything. I'm thinking of keeping a diary and monitoring her breathing a few days a week. Number of breaths per minute when she's sleeping. That way I may be able to spot any changes and get her medication as early as possible. I'm terrified I'll miss something. Like the fact that I "missed" her heart murmur (although I swear, I still can't "see" anything wrong with her) I still feel desperately guilty.

Should I also speak to the rescue centre? I can't help but think that if all it takes to detect heart murmurs is a stethoscope, then they should check each animal before it is rehomed? Or it should have a vet check at their cost?

Without sounding horrible, the rehoming fee for Jinx was £50. I'm now faced with decent sized vet bills (which I'm not moaning about, I promise - my choice when I have pets) and a devastated daughter. Would I still have adopted her? Probably. But at least I'd have had my eyes wide open.

Ahhhhh I'm sorry everyone, for my lack of usual humour.

To say I'm gutted is an understatement. It's taken me 5 days to post this.

And here she is, I best show you the little monkey who is breaking my heart.



Thanks for reading everyone. No chocolate to be had here, I've ate it ALL! :eek:
 
What a dear little girl! Its a hard one, I have had one cat with a heart problem who was most probably born with it and I got him to 11. I currently have one who is 12 and also has heart problems and rapid breathing, he is on medication and atm this is helping him, but I know he is on borrowed time!

But yours is such a baby, I think if I were you, I would give the medication and hope to have some time with her, I would not put her through lots of tests if she definately has not got long! So sorry for you! x
 
I can only tell you that heart murmurs in cats are surprisingly common, which I hope will reassure you. Most go undiagnosed (neither of my kittens had pre-ops years ago, so who knows?!?).

I have a 16 year old female witha heart murmur. She 'misfires' all the time, very noticeable in purr! The vet wasn't bothered by it at all (let's face it, at 16, who would?!?). She's on no medication for it and neither is my friend who has one!

You are very upset by it all and on that basis I would go for the second scan. You're currently thinking worst case scenario. My cat recently underwent a thryoidectomy despite her heart murmur and was fine, so I think your vet is being very pessimistic based on a stethoscope analysis!
Yes, speak to the rescue centre, as it's a pre-existing condition, if only to find out what their experiences are. I took on Sandy only 3 months ago, though (so she was already 16) and although I could argue the heart murmur, I won't. It's just one of those things and like I say, apparently quite common.
 
Firstly, because this is likely to sound heartless may I say that I love cats.

The trouble with cats though is that they are free spirits. Unless you keep them in the house all of the time things happen to cats, most of the time you don't realise they've used up eight of their lives until it comes to the ninth. And then it's devastating. They could run across the road tomorrow in front of a car:(

I'd approach it that you have some time left with Jinx, I'd take the stance with daughter that Jinx is a very lucky kitty because she's got people who love her and will look after her even though she might be a bit poorly and not live as long, perhaps, as some other kitties. Reassure your daughter that when Jinx needs medicine it will make her feel better.

In your shoes I think I'd keep an eye on her and have her re-scanned to see whether the diagnosis changes. I'd be inclined to leave it a few weeks.

Now, I don't know about heart murmurs in cats but I don't think missing it is anything you should feel guilty about. I bought a little mare, got her broken in and and she started eventing with a pro on board, when we came to sell her the vetting showed up a heart murmur, and a not a minor one either. We'd all missed it for several years!

I would however let the rescue know what has happened.

Good luck with her. Kittens are just adorable and my youngest are now 7 years old. Getting kitty broody.

Hope daughter recovers soon, sadly she will have to learn sooner or later that even much loved beings can get ill:(
 
My old vet told me that heart problems in cats were surprisingly common - came as complete news to me but then my sister's cat which is half Bengal was diagnosed with it too last year. He was having what seemed to be respiratory infections/asthma and bouts of very low energy. Luckily the vet had access to a very respected cardiologist and the drugs he has been put on (daily for life, but he is good about taking them really) have done a good job and he is back to his usual naughty self. It doesn't come cheap though I'm afraid, although the vet was really good and just prescribed what he absolutely needed and left off the "would be nice if he had these too" drugs. I'm not sure if my sister gets the drugs on-line, I certainly suggested she should do some research as to cost.

Poor little kitten, his life has hardly even started yet.
 
Forgot to say that heart murmurs and even normal heart beats can be more erratic under stress. I've had my own heart skip beats due to extreme anxiety, but I've passed medicals no problem!
How close are you to the surgery? Would a vet nurse pop in on her way home and 'cuddle your cat' with a sneaky stethoscope?!? They'd probably charge, but I'd bet it would be a much more accurate examination. :)
 
What a gorgeous kitten!
I don't really have anything useful to add, but my two 9month old rescue kittens both have recently been confirmed as having heart murmurs.
Vet has said not to worry, just keep an eye out for behavioural changes such as coughing, lethargy, strange noises etc
Mine are all indoor cats, with an enclosed garden, so they are easy to monitor. Is this an option for you?
On a slightly different note we had a big TB eventer who had a heart murmur and didn't effect his competition life at all :)
 
What a pretty kitten she is!

The news must have been devastating for you and your daughter, but years ago without all the medical gadgetry that we have now, we would have been none the wiser and just carried on as normal, ignorance is bliss and all that.;)

If I were you I think I'd just carry on as normal and if her health deteriorates down the line then consider medicating. I can't remember who it was, but there was a poster not so long back who had a cat with a heart murmer neutered; it turned out fine.

I'd enjoy her while you have her and try not to worry, you could have many months or even years together, you just don't know with any cat. I wouldn't bother with lots of expensive and stressful tests either.

Give your daughter a hug from me, bless her.
 
To answer some of your questions,
A murmur should be picked up by stethoscope and kittens should be checked at rescue centres by a vet when they are vaccinated or prior to being rehomed.
Sometimes a change in heart rate can make a murmur appear more or less obvious and purring can obscure a murmur so they can be missed.
Kittens up to 6 months of age can have innocent murmurs which are related to the size /capacity of the growing heart and these can disappear as the cat matures.
But, your cat has been scanned and has a valve defect so you know the cause of the murmur is a structural defect that isnt going to improve. Its difficult to give prognosis or time scales on heart problems especially over the internet and the more information you have i.e. from further scans, the better especially as you can rescan again in 12 months to compare chamber size/pressures etc to give you some idea of progression.
Its worth speaking to the specialist if you havent already about anaesthetics as if JInx is a girl then getting her spayed under GA is likely to cause less stress on the heart than an unexpected pregnancy.
Heart murmurs are more common than most owners realise and a lot of the time are not a concern but a heart murmur is always more worrying in a young cat unfortunately as it is usually due to structural disease rather than wear and tear
I would go for the other scan and get more definate prognosis then I would treat her like every other cat and enjoy every moment you have with her
 
I had a cat way back in the 70's that had a heart murmur, it did mean operations were a little more dangerous and they had to start his heart during one. He didn't show any physical symptoms in normal life right up until he disappeared at age 9. I had another cat more recently that died age 4 from congenital heart failure and the vet said it was totally impossible to hear anything wrong with his heart right up until he died, so heart murmurs don't necessarily mean a short life and vice versa. Good luck with your pretty kitty! XXX
 
Oh Redmone.....and daughter.....chins up! She is a very cute little kitten, bless her. I would treat her like normal and enjoy her without stressing too much if you can.....

We got two kittens 6 years ago, sisters, Florence and Sophie. (Florence became Florence of Arabia when we realised she was a he...) Florence was always a very laid back kitten, flopping about everywhere and mini used to play air guitar with him. I had him checked out as he wasn't really normal for a kitten, and the vets confirmed his lack of normality when he sat there quite happily with lots of sticky bits and wires all over him and they couldn't hear his heart properly as he was purring too loudly! He does have a heart murmur, is still VERY laid back and one day WILL get trodden on by one of the ponies as he will not get out of the way but he is a very happy cat and is still around six years later.

I hope you have many more happy times with your Jinx and that daughter is ok? X
 
pines of rome said:
What a dear little girl! Its a hard one, I have had one cat with a heart problem who was most probably born with it and I got him to 11. I currently have one who is 12 and also has heart problems and rapid breathing, he is on medication and atm this is helping him, but I know he is on borrowed time!

But yours is such a baby, I think if I were you, I would give the medication and hope to have some time with her, I would not put her through lots of tests if she definately has not got long! So sorry for you! x
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I'm sorry to hear of your kitty problems too. But I am encouraged that you have an older cat, who has either got to this age with problems, or just developed them and is coping. I'm not planning lots and lots of tests, in all honesty, with the prognosis we have, I wouldn't put any animal through it. As much as that hurts. Thank you for your kind words. x x x

Fransurrey said:
I can only tell you that heart murmurs in cats are surprisingly common, which I hope will reassure you. Most go undiagnosed (neither of my kittens had pre-ops years ago, so who knows?!?).

Yes, speak to the rescue centre, as it's a pre-existing condition, if only to find out what their experiences are. I took on Sandy only 3 months ago, though (so she was already 16) and although I could argue the heart murmur, I won't. It's just one of those things and like I say, apparently quite common.
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Thanks for commenting. It does now seem more much common than I imagined. That's making me feel a little bit better too. I will ring the rescue centre tomorrow. I just feel they should check for this before rehoming any cat. If not to spare the vet fees of a new owner, but to spare the heartache :(

jemima*askin said:
Firstly, because this is likely to sound heartless may I say that I love cats.

The trouble with cats though is that they are free spirits. Unless you keep them in the house all of the time things happen to cats, most of the time you don't realise they've used up eight of their lives until it comes to the ninth. And then it's devastating. They could run across the road tomorrow in front of a car:(

I would however let the rescue know what has happened.

Good luck with her. Kittens are just adorable and my youngest are now 7 years old. Getting kitty broody.

Hope daughter recovers soon, sadly she will have to learn sooner or later that even much loved beings can get ill:(
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Thanks for commenting - you didn't sound heartless at all! Daughter is usually quite good with things such as this. She has seen many ponies "leave us" due to being at a big riding school - I know it's not the same as losing a pet/animal of your own, but I'm always shocked at how "matter of fact" she is about it. She generally says "well they're with grandad now, he'll look after them and I'll see them again one day". When we lost our beloved Toppy, daughter was heartbroken, but bounced back much quicker than I did.

I'm leaning towards having her rescanned but in a few weeks. I want to know as much as I can, but on the other hand I don't want to upset her and I can't help but think what will be will be. Such hard decisions. :(

fatpiggy said:
My old vet told me that heart problems in cats were surprisingly common - came as complete news to me but then my sister's cat which is half Bengal was diagnosed with it too last year. He was having what seemed to be respiratory infections/asthma and bouts of very low energy.

Poor little kitten, his life has hardly even started yet.
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Thanks for commenting. Lovely to hear of a similar situation with a kitty still it's naughty self! That's exactly what I was hoping for, and gives me a little hope. I know what you mean about the cost. I'll just have to find it. Why didn't I keep the 4 weeks free insurance going when we got her???!!! :confused: Perhaps it wouldn't have covered it anyway, but gotta wonder....

I'm really grateful for your reply. Thank you.

Fransurrey said:
Forgot to say that heart murmurs and even normal heart beats can be more erratic under stress. I've had my own heart skip beats due to extreme anxiety, but I've passed medicals no problem!
How close are you to the surgery? Would a vet nurse pop in on her way home and 'cuddle your cat' with a sneaky stethoscope?!? They'd probably charge, but I'd bet it would be a much more accurate examination. :)
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You're probably right! I don't think there's much more they can learn from stethoscope alone, but the cardio vet wanted to see her with his better ultrasound scanner. I'm just not sure it's worth stressing her out, for him to just get a clearer picture, when it doesn't sound treatable anyway. I'm hoping he'll ring me soon and I can put these thoughts to him. Thanks for commenting x x

essex_rider said:
What a gorgeous kitten!
I don't really have anything useful to add, but my two 9month old rescue kittens both have recently been confirmed as having heart murmurs.
Vet has said not to worry, just keep an eye out for behavioural changes such as coughing, lethargy, strange noises etc
Mine are all indoor cats, with an enclosed garden, so they are easy to monitor. Is this an option for you?
On a slightly different note we had a big TB eventer who had a heart murmur and didn't effect his competition life at all :)
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Jeeeez it really is much more common than I imagined. That makes me feel a little better to. I believe heart murmurs are graded on a scale 1 to 6 (1 being hardly anything, 6 being pretty much fatal). Jinx was a 1 - 2 by stethoscope but then graded 3 after the scan. The problem is, as hers is caused by a physical heart defect (rather than anaemia etc...) it is most likely going to steadily get worse, at a rather quick rate. Just hoping for a miracle :( Thank you x

touchstone said:
What a pretty kitten she is!

The news must have been devastating for you and your daughter, but years ago without all the medical gadgetry that we have now, we would have been none the wiser and just carried on as normal, ignorance is bliss and all that.;)

I'd enjoy her while you have her and try not to worry, you could have many months or even years together, you just don't know with any cat. I wouldn't bother with lots of expensive and stressful tests either.

Give your daughter a hug from me, bless her.
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Thank you so much. For the hug and the kind words. I think I agree with you, I just wish I could DO something. And you're right, ignorance is bliss. How I wish to be back in that position. :( I keep coming home waiting to see her dead. How awful is that? At the moment, she is sat on top of the kitchen cupboards pressing her head into the ceiling :rolleyes::confused::o I wish it was all a big mistake. :(

fatpony said:
To answer some of your questions,
A murmur should be picked up by stethoscope and kittens should be checked at rescue centres by a vet when they are vaccinated or prior to being rehomed.

I would go for the other scan and get more definate prognosis then I would treat her like every other cat and enjoy every moment you have with her
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Thanks so much for this really helpful information.

I am going to speak to the rescue centre tomorrow. As I've said above, it's about the heartache more than the money. I would have taken her anyway (might have argued against such a high donation :o bearing vets bills in mind, but it's for charity anyway, so I probably would have paid it anyway!) but I just would have gone down a very different road with daughter.

I'm shocked at how common these conditions are.

Given your knowledge, and the fact that Jinx is just six months, do you think there is any chance she could grow out of it, or are we definately past that stage?

I may go ahead with the extra scan, but ask if I can leave her a few weeks first. I don't want to stress her out. I'm scared to hoover now in case it makes her worse!!!! :o

I currently keep her and my other cat as house cats. Not something I've ever done before, but I was waiting for for Jinx to be neutered before letting them out. Don't know what to do now. The vet gave me the impression he really didn't want to neuter her, and that it probably wasn't worth it. :( Another question for when he rings.

Thanks for your really valuable input. And the kind but straight way you gave it. I really appreciate it. xxx

Dogrose said:
I had a cat way back in the 70's that had a heart murmur, it did mean operations were a little more dangerous and they had to start his heart during one. He didn't show any physical symptoms in normal life right up until he disappeared at age 9. Good luck with your pretty kitty! XXX
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Thanks for your comments. They really give me hope. Were either disgnosed at such a young age as Jinx? I've got everything crossed, don't know what else I can do.

:(xxx
 
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Old Bat said:
Oh Redmone.....and daughter.....chins up! She is a very cute little kitten, bless her. I would treat her like normal and enjoy her without stressing too much if you can.....

We got two kittens 6 years ago, sisters, Florence and Sophie. (Florence became Florence of Arabia when we realised she was a he...) Florence was always a very laid back kitten, flopping about everywhere and mini used to play air guitar with him. I had him checked out as he wasn't really normal for a kitten, and the vets confirmed his lack of normality when he sat there quite happily with lots of sticky bits and wires all over him and they couldn't hear his heart properly as he was purring too loudly! He does have a heart murmur, is still VERY laid back and one day WILL get trodden on by one of the ponies as he will not get out of the way but he is a very happy cat and is still around six years later.

I hope you have many more happy times with your Jinx and that daughter is ok? X
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Hi Old Bat,

Thanks for commenting, and your kind words.

Daughter is ok (but please if we're on facebook, don't mention this!) she's either coping really well, or in denial. Not decided which yet.

Me? I'm a mess. I keep crying all of a sudden - not like me at all!!!

Lovely to hear another case of kittens making it to older cats with similar problems. Your cats sound lovely, and I'm sure Florence can dodge better than you think!

Jinx has just bombed it through the kitchen and up the stairs. At about 100mph!!! It's all a bit surreal to be honest! Wish I'd never booked her in for neutering now!!!:mad:

I might get daughter to the docs soon too. She's been having relatively regular nosebleeds (has most of her life, as has her dad), and now the fainting. I struggle to get enough calories into her for the amount of sport she does (riding and school sport) - and wonder if that caused the fainting. Vet said her blood sugar was ok though. Glad he didn't get his thermometer out!!! Perhaps it was just the shock and a very hot room. Either way, it was blummin awful.

Anyway, thanks again for your lovely comments. I've got lots of hope from HHO tonight. I know it gets a bad press sometimes, but HHO has always been very good to me.

Thank you xxxxx
 
Sorry to hear you and daughter are so upset. I bet the kitten is looking at you very strangely and wondering what all the fuss is about :p

At the end of the day it is what it is, you cant operate, you cannot change this so you just need to get on with it and give her the best life possible until her quality of life is less than adequate.

If that sounds harsh then I do apologise it really isn't meant to be. Our cat Charlie was also diagnosed with a heart murmur when he went in to be neutered. He is three now and it doesn't affect him at all and when it does we will deal with it and no doubt be devastated by the eventual outcome but for now, like Charlie we don't give it a second thought :)

And for good measure ... The devils spawn himself ;)

 
Antw23uk said:
Sorry to hear you and daughter are so upset. I bet the kitten is looking at you very strangely and wondering what all the fuss is about :p

At the end of the day it is what it is, you cant operate, you cannot change this so you just need to get on with it and give her the best life possible until her quality of life is less than adequate.

If that sounds harsh then I do apologise it really isn't meant to be. Our cat Charlie was also diagnosed with a heart murmur when he went in to be neutered. He is three now and it doesn't affect him at all and when it does we will deal with it and no doubt be devastated by the eventual outcome but for now, like Charlie we don't give it a second thought :)

And for good measure ... The devils spawn himself ;)
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He is simply beautiful. You don't sound harsh at all.

I'd rather it be told straight. I'm just not dealing with the "straight" very well at the moment, but yours is another story which gives me hope.

I'm not one for lots of tests, and long winded treatment, nor for keeping animals alive for me rather than them.

I've more than once had to make that difficult decision and come away with nothing more than a collar. However, never on one so young. I think that's what's got me. She's not yet felt grass under her feet or wee'd in the flower bed. (was waiting for the neutering) I'll have to deal with that soon. I'm making her a bucket list!!! And crying (AGAIN!) whilst I type this. S$@T!

Sorry.

Another photo of Jinx to cheer me up. She looks very pleased with herself here.



xxx
 
Nancykitt said:
Just to say that our Ragdoll boy, Frank, was diagnosed with a heart murmur when he went to be neutered. He is now six years old and absolutely fine.
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Thank you.

I can't believe how common it is.

I've definately been given some hope by posting on here.

Thanks again x x x
 
I'm really sorry to hear about your kitten, she's so beautiful.

I can't offer you any info/advice on cats with heart murmurs as I've never experienced it, but my husband & I recently bought a puppy who was diagnosed with a heart murmur when she went for her first jabs.

I was absolutely devastated and I kept looking at her running around wondering how much time we had with her, then I went through a phase of trying to stop her running around and doing puppy things in case she keeled over. My husband works outside of the Uk and I kept asking him what I would do if I took her out on the moors and she dropped down dead, it was really on my mind all the time.

Recently she hurt something in her back/neck and she literally couldn't move. I rushed her to the vet and asked him if it was something to do with her weak heart - totally illogical now I look back on it but I was so worried and heart broken about her heart murmur that all sense went out of the window. The vet had a bit of a stern word with me and said that although she has a heart murmur I should try to forget about it and give her a completely normal life because it is unlikely to affect her at all.

I don't know if it's the same in cats but I do know what you're going through and all I can say is take your vets advice but also try and look at her and treat her as a perfectly healthy kitten. You may have years and years with her and you don't want that time to be marred by the cloud hanging over you, just try and enjoy her and all the fun she will bring you.

Hugs to you and your daughter x
 
Sonjafoers, sorry can't quote as now on tablet, but thank you for sharing your story with me. You've pretty much described me to a tee. horrible feeling isn't it. She does however now have a permanent 'get out of jail free' card and can do no wrong! Not that she could before, but she's getting away with everything now. And getting lots of ham and chicken!!!

I really will try and put it out of my mind a little. I've got a tad obsessed since last week.

Thanks again, And I hope your dog is OK xxx
 
I do think that as time goes on and she continues to behave normally your mind will start to ease a little, our pup is 8 months old now and mine certainly has.
 
I hope so. I'm on 'red alert' constantly at the moment, not sleeping and spending half the night trawling the internet looking for answers (and winding myself up!) Time to get a grip I think!!!

Xxx
 
Just to add that I also think that vets sometimes give the worst case scenario for whatever reason. When my son was six months old he was hospitalised for something unrelated and they found he had a heart murmer.
A visit to a larger hospital for a scan revealed he had pulmonary stenosis and he would need surgery at a later date. The later date arrived and much to the consternation of the surgeon when the second scan was done it revealed a totally normal heart - so either something had put itself right or the surgeon was wrong in the first place, he's a strapping 26 year old now, and it could hopefully be just the same for your cat. (obviously not 26!) x
 
Oh touchstone, that must have been awful. I was feeling sorry for myself the other day and thought 'come on chin up, at least its not daughter'. You must have been so relieved though!!!

They do seen to paint a dim picture don't they, doctors or vets. I suppose its what we pay our money for.

Fingers crossed they've mixed the scans up and jinx ends up a strapping old lady cat!!! Xxx
 
Oh what a sweet little girl can understand why you are so upset :(

My old cat who looked a lot like your Midnight developed a hear murmur, she was suddenly very listless and it wad detected she had an over or under active thyroid (can't remember which was a a while ago now) and also the heart murmur.

She was put on tablets for both and ooverall did improve a lot, she had a good few more happy years and was pts aged 15 due to everything shutting down due to old age.

She had one heart tablet I think once a day but not being a vet I wouldn't be able to say if your girl's condition would be treatable In the same way

The tablets were fairly expensive though

Just looked at your earlier thread 're Midnight and you said she was a house cat, is she still?

Mine went out still with the heart condition but as suggested by another poster it may be easier to monitor her if she is a house cat? I have 2 who are house cats as nasty round nearby and they keep each other company and do get supervised access in the garden

Hugs :(
 
me&Harvey said:
Oh what a sweet little girl can understand why you are so upset :(

My old cat who looked a lot like your Midnight developed a hear murmur, she was suddenly very listless and it wad detected she had an over or under active thyroid (can't remember which was a a while ago now) and also the heart murmur.

She was put on tablets for both and ooverall did improve a lot, she had a good few more happy years and was pts aged 15 due to everything shutting down due to old age.

She had one heart tablet I think once a day but not being a vet I wouldn't be able to say if your girl's condition would be treatable In the same way

The tablets were fairly expensive though

Just looked at your earlier thread 're Midnight and you said she was a house cat, is she still?

Mine went out still with the heart condition but as suggested by another poster it may be easier to monitor her if she is a house cat? I have 2 who are house cats as nasty round nearby and they keep each other company and do get supervised access in the garden

Hugs :(
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Hi me& Harvey,

The thing I'm hearing more and more is people talking about years rather than months. That's what is making me feel a little better. She's not had "a Christmas" yet - nor as I said above, the feel of grass under her paws.

Midnight is still a house cat. I've never had house cats before - the litter trays are :eek:

Midnight is a carrier of cat flu. The vet advised to keep her indoors but now she is well and fully vaccinated, we could probably let her start going out. If she wasn't such a looney. She thinks nothing of fighting with ANYTHING and then of just sitting in the road having a wash. She has no concept of danger, and it worries us. We kept her in a little longer in the hope that she might mature and grow out of it. Jinx was adopted as company for Midnight.

The plan was to get Jinx neutered, then start introducing them both to the great outdoors.

That plan has gone to pot now, as I don't want Jinx getting pregnant - that would be just awful. So, the cat harness is coming out! I'm going to try (AGAIN!) to get them to wear it, so I can take them in the garden.

OH is working on cat proofing the garden also. It's quite enclosed, but they're both nimble things. We're considering some sort of "run". I really want them to be able to go out.

Thanks for the lovely comments. I'm feeling a little better this morning.

My problem is when I get a "problem" that I can't do anything about, I obsess over it. I find it very difficult to take my mind off it until I've got my answers. Perhaps I would be wise to let the vet scan her again.

I am getting there though. Jinx came for big cuddles this morning (and lots of treats!) you really would never know.

:)
 
Have you thought about building a cat run in your garden? Depends how much space you have but I know some people who have built on the side of the house and have a cat flap for the cat to use - means the cat has more space and a bit of fresh air and freedom and you can put the litter trays outside or give then a soil area to toilet in (whether they use it or not....)
No harm in waiting and having the scan done in a couple of weeks and really all it will give you is a bit more prognosis - it might be worth phoning to speak to the specialist after a few days when you have had time to think of all the questions you have. It can be very difficult to take it all in when it is unexpected (especially when you have your daughter to look after too) If Jinx is going to be entirely indoor then spaying is not necessary though some cats are a nightmare when they are in season and can attract a lot of male admirers who may camp outside your house and wail and night and try to break in ( I kid you not) Medically they can suffer a few problems related to being entire but they are pretty rare.
Unlikely she will grow out of it if it is a valve problem at this age - cats often get a condition where the tricupid valve leaflets are small and malformed and the valve can never close properly. Again I would speak to the specialist and try to get some more information.
About the defect, about prognosis and about what to look for that would indicate things were getting worse. Cats are notoriously good at hiding symptoms until its too late to treat them. Monitoring resting respiratory rate is very useful. Any problems breathing, open mouth breathing or coughing should always be acted on straight away.
 
fatpony said:
Have you thought about building a cat run in your garden? Depends how much space you have but I know some people who have built on the side of the house and have a cat flap for the cat to use - means the cat has more space and a bit of fresh air and freedom and you can put the litter trays outside or give then a soil area to toilet in (whether they use it or not....)
No harm in waiting and having the scan done in a couple of weeks and really all it will give you is a bit more prognosis - it might be worth phoning to speak to the specialist after a few days when you have had time to think of all the questions you have. It can be very difficult to take it all in when it is unexpected (especially when you have your daughter to look after too) If Jinx is going to be entirely indoor then spaying is not necessary though some cats are a nightmare when they are in season and can attract a lot of male admirers who may camp outside your house and wail and night and try to break in ( I kid you not) Medically they can suffer a few problems related to being entire but they are pretty rare.
Unlikely she will grow out of it if it is a valve problem at this age - cats often get a condition where the tricupid valve leaflets are small and malformed and the valve can never close properly. Again I would speak to the specialist and try to get some more information.
About the defect, about prognosis and about what to look for that would indicate things were getting worse. Cats are notoriously good at hiding symptoms until its too late to treat them. Monitoring resting respiratory rate is very useful. Any problems breathing, open mouth breathing or coughing should always be acted on straight away.
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You read my mind! We're working on the cat run as we speak. I'm lucky that I have an extremely talented OH who is great at DIY and building/fixing things. I came home the other week and he'd installed electric windows in the previously manual windowed horse box!!! So the cat run may have electric doors and light up, knowing him! Seriously though, I will make sure that this little kitty (and Midnight too) has the feel of lying in the grass on a sunny day, and having a tinkle on a plant! I'll definately work something out.

I'm thinking of listing my questions and asking for the cardio vets email address. I'm finding it easier to articulate my thoughts in writing - I just get upset when I talk about it.

Thanks for your comments regarding symptoms and prognosis. I do appreciate your help, and think I will start a diary so I can keep track of her breathing rate. I just NEED to feel like I'm doing something.

Thanks again. x x x
 
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