Heart disease in cats – signs and vet treatment

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: PDSA

Book a vet visit

Book a vet appointment if you think your cat has this – a vet needs to confirm it and plan the treatment. Heart disease is a problem affecting a cat’s heart.

What to do now

What you can do now

Contact your vet
Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see
Take a photo or short video to show the vet
Keep fresh water available
Let your cat rest somewhere calm

Don't

Do not give your cat any human medicine
Do not wait if it gets worse

What it is

Heart disease is a relatively common problem in pet cats, and there are a few different types.^[1] Low energy and breathing problems are two of the most common symptoms of a heart problem.^[1] Not all heart murmurs indicate a problem.^[1]

Signs

Low energy
Slowing down when playing or running
Panting or breathing with an open mouth
Collapse or fainting
Weight loss
A bloated or swollen belly
Coughing
Breathlessness or heavy breathing
A heart murmur heard by a vet

Causes and risk factors

Maine Coon cats are more likely to get HCM
Ragdoll cats are more likely to get HCM

How a vet finds out

Listening to your cat’s heart with a stethoscope to hear whether there is a murmur

How vets treat it

Monitoring
Medication
Surgery

Breeds prone to this

Veterinary charities list these breeds as more likely than others to get this condition. Each breed page lists the inherited conditions documented in the breed.

What the experts say

“Overview. Heart disease is a relatively common problem in pet cats. There are a few different types, but they all tend to cause to similar symptoms. Low energy and breathing problems are two of the most common symptoms of a heart problem.”
— PDSA [1]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.

Common questions

Are heart murmurs always a sign of a heart problem?

No. Not all heart murmurs indicate a problem.^[1]

What are common symptoms of heart disease in cats?

Low energy and breathing problems are two of the most common symptoms of a heart problem.^[1]

How might a vet treat heart disease in a cat?

Treatment depends on the type of heart disease and might include monitoring; medication or surgery may also be used.

Sources

PDSA

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

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