Need Alittle Knowledge

I want to apologize right off the bat for my ignorance. I have been reading a lot about HCM in some threads and I don't know what that is...can somebody wise this girl up??? I gather that it is fatal and all my condolences go out to those of you who have first hand experience with this~~

I really don't know the full term, but I think it is cardiomyopathy.

The correct term for HCM is Hypertropic Cardiomyopathy. Now you can read about it.

Its hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, if found early enough, there are meds that can help (you still have to be careful with the cat) but is often found in cats with a heart murmur making it worse.

I too had never heard of it before reading in this board. I've had cats with heart murmurs, but never any other heart problems, so far.

I know weight can be a factor in cat heart health, but don't know if HCM is from genetic disposition, of if it is caused by obesity.

If anyone would care to discourse on it in this thread, share their experiences or post some helpful links, rather than force us who don't know much about it to search and sort through a lot of not so helpful info, that would be appreciated

(I am terrible at searches, so am always grateful when someone is wiling to provide a bonafide link)

Originally Posted by otto

If anyone would care to discourse on it in this thread, share their experiences or post some helpful links, rather than force us who don't know much about it to search and sort through a lot of not so helpful info, that would be appreciated

(I am terrible at searches,

so am always grateful when someone is wiling to provide a bonafide link)

Click to expand...

Here's a link from the Cat Fanciers Association/Winn Foundation.

Here's another one.... and a one-page info sheet.

My vet recommends that her patients avoid adopting certain purebred cats, especially the Maine Coons and Ragdolls I love, because there is such a high incidence of inherited HCM in those breeds. It's a common cause of sudden death in young cats and one of the things I lie awake at night worrying about, along with FIP and heartworms.

Originally Posted by Bunnelina

Here's a link from the Cat Fanciers Association/Winn Foundation.

Here's another one.... and a one-page info sheet.

My vet recommends that her patients avoid adopting certain purebred cats, especially the Maine Coons and Ragdolls I love, because there is such a high incidence of inherited HCM in those breeds. It's a common cause of sudden death in young cats and one of the things I lie awake at night worrying about, along with FIP and heartworms.

Click to expand...

Thank you very much Bunnelina. Very useful info in those links.

Funny the things we worry about. For me, it's seizures, (and, like you mentioned, FIP) or it would be if I adopted another kitten. Since I generally adopt adults past the age of three now, I don't worry about that so much.

Originally Posted by otto

Thank you very much Bunnelina. Very useful info in those links.

Funny the things we worry about. For me, it's seizures, (and, like you mentioned, FIP) or it would be if I adopted another kitten. Since I generally adopt adults past the age of three now, I don't worry about that so much.

Click to expand...

Yes, it's less nerve-wracking to adopt adults for so many reasons. I hope I can do that next time. Since my feral kittens were outdoors for the first 8 weeks or so of their lives, I don't know what they might have picked up (besides ringworm, calicivirus, and a long list of parasites we've since discovered). And since the vet can't really test for heartworms, HCM, or FIP, they are a "Perfect Storm" for a neurotic worrywort — me.

Thank you everyone. The links are very helpful. Sometimes I worry that I don't worry enough. Every time I learn something new then I can begin worrying about it.

We had a kitten in the shelter with HCM, he grew up in the shelter so he was a fave and adopted by a volunteer and, when I last spoke to her, had improved over time with meds, He was about 4 months when diagnosed, but none of his littermates had HCM.

I worried about Quincy having it since he has a low grade heart murmur and pants a lot when playing, but he seems to just get overexerted and over excited - he needs to slow down!