HCM and aggression?

Hi all,

I have previously posted to the Behaviour concerning possible redirected aggression (the post was entitled "Redirected Aggression...I think??"). I'm now posting in this forum as health issues with my little Genie have been uncovered, and I wanted to know if anyone else has had a similar experience?

In a nutshell my once happy, playful, purred like a tractor, affectionate and gentle 10 year old girl changed overnight to a cat that hisses, growls, attacks and is generally quite annoyed! She badly attacked me just after Christmas, and no matter what I have tried she is still doing this.

At first I thought that it was redirected aggression, that something or someone had attacked her, as she seemed very nervous outside, and just after coming back inside. She wouldnt go out without me at first, so I kept her indoors. Shes now a lot more confident outside and goes out again.

She has calmed down a bit now, but regularly tries to go for me. This usually happens when I want her to do something she doesn't want to do, such as not stand in the doorway I'm trying to get through, move off the bed or table, and when I come in the front door (she has become more interested in going out of the front door for some reason, but this is out of bounds to her due to the busy road nearby). I can stop her in the process with a firm no and pointing at her, but I am wary of her. Saying all this though, some of her attacks are with soft paws and mouth, then she licks me straight after, almost like she doesn't want to bite me but can't help herself. the licking too, is an issue - she does it to me to the point of soreness. She doesn't sit with me as much, has stopped purring and kneading, and will only play with a laser pointer. She no longer greets me with her customary writhing around on her back in pleasure, and is even ignoring her green ribbon, which she used to carry round with her like a comfort blanket!

Yet, with all this in mind, she's still my shadow. She has to be in the same vicinity as me, and still sleeps with me.

So all of this led me to take her to the vet. The vet thinks she possibly has arthritis in her hind leg, and advised Metacam for a week to see if it improved her behaviour, which it did. He advised me to not give it to her for a week to see if she deteriorated again  - which she did. I've put her back on it a few days ago, and am waiting for a phonecall from the vet for advice on this drug long term. Her heart murmur that she's always had has got worse too, and she has had scans etc and has been diagnosed with HCM. Her heart isn't enlarged, and her lungs are just fine at themoment, so I have to monitor her for any signs of heart failure. I have no idea when or even if this could happen, as they are all different.  The cardiologist seems baffled by her behaviour and seems to think that her dicky ticker wouldn't cause her to behave as she is.

I just don't know what to do anymore. As I have said about the painkiller, I need to see if she can stay on this or an alternative to it, to see if she comes back to her normal self. Maybe its an age thing and she's just become a cranky old lady (at the age of 10??!!). Maybe I just need to let her be and this is now her personality. Whatever it is, its very upsetting, and she doesn't feel like my cat anymore. Has anyone else experienced a total change in character due to HCM before?

I do not want to alarm you but Metacam has been linked to kidney problems and death in cats, so that it is only prescribed in the US 'off list' and many vets will not use it at all, though it is an effective painkiller. I have notes on all my cats' vet files to say No Metacam as there are alternatives. For Arthritis pain my older cat is doing very well on Cosequin which she has been taking for a year, and she is back to her old self after being a growling hissing grumpy little person for months.

If you google Metacam you will find some case histories and the FDA paper on it that will tell you more, but I would not go near it. And oral Metacam is even more dangerous than the injected form that is used for pain relief post-operatively.

Thanks Jenny,

I have spoken to the vets who has told me that its in the US where the problems seem to occur with the kidney problems as the dosage regulations are different to here in the UK.  I must admit that I have read many horror stories that really scared me, but nearly all of them were from owners in the US. He has advised to keep her on it to see she continues to improve, but at a reduced dosage. She's on a low one as it is. I am to go back for a follow up appointment in a few weeks, so I will mention Cosequin to him. I'm not sure if we have that in the UK, but I will ask. 

So did your cat exhibit similar behavioural problems as mine before the Cosequin? How long did it take her to get back to herself?

Sorry, I didn't realise you are in the UK. I am British but live in France, and I buy my Cosequin online from VetUK. It is much cheaper than from the vet. Dushka was really aggressive with everyone, including me, which was crazy, as I had her at 3 weeks and I have always been her mom, that she sleeps with, sits on and generally follows about. She would growl and hiss when moved and I couldn't even pick her up at one stage. But the poor cat was in pain so it was not surprising. I think it took about a month for her to get totally back to normal. I gave her a capsule a day to start, for about 6 months and now she takes one every two days. Dushka is easy to pill, so give her the capsules whole, but you can sprinkle the contents on food as it is tasteless. Cosequin is basically glucosamine and chondroitin, that are used to treat arthritis in humans, but it is formulated in cat dosage. There is a similar one for dogs.

In Europe Bayer have brought out a new Metacam that they say is OK for cats, at a lower dosage as you know, and my vet showed me a study that was done that 'proved' that it was safe long term for cats. But I discovered that the study was actually commissioned by the manufacturers and only featured 76 cats. Some vets here will use it, others won't, and I like to play safe. There are much safer alternatives so why take the risk?

Hi Jenny, that's so helpful, thankyou. I'll look into getting some for Genie. I have also ordered some omega 3 oil for her so as they're both supplements I should be able to use them together. 

Good luck with her. I look forward to updates.