Known causes of feline cardiomyopathy
1. Genetics
Most cat cardiomyopathy is caused by genes, and any cat has the possibility of suffering from cardiomyopathy, whether it is an old cat or a young cat. Any breed is possible, but some breeds are easier, such as Ragdoll cats, Maine Coon cats, etc. Some breeds of cats do carry genes that are prone to this disease. In addition, there is a saying that it may be that male cats have a higher chance of getting sick than female cats.
While most feline cardiomyopathy has no specific cause and can only be attributed to a genetic problem, two factors, taurine insufficiency and hyperthyroidism, are known to the veterinary medical community. Cardiomyopathy has complex links that are difficult to disentangle.
2. Insufficient taurine content required by the body
Cats with insufficient taurine intake Cats are more prone to cardiomyopathy than normal cats. The most critical elements in taurine are amino acids. If a cat is severely deficient in these elements, it is very likely to cause heart failure.
In the 1980s, a large number of cats with this related disease were found. After research, it was found that the cat was more suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy, which was related to the lack of taurine in cats. So cat food manufacturers began to improve their products and added enough taurine to cat food, so that cats gradually reduced cardiomyopathy caused by insufficient taurine. So now cats suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy is relatively rare, but hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is still more common.
3. Hyperthyroidism in cats
It is well known that cardiomyopathy in cats may present with symptoms of hypertension , then how is high blood pressure caused? This is likely to be caused by hyperthyroidism. In addition, one of the causes of cat cardiomyopathy is hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism, a disease prone to occur in older cats, may be associated with excessive intake of flame retardant PBDEs in the environment. Marine fish rich in flame retardants and iodine are the main sources of these elements, which also warns pet owners that they should pay special attention to marine fish for cats, and minimize or avoid tuna, canned swordfish and related cat food.
So what kind of fish should the owner choose for the cat? The best shallow sea fish, such as mackerel, saury and so on.
